|
FBP's Ramirez to Testify before Congress Thursday - NEW
FBP is launching our freshly overhauled site on Thursday, March 8, 2007, which will coincide with Andy Ramirez, FBP Chairman testifying in Washington, DC before the House Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counter-Terrorism. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 1pm Eastern Time.
Mr. Ramirez will obviously be discussing issues pertaining to the hearing's subject entitled, "Border Security: Technology, Infrastructure, and the Human Element." However, as history has shown, our chairman has also broken major national news during previous appearances before Congress such as informing them about Raytheon's Project Athena, and the Great Miscarriage of Justice better known as the U.S. v. Compean & Ramos. We're certain nobody will want to miss Andy's testimony and his first before the House Homeland Security Committee.
Man agents shot ran drugs into U.S. after he was given immunity, DEA report says
Published by the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin - February 27, 2007
The Mexican national shot by two Border Patrol agents in a drug-related incident in February 2005 brought a second van load of drugs into the U.S. while he waited to testify against the agents, according to Drug Enforcement Administration reports obtained by the Daily Bulletin.
Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila - who was given immunity by U.S. prosecutors in exchange for testifying against former agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean - is the focus of a November 2005 DEA report that identifies him as the person responsible for stashing more than 750 pounds of marijuana in a van parked at a house in Clint, Texas, in October of that year.
"(A witness) stated that Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila was the individual that dropped off the 1990 Chevy Astro van," according to the DEA document. "This van contained approximately 6 bundles of marijuana."
DEA interviews with the Clint house's owner, Cipriano Ortiz-Hernandez, led to Ortiz-Hernandez's brother, Jose Ortiz, who told DEA agents that Aldrete-Davila had moved the narcotics from Juarez to El Paso , adding that the van Aldrete-Davila was driving needed work, so he referred him to his mechanic brother, Cipriano.
"Jose Ortiz thought for a minute, and then stated that we should know Davila's identity because he is the person who was shot by Border Patrol agents six months ago," the report states.
Cipriano Ortiz-Hernandez also identified Aldrete-Davila as the van's driver after seeing a photo array, according to the DEA documents.
Aldrete-Davila was shot in the buttocks after fleeing a van filled with marijuana and running away from Border Patrol agents in a February 2005 incident near Fabens, Texas, about seven miles from Clint.
Ramos and Compean are now serving 11 and 12 years, respectively, in federal prison after being convicted in March 2006 of assault with a deadly weapon, attempting to cover up their actions, and violating Aldrete-Davila's civil rights.
Both men testified that they thought Aldrete had a gun in his hand while they were chasing him, and feared for their lives when they fired on him.
Aldrete-Davila was given immunity to testify against the agents, along with a special border crossing pass and free medical treatment at a U.S. Army medical center.
Western District of Texas U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, whose office prosecuted Ramos and Compean, has denied numerous times that Aldrete-Davila brought a second load of narcotics into the United States after being granted immunity.
Sutton said in a Jan. 17 "Myths vs. Reality" press release that "Aldrete has not been subsequently arrested for drug smuggling. Our office is in the business of prosecuting drug traffickers and alien smugglers ... If we had a provable case against Aldrete, we would prosecute him."
Sutton's assertion that Aldrete-Davila has not been arrested is accurate. However, an
Oct. 25, 2005, DEA report shows that DEA investigators believed they had sufficient evidence to indict Aldrete-Davila, but their requests to do so were denied by prosecutors.
According to a high-level source close to the investigation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Gregory was notified in October 2005 that Aldrete-Davila was being investigated by the DEA and that the agency had new evidence against him.
Gregory dismissed the warning, the source said.
Shana Jones, special assistant to Sutton, said she could not comment on Gregory's meeting with the DEA, or on the DEA documents.
"We have posted the transcript of the (agents') trial," Jones said. "We are not going to comment about matters that are under seal or are ongoing investigations."
Staff writer Sara A. Carter can be reached by e-mail at sara.carter@dailybulletin.com, or by phone at (909) 483-8552.
Official Message from the Compean Family regarding contacting Jose, and donations
"On behalf of our family we would like to thank everyone for their support and prayers in these difficult and trying times. Knowing that we are not alone has made this ordeal a little easier for all of us. For those who wish to offer their support to our family, we ask that you send all correspondences, requests for interviews, and donations to us through Friends of the Border Patrol who has created a trust fund for our family.
We ask that all organizations do NOT post the address of Jose's prison online as this is something we decided as a family (including Jose). While the Ramos family chose to post a direct contact address and telephone number online, we have not, and we ask that everyone respects our decision. Some may question why we use an intermediary but that too is our choice and enhances our safety. We hope that everyone respects our wishes. Our greatest concern is winning the appeal and our safety. If you would like to write us via e-mail, we can be reached through FBP at agentcompean@friendsoftheborderpatrol.com..." - Patty Compean and Family
How you can help the Compean family financially
FBP was formally contracted by the Compean family in 2006 and continues assisting them in many ways including creating a trust fund that will assist their children, media relations, publicity, and managing their trust fund. The Compean family has asked us to assist with this so that Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila is not in a position to sue the family due to the conviction against Agent Compean.
The Compean family who was devastated by this malicious prosecution lost their home, furniture, and so much more. Their home was not attached to their bond and was lost almost immediately. Though never asking for anything, they are appreciative of everyone's generosity and support. In this way, you can directly help a family who needs it most but is far too humble to ask. As for assisting with legal fees, while the appeal is paid for, we continue to raise money so that if any new motions are filed, or if the case is ever overturned, fees can be met at no cost to the Compean family. The family, the union, and our organization are all satisfied with the Compean's new appellate counsel.
If you have any questions about donations made in 2006 to the Legal Defense Fund, we have provided a complete accounting in the LDF Section of our website. You will find that $30,000 was paid directly for attorney fees of the $42,000 raised, $1,850 in relief to Mr. Ramos, $1,250 to Mr. Compean (or $33,100). Travel expenses amounted to about 10% of all donations, which resulted in numerous meetings held with Members of Congress that has led to 81 Members supporting the agents, including Congressman Hunter's bill to pardon them as we were able to answer questions and concerns that Members had. This is compared to zero in March of 2006. Though suggested by our organization to their original counsel, none of the attorneys met with Congress until recently. We also met with a number of law enforcement leaders while investigating this case. Mr. Ramos chose to go out on his own in finding another attorney for his appeal. Recently we learned he retained the same lawyer he used in the original trial as co-counsel for the appeal.
Read the FBP Legal Defense Fund financial disclosure statement HERE >
Johnny Sutton puts out more lies against Compean & Ramos....
Click HERE to read FBP's Rebuttal & the real facts
Continuing news coverage of the Compean & Ramos Case - including America's Most Wanted Special
We have been compiling a number of links to articles and news coverage pertaining to the Compean & Ramos case so you are informed from Exclusive CNN, Daily Bulletin, Washington Times, and World Net Daily interviews and video footage. We have just added the February 3, 2007 America's Most Wanted Segment on the case.
Read the Ramos-Compean News coverage including videos HERE >
Click HERE to see the AMW Segment >
Read HERE to read the AMW's coverage of the Compean & Ramos case >
Ramirez Statement from Hannity & Colmes
Andy Ramirez, chairman of Friends of the Border Patrol appeared on Fox News Channel's Hannity & Colmes show to talk about his charges against U.S. Attorney Sutton Johnny Sutton that a false statement was sworn against Border Patrol Agents Compean & Ramos last night regarding the March 18, 2005 ballistic report as well as the arrest warrant against the agents. Andy's official & complete statement is as follows:
On page 83 of the transcript of Agent Vasquez who was being cross-examined at the time, Judge Cardone says and I quote..."... Mr. Aldrete-Davila is not on trial. And everybody knows he's got a phone and everybody knows he was transporting the drugs, ..."
Clearly the dope was tied to the load van by Agent Compean, admitted to on the stand and to investigators by the doper, and here is recognized by Judge Cardone, while U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton continues to lie about it.
We need a special prosecutor from the outside who is not tainted by what's going on in El Paso, and who can investigate this mess and clean it up before we place more agents lives in danger. Right now agents are afraid to draw their guns to defend themselves for fear of being prosecuted while doing their job, though facing an enemy that's armed far superior than he or she is. This case places them in grave danger, but I guess that's okay if you want willing workers, terrorists, and drugs to get across and don't mind giving a spouse a flag to an agent killed in the line of duty.
As I testified last August before Congress, the region is filled with corruption as the drug cartels have infiltrated our government. That's why you do not hear of the bloodshed in El Paso that you hear about in Nuevo Laredo, and elsewhere. The dope is successfully crossing the border, and this case only further undermines law enforcement as the dopers know they won't be prosecuted, while the Border Patrol and other law enforcement officers will, including Deputy Sheriff Gilmer Hernandez of Rock Springs, TX, who was prosecuted and convicted by Johnny Sutton's office, too.
Congressman Ted Poe awarded FBP's Defender of the Year Award
Friends of the Border Patrol held our first annual National Border Security Conference & Luncheon in San Diego, CA on January 20, 2007. We also honored Judge Ted Poe, Member of Congress, with our inaugural Border Defender of the Year Award.
Congressman Poe was presented this inaugural award for his outspokenness on border security and illegal immigration, his support of law enforcement and his leading efforts to exonerate and pardon convicted El Paso Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. When FBP learns new but verifiable information, Mr. Poe responds immediately.
Click HERE to read more about the event and view the pictures.
FBP Legal Defense Fund & Case Info Section
FriendsOfTheBorderPatrol.com is the website where you will find the best info and updates available in our newly relaunched FBP Legal Defense Fund & Case Info Section, including the Ramos & Compean case. Agents Compean & Ramos were sentenced on September 19, 2006 to 12 years (Compean) and 11 years (Ramos) for doing their job and stopping a drug smuggler. We have updated the news page on their section to include the latest articles.
In our FBP Legal Defense Fund & Case Info Section we will soon be bringing additional Border Patrol agent cases to your attention. You will still be able to follow the Ramos & Compean case through our continuing coverage. The siege by this administration against our Border Patrol agents is completely out of control now and morale has hit an all time low. One way you can immediately help ALL of our Border Patrol agents is by supporting our FBP Legal Defense Fund. We have provided a Paypal electronic donation button for credit card contributions on the donation page.
FBP Photo Gallery
FriendsOfTheBorderPatrol.com will soon be posting our photo gallery into a new section. The gallery will include pictures from the September 7, 2006 U.S. Capitol Press Conference held in Washington, DC with several Members of Congress, T.J. Bonner, and Sheriff Terry Crawford. We've also posted pics from the American Freedom Riders ride to the "Naco Line" and pics of the September 1, 2006 live broadcast in Ontario, CA of the John & Ken Show. We'll post more pictures from other events as soon as possible.
Click HERE to look at the FBP Photo Gallery - FBP Honors Congressman Poe >
Click HERE to look at the FBP Photo Gallery - Compean Capitol Press Conference >
Click HERE to look at the FBP Photo Gallery - Capitol Press Conference >
Click HERE to see a photo gallery of the "Brotherhood on the border" ride by the American Freedom Riders >
Click HERE to see the FBP Photo Gallery - John & Ken Show >
TOP
| 
