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Congressman Culberson, along with Congressmen Ted Poe, Dana Rohrabacher, William Delahunt, and Ed Royce, held a press conference this morning to continue to shed light on the case of Texas Border Agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. They, along with five other Members of Congress, have sent a letter to U.S. Pardon Attorney Ronald Rogers, asking again for the commutation of the agents. (Click here to read the Houston Chronicle's article on the press conference.)
Ramos and Compean are currently serving 11 and 12 year prison sentences, respectively, for shooting and wounding
a self -admitted illegal alien drug smuggler. Both men have already spent almost two years in solitary confinement. They have lost their jobs and their imprisonment has caused tremendous hardship upon their families.
They were arrested and charged with multiple crimes in connection to the February 2005 shooting of Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, who was caught with over 700 pounds of marijuana on the Texas-Mexico border. The agents did not report the incident to their superiors and were charged with deprivation of civil rights and tampering with an official.
Months after the original charges were made against Ramos and Compean, the Prosecution then drastically increased the charges by imposing an indictment under 18 U.S.C. 924 (c) which carries with it a mandatory ten year imprisonment sentence. Prosecutor Johnny Sutton based his case heavily on the testimony of Aldrete-Davila, who was later caught with another load of drugs after the conclusion of the trial.
Congressman Culberson has actively sought to commute the undue sentences of Ramos and Compean. Thus far, eighty
one, bi-partisan Members of Congress have joined him and signed onto H.Con.Res 267 in support of commutation. This morning’s press conference highlighted the injustices of the case and publicly called upon Pardon
Attorney Rodgers to grant commutation.
For a timeline of the events of this case, please click here.
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