Cornyn and Feinstein Seek Pardons of Border Patrol Agents

The Austin Statesman (here) reports that two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee urged President Bush on Wednesday to commute the prison sentences of a pair of former Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting an unarmed man and trying to cover it up. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said in a letter to the White House that the case involved “prosecutorial overreaching.” “We urge you to commute their prison sentences immediately,” they wrote. The agents, Jose Alonso Compean and Ignacio Ramos, are serving 12 and 11 years in prison, respectively, for wounding a suspected drug dealer after he entered the United States illegally in a van with more than 700 pounds of marijuana. The suspect, Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, was given immunity to testify against the officers.

Thanks to Cappy White for the scoop.

UPDATE  Immigration guru Dan Kowalski added some helpful context to this story:

In re “Cornyn and Feinstein Seek Pardons of Border Patrol Agents,” please consider the observations and links below. The hearing was, in my opinion, a colossal waste of taxpayer money and political grandstanding of the worst kind by Cornyn and company. Sutton cleaned their clocks. You can read the witnesses statements here: http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=2872 and watch the webcast here: http://judiciary.senate.gov/webcast/judiciary07172007-1000.ram It’s over 3 hours long, but I found it riveting, unlike most congressional hearings. One of the most shocking moments came at 2:56 when Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) suggested that Border Patrol agents should “wing” (shoot to injure or disable) any/all fleeing bad guys they see. Sutton politely reminded the good doctor from Shootlahoma (Coburn’s an M.D. … first, do no harm?) that it’s against the law to shoot at folks just ’cause you’re mad at ’em. Remember, Sutton is a conservative Republican, tough-on-crime prosecutor. His testimony clinched it for me. The willingness of the Republicans like Cornyn to eat their young (Sutton, Iglesias, Charleton, etc.) continues to amaze. Here’s another conservative Republican, tough-on-crime former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy, who rightfully supports Sutton: http://www.defenddemocracy.org//in_the_media/in_the_media_show.htm?doc_i d=451502

and http://www.defenddemocracy.org//in_the_media/in_the_media_show.htm?doc_i d=46 3870

McCarthy’s bio: http://www.defenddemocracy.org/biographies/biographies_show.htm?attrib_i d=97 16

Here are Sutton’s sites: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw/

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw/us_attorney/index.html

I’ve opposed Sutton’s assistant U.S. Attorneys in many an immigration case in Texas, but my hat is off to him here.