bush pardons border gaurds

its now100pm in the east where it was just announced that outgoing president geore w. bush has pardoned those border gaurds for the shooting.I am glad to see this happen and cant think of a better way to spend a pardon,no matter what you think of bush this is pretty cool.what are your thoughts on this matter ats?

Well, that's good. They had no business being in jail to start with. Honestly, I think he should have pardoned them before now.

[edit on 19-1-2009 by SpeakerofTruth]

i thought it was a sad time in america when two of our finest went to jail for doing what they were supposed to do in the first place

This is a win for the individuals that were jailed for simply doing their job, but this does little to set a precedent over this type of action for the future. The next border guard to shoot an illegal border crossing drug pusher that is armed and dangerous, they will probably still go to jail just like the others. I doubt that Obama will be so gracious.

They weren't pardoned. Their sentences were commuted.

Bush's decision to commute the sentences of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who tried to cover up the shooting, was welcomed by both Republican and Democratic members of Congress. They had long argued that the agents were merely doing their jobs, defending the American border against criminals. They also maintained that the more than 10-year prison sentences the pair was given were too harsh.

news.yahoo.com...

Good news.

It's an unfortunate situation. I believe they are guilty but did not deserve the sentence they received.

I agree with all these,I do believe its an argument between the letter of the law vs. the spirit of the law

Good move for President Bush.

This is a good use of his power in my opinion.

Good move for President Bush.

This is a good use of his power in my opinion.

reply to tuning spork thanks for the correction,good catchpost by jjkenobi

does anyone know of any other commutations or pardons?

reply to post by jaman


I have not read the whole case on the border guards, but there was a cover-up involved with the shootings. That is never good, and probably did not help their cases. I am happy they got their sentences commuted, and hope they can get some of their lives back together.

Finally, this whole thing was a travesty. I can't believe that it was even allowed in the first place. People were screaming from day one that they should never have been prosecuted, or if they were it should only have been that they lose their jobs. It happens all the time with regular police officers. They screw up, they lose their jobs. Sometimes, depending on what they did, thats all that happens to them.

I hope they sue the hell out of the government for false imprisonment, unless of course, they can't because of some caveat in the commutation.

Just a reminder, their sentence was commuted, they were not pardoned. Just means that their sentences were reduced. They're still technically guilty, unlike Cheney's fall guy, Libby.

reply to post by zlots331
yea yea theythanks for correcting me ....again

reply to post by zlots331


They still have the convictions on their records. They would need a new trial to be found not guilty before they could try to sue the government. It would be a very difficult case for them as 12 jurors found them guilty.

There was also evidence tampering by the guards and other bad behavior. The news story:

news.aol.com...

I am glad they were released from prison, but covering up something is never good.

Also, Cheney's fall guy Libby still has a conviction as he was granted clemency, not a full pardon.

I do wonder if Bush will offer a blanket pardon for torture to all those involved?

reply to post by kidflash2008

if i were the outgoing president i would try to preemtivly protect all the republicans that the democrats are threatening with the government invesigations over the treatment of the terrorists at gittmo

wow,,,thank god,,those poor guys and their families


usually i feel gov't sucks and doesn't listen to "we the people"

i have been faxing and emailing bush on this through numbers usa

i feel like i actually accomplished something

finally

reply to post by shortywarn


Good for you shortywarn. It may have well had an effect.

They had no business being in prison for doing their jobs. And with over 330 armed Mexican military incursions (testified to house subcommittee), I have to wonder who would be in prison for taking those turkeys up on it one time, instead of turning their backs, and shooting down the whole lot of them with hellfires or something. It's about time we protected the friggin borders, and especially against rogue elements of their military in cahoots with drug dealers.

I think that Bush is doing some good with his pardons. They didn't deserve to be in jail for that but I am no lawyer. I wonder what other pardons he has made.

reply to post by shortywarn

you sound like a good american to me,can you post a link so we can all email our president?I didnt know one could do that but its a great idea. star for you