Posted by
Cary Wesberry on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 8:01:56 PM
A Christian pastor says he has filed an ethics complaint with the Texas Bar Association seeking an investigation into U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton's "willfully misleading" statements in the case against former U.S. Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.
Don Swarthout, president of Christians Reviving America's Values, today confirmed his ethics complaint cites Sutton's actions in the case in which Ramos and Compean were convicted of shooting at a drug smuggler who had dropped a load of marijuana near the Texas border and was fleeing back into Mexico.
An announcement from his organization confirmed, "Swarthout charges Sutton's office willfully misled the jury in order to convicted Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean."
On Feb. 17, 2005, Ramos and Compean pursued Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila on foot after Aldrete-Davila abandoned a van containing 743 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $1 million. During the chase, Ramos shot at Aldrete-Davila in the belief that the smuggler had drawn a gun of his own. Aldrete-Davila escaped across the border, and Ramos assumed Aldrete-Davila was unhurt. In fact, Aldrete-Davila had been shot in the buttock.
Sutton's office later charged Ramos and Compean violated Border Patrol policy by pursuing Aldrete-Davila without supervisor approval, moving spent shell casings and improperly reporting the fired shots. Aldrete-Davila was granted immunity to testify against the agents. Ramos and Compean currently are in solitary confinement in maximum-security prisons.
Their cases are on appeal before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
"This whole case stinks to the highest parts of heaven," Swarthout said. "How is it possible in America to convict two border agents for simply doing their jobs and send them to prison for 11 and 12 years? How is it possible for Johnny Sutton's office to ruin the lives of two of our border agents based on the word of a known Mexican drug smuggler? Why did Johnny Sutton's office twist the facts of this case and hide evidence simply to get a conviction?" Swarthout said.
Officials with the Texas State Bar told WND they could not comment on complaints about inappropriate behavior unless a public penalty was imposed on an offender. And a spokeswoman for the federal office for Sutton told WND the media officer was out of the office today, and no one else could respond to questions.
Swarthout told WND he wrote to the prosecutor's office, including information about the situation.
"This just doesn't add up," he said.
He cited inconsistencies: Why would a drug ring trust a newcomer, or unknown, with drugs worth nearly $1 million. Why do several jurors report they were pressured into a guilty verdict?
"There is a reason behind it somewhere," he said.
Swarthout compared Sutton to Duke lacrosse rape case prosecutor Mike Nifong, who has faced a series of penalties for allegedly withholding evidence that could have cleared the defendants.
Swarthout also said nearly 100 members of Congress have reviewed the case and have asked President Bush to pardon the two.
"These … elected officials represent both Democrats and Republicans. All of them agree Johnny Sutton's prosecution leaves a lot of unanswered questions," Swarthout's statement said.
Continue reading the article by hitting the link above. U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton should be arrested and prosecuted not only for ethics violations, but also for purgery, conspiracy, and destroying the lives of two patriotic Border Patrol Agents who were doing their jobs to protect this country from a dangerous drug smuggler. The fact that Sutton still enjoys his position is an outrage. If there was justice in my country Ramos and Compean would be out of prison with Sutton taking their place. What a disgrace.