The question of the hour: Do imprisoned ex-Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who were convicted of shooting an unarmed man along the U.S.-Mexican border in 2005 and then covering it up, deserve to have their sentences commuted or perhaps be given a full pardon?
They do not. It was true in March 2006 when the men were found guilty by a jury in El Paso, and it is true now. There has been lots of press attention to this case, and substantial pressure on the prosecutor who brought it and on President Bush to offer a commutation or pardon.
It is disappointing but not surprising that Ramos and Compean would morph into heroes for border restrictionists. There is much frustration in this country over what some consider to be nothing less than an invasion occuring along our southern border. For those who believe that, the natural tendency is to defend those who stand watch against the tide.
Now the issue has moved to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which, last week, held a hearing. When it was over, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said they intended to send a letter to Bush asking him to commute the sentences.
It would be one thing if some new information had come to light, and the findings warranted a presidential commutation of their sentences, but that has not happened. In fact, nothing has changed legally since Ramos and Compean were convicted and sentenced to 11 years and 12 years respectively.
The only change has been in the political environment, where the restrictionists seem to feel emboldened for having helped scuttle immigration reform. They busted out a victory on that front. Now they want to bust Ramos and Compean out of jail.
Things don't work that way. This is a sad and tragic case, for all concerned. If there is an injustice here, then it's up to a court to set things right. Let's let the legal system run its course before bringing in the politicians.
