O'Reilly unbalanced

O'Reilly interviews Johnny Sutton, prosecutor of two border patrol agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean.

Sutton said the two agents shot an unarmed man and instead of reporting the facts they covered it up.

O'Reilly fell for it. He didn't have anyone to speak on behalf of the agents.

Mancow was a follow-up guest a few minutes later, and he did not comment on the border agents! This is weird. Surely, Mancow would engage O'Reilly on the agents, but he didn't. The pair talked instead about the woman who died from drinking two gallons of water to win a contest.

This is puzzling, because Mancow I'm sure would take the side of the border agents. Yet, he isn't asked, nor does he offer an opinion on that issue.

O'Reilly neglected to have anyone representing the position of the two border agents.

http://agentramos.blogspot.com/

http://ramos-compean.blogspot.com/

He obviously didn't read World Net Daily today, either, or if he did, he ignored the article:

Special counsel sought for imprisoned border agents
Head of union wants probe of case against 'innocent men doing their job'
Posted: January 18, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Jerome R. Corsi
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

The head of a union representing most Border Patrol agents is calling on President Bush and Congress to appoint a special counsel to investigate the case of agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, who began prison sentences yesterday for shooting a Mexican drug smuggler.

TJ Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents 60 percent of the nation's agents, called the convictions an outrage.

"This case involves two innocent men doing their job, trying to secure our borders," he told WND. "They were defending themselves against an armed drug smuggler, and yet they end up in prison. How is that possible?"

On Tuesday, federal Judge Kathleen Cardone of El Paso, Texas, denied Ramos' and Compean's contention they were not a flight risk and rejected their motion to stay out of prison on bond while they appeal their case to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

Bonner told WND the agents' imprisonment will have a detrimental effect on the willingness of Border Patrol agents to go out and enforce immigration laws.

"The Bush administration is sending a message to all law enforcement officers," Bonner told WND, "that it is to be 'hands off the border, leave it wide open, don't you dare do your jobs or you too will end up in federal prison.' "After this travesty of justice," he continued, "why would any Border Patrol agent stick their neck out trying to apprehend a Mexican drug smuggler, especially when you realize that you could be the one who ends up behind bars?"

The Bush administration continues to argue on background that Ramos and Compean lied to Border Patrol officials and covered up evidence, asserting the Mexican drug smuggler was not armed and had attempted to surrender peacefully.

Bonner disagrees, arguing there were "only three people who saw what happened on the other side of that levee – Agent Ramos, Agent Compean, and the Mexican drug smuggler, Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila."

"The agents testified that the drug smuggler did not have his hands up, that he was running away, and that he pointed an object at them that they believed to be a gun. So, the agents opened fire," Bonner said. "Essentially, what the White House is saying is that they believe the word of a drug smuggler over the word of two sworn federal agents."

The Bush administration further charges Ramos and Compean failed to file a report that was required after their weapons had been discharged.

Bonner argues that under Border Patrol policy, Ramos and Compean were required to make an oral report, not a written report.

"The agents did fail to make an oral report, but under Border Patrol policy, that failure merits at most a five-day suspension. It is not a crime, it is an administrative violation."

Bonner said a lot of Americans are wondering why the Bush administration seems to be making an effort to represent the case the way the drug smuggler wants it seen.

"If you go to the U.S. attorney's website and look at their version of the events, it looks like the drug smuggler wrote that statement himself," he said. "The U.S. attorney is relying on the drug smuggler's statements, and this drug smuggler has everything to gain by lying."

Bonner pointed out the drug smuggler is suing the federal government for $5 million.

"The government is aiding his case by prosecuting these Border Patrol agents wrongfully," Bonner said. "The U.S. government has virtually guaranteed that Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila is going to walk away."

A statement from U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, published Oct. 23, 2006, on the U.S. Department of Justice U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, claims Compean and Ramos "shot 15 times at an unarmed man who was running away from them and posed no threat. They lied about what happened, covered up the shooting, conspired to destroy the evidence and then proceeded to write up and file a false report."...


http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/search?q=border+agents

Meanwhile, newshounds says Hannity and Colmes featured one of the agents on the 16th without anyone from the opposite side.

A Biased, Unbalanced Report of Border Patrol Shooting
Reported by Ellen - January 17, 2007
Several weeks ago, I posted about a Hannity & Colmes segment in which Congressman Dana Rohrabacher became furious with Alan Colmes for questioning the actions of two Border Patrol agents convicted for shooting a drug smuggler from behind and tampering with the evidence. Rohrabacher was one of a number of Congressman seeking a pardon for agents. Last night (1/16/07), on Hannity & Colmes, FOX News did its part for the effort. The show featured one of the agents, due to start his jail sentence today, recounting the events from his side only. Not surprisingly, he left out a few bits of important information.

http://www.newshounds.us/2007/01/17/a_biased_unbalanced_report_of_border_patrol_shooting.php

Odder still

Unresolved Problems Segment
Securing the Mexican border

Guest: Sara Carter, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

The Factor described a case that has landed two border agents in very hot water: "U.S. border patrol agents Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos have been convicted by a jury in Texas of trying to cover up the shooting of a suspected Mexican drug smuggler near El Paso. The two will be sentenced later this month, could get 20 years in prison." Sara Carter, a reporter for the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, relayed the most outrageous part of the prosecution of Compean and Ramos: "The smuggler, alive in Mexico, comes back and testifies against these two Border Patrol agents, given immunity by our own Department of Homeland Security. He comes back and testifies, and a jury convicts these guys." The Factor commented on the conviction: "This seems like a miscarriage of justice, prosecuting these guys. I don't think they're going to do any time, if they are, that's ridiculous."

http://www.billoreilly.com/show?action=viewTVShow&showID=932

More perspective

http://www.immigrationwatchdog.com/2006/12/24/bush-pardons-drug-dealers-and-sends-border-agents-to-prison/