captain howdy

Exactly! It sounds like they went well beyond doing their job.

BettieSpaghetti

From the interview of Compean on my radio show about 2 months ago: The agent's court testimony stated that they saw something shiny in his hand, and that gave them cause to discharge the gun (this is not out of border patrol policy.) The only thing they did wrong was not report the incident via a report. That punishable by just a suspension from duty. When interviewed Compean said, they really thought nothing of it because the man ran back to Mexico. Yes he should have reported it, but what drug smuggler reports being shot in the butt to the U.S. (and BTW it was the drug smuggler's family that reported it to the district attorney in Texas, not the drug smuggler himself)

There is also tons of controversy about the courts forcing the jury to make a hasty decision (I think because they were about to go on holiday and once the trial had completed court would be in recess, reported by a juror, also on my fav. talk radio show - but I can't find any news media online to support that information)

This is also not the first time this specific district attorney has had a border patrol agent convicted of trying to apprehend a drug smuggler.

PhxHHR

Sorry, Bettie, but this part of your statement is really reaching. I'm originally from Texas and grew up not far from where this happened. Despite the facts of the case, the agents were convicted by a jury of their peers, as is the norm in the U.S. I understand your frustration, BELIEVE ME - I spent the first 25 years of my life in that area, right smack on the border. And I can honestly say that in our lifetime, border issues will not be solved - regardless of whether we build a wall or otherwise. The problems associated with borders are way bigger than the solutions currently being offered, and I am now seeing in Arizona the things that Texans have been complaining about for over fifty years.

HillsdaleHHR

I wasn't there, don't have the facts but will say two wrongs don't make a right. If he was a known drug smuggler and they were able to track him down why wasn't he tracked down before?

captain howdy

So federal agents should be allowed to shoot whoever they want in non life threatening situations with no indication that a person is committing a crime other than being in the US illegally?

PhxHHR

I cannot confirm or deny that this may have possibly happened in the past and/or future.

Inframan

Don't forget that he may have had somthing shiny in his hand. Of course it was probably a ring. But that's enough. Oh yeah, he was running away with his back towards the agents, but its still okay.

HillsdaleHHR

Darn Canadians

BettieSpaghetti

No, but they should be able to protect themselves in the event someone pulls a weapon on them (the policies allow them that.) He saw what he thought was a weapon and fired - All Police have the same authority. There is nothing wrong with this.

Campean wanted to be a border patrol agent his whole life, and he is going to jail for wanting to protect us, American Citizens, and THAT IS the part of this whole story that is just wrong.

AND YES Illegal Immigration is a problem in CA (and the US) - everyday I am worried that my beautiful HHR is going to be hit by an uninsured, unlicensed motorist and the person is going to drive off. It's happened to me before but at least it was with my POS Chevy Lumina Van. But that is a whole other thread.

PhxHHR

I was completely unaware of the fact that immigrants are the only individuals who do not bother to become licensed, much less insured. Thank you for clearing that up.