I previously wrote about the case where the US Attorney went out of his way to build a case against 2 US Border Patrol guards in this article here. Now there is a report from World Net Daily that the ballistics data in the case don’t match the facts.

Despite the conclusion of a laboratory criminalist that he could not conclusively link the bullet removed from Aldrete-Davila with Ramos’ service weapon, a Department of Homeland Security agent swore, in an affidavit of complaint filed against Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, that Aldrete-Davila was hit by a round fired by Ramos.

On the flip side the description of the drug smuggler’s wounds are consistent with the description of the incident by the two officers:

The Army doctor’s description of the wound directly contradicts U.S. Attorney Sutton’s repeated claim that agents Ramos and Compean shot Aldrete-Davila in the back.

The doctor clearly stated that the wound he observed was consistent with Aldrete-Davila turning to assume a “bladed position” with his left arm extended back toward the officers. This corroborates agent Ramos and Compean’s claim they observed Aldrete-Davila turning back toward them while fleeing, extending his arm and holding an object in his hand that they took to be a weapon.

Aldrete-Davila is left-handed, consistent with the bullet entering his left buttock laterally as he fled and turned back toward the officers, possibly pointing a weapon at them.

It may seem hypocritical to simultaneously claim that Officer Ramos did not shoot him, and that he did shoot him. What is does show is that the evidence in the case is inconclusive, and that two good Officers are being unfairly treated by the system that they swore to protect. They have never denied that the shooting happened, but the chain of evidence (you watch CSI, right? They do get some things right) is not secure, and they cannot prove that the bullet removed from the drug dealer is from Ramos’ gun.

And even if it did match, the description of the wound is consistent with someone turning and preparing to fire a gun. In which case their actions are completely justified. It is becoming increasingly evident that this case was motivated by something other than a sense of justice. I won’t speculate as to why they have been made an example of, but I find this administrations attitude towards border security to be puzzling and disturbing.

This comes in from CNSNews.com

By Randy Hall
CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor
January 17, 2007

(CNSNews.com) – As two U.S. Border Patrol agents surrendered to federal marshals Wednesday afternoon to begin serving more than a decade in jail for shooting an illegal drug smuggler, a federal lawmaker and conservative advocacy group expressed outrage at President Bush for not pardoning the men.

“This is the worst betrayal of American defenders I have ever seen,” Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said of the president.

“It’s shameful this was done by someone who is in the Republican Party,” the California Republican added in comments coinciding with the jailing of agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.

Rohrabacher said Bush “obviously thinks more about his agreements with Mexico than the lives of American people and backing up his defenders.”

Why?

As Cybercast News Service previously reported, Ramos and Compean encountered Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila while on duty on Feb. 17, 2005. When they tried to stop him, he fled and was shot and wounded. Aldrete-Davila was treated at a hospital in El Paso and then returned to Mexico.

After learning of the shooting, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton sought out Aldrete-Davila in Mexico and offered him immunity from prosecution if he would return to the United States to testify against Ramos and Compean.

Sutton later defended the decision, arguing that the agents did not have knowledge of any criminal activity involving Aldrete-Davila at the time they shot him.

The U.S. Attorney went out of his way to prosecute two Border Guards doing their job? Just wonderful.

A country without borders is not a country. It looks like that’s where we’re still headed.

Arizona Central is reporting another border violation:

A U.S. Border Patrol entry Identification Team site was overrun Wednesday night along Arizona’s border with Mexico.

According to the Border Patrol, an unknown number of gunmen attacked the site in the state’s West Desert Region around 11 p.m. The site is manned by National Guardsmen. Those guardsmen were forced to retreat.

Maybe if we armed the Guardsmen they would have had a chance to defend themselves? Maybe if our President took border security seriously? I have said this repeatedly — if you cannot protect your borders you are not a country.

Outgoing Seantor George Allen has introduced Legislation to allow the carry of concealed weapons in National Parks. The usual suspects (NYT, Brady Bunch, etc.) are up in arms that anyone would feel so unsafe as to want to carry a gun into the pristine wilderness. They are ignoring incidents suck as this one from Hawaii in 1999, this National Geographic report on Organ Pipe National Monument, or this report listing the 10 most dangerous National Parks.

Two legged critters aren’t the only threat in the wilderness areas, bear attacks have resulted in multiple deaths in recent years. Even so called experts are not safe, as the death of Timothy Treadwell so clearly demonstrated.

National Parks are located within the boundaries of states, and citizens of most of those states can legally carry concealed weapons when licensed to do so. There is no reason for their rights to be suspended at the border of the park. Just as with the ‘Gun Free School Zone’, having a gun free Park creates multiple targets of opportunity for criminals. Instead of asking why a visitor ‘needs’ a gun, they should be asking why their rights stop at the entrance station.