Conroe, Texas - U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady (R-The Woodlands) is urging the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to grant a new trial and release from federal prison convicted border patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.  The court is scheduled to hear the appeal today in New Orleans, deliberation could take several weeks. 

"I urge the Fifth Circuit to grant agents Ramos and Compean a new trial and to allow a new jury to hear all the evidence regarding the credibility of the drug runner whose word helped convict the two agents.
 
“Clearly Ramos and Compean made a serious mistake in concealing the shooting and the gun casings. They should be punished accordingly. But the federal gun charge under which they were prosecuted and the sentences they received are extreme and unwarranted, in my view.
 
“The American public, especially here in Texas, do not have confidence the initial prosecution or trial was truly fair and will not rest until these agents are given a full chance to defend their actions,” stated Brady.

In February 2005, Border Agents Ramos and Compean shot and apprehended Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila as he was fleeing law enforcement back across the Mexican border after attempting to smuggle 742 pounds of marijuana into the United States.  A jury convicted Romas and Compean of violating federal gun laws and covering up the shooting of the smuggler and sentenced them to 11 and 12-year prison sentences respectively.  Federal District Attorney Johnny Sutton's office gave Aldrete-Davila immunity to serve as the government's star witness and testify against the border agents.  Aldrete-Davila was arrested on November 15, 2007 at the El Paso border crossing on charges he smuggled a second 750-pound load of marijuana into the U.S.