Jailed Border Agent Ramos Beaten in Prison

The case of the two border guards imprisoned for long prison terms for shooting an illegal alien drug-smuggler just gets worse and worse and more and more curious. It certainly appears that federal authorities are upset that so many people, including members of Congress, are pressing President Bush for pardons, and that the internet is alive with information that conflicts with statements by Johnny Sutton, the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case and put these men in jail for doing their job. The President better act quickly, or these men may not live to see their pardons.

Imprisoned border agent beaten by fellow inmates
Justice Department confirms report of assault, Ramos: 'They kicked me … all over the body'

Posted: February 6, 2007

By Jerome R. Corsi
WorldNetDaily.com (Excerpt)

“The Department of Justice has confirmed imprisoned former Border Patrol agent Ignacio "Nacho" Ramos – sentenced to 11 years in the shooting of a drug smuggler – was treated for injuries after reporting he was beaten in a medium-security facility in Mississippi.

WND received a statement issued by the agency citing Charles Smith, spokesman for the Federal Correctional Complex in Yazoo City, Miss.
Smith said that at about 10:15 p.m. Saturday, Ramos "reported to staff that he had been assaulted."

"Mr. Ramos was evaluated by medical staff at the institution who determined he had sustained some bruises and abrasions. The injuries sustained were minor in nature."
However, Ramos's wife and father-in-law told WND the former agent said in phone calls to them the assailants "got me pretty good," explaining he was assaulted by five Hispanic men with steel-toed boots – likely illegal aliens – who cussed him out in Spanish.

"They kicked me in the head, they kicked me all over the body. I'm all bruised and very sore," Ramos reportedly said, adding he bled from his left ear.

Ramos, Smith said, then "was placed in the Special Housing Unit pending a thorough investigation of the incident. He will remain in the Special Housing Unit until the conclusion of this investigation. No further information is available at this time."

Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, told WND he received verbal confirmation from the Bureau of Prisons that Ramos was assaulted and sent to the infirmary.

Poe was among a number of lawmakers and others close to the case who expressed concerned for the safety of Ramos and fellow agent Jose Compean if they were placed among the general prison population.

Unfortunately, this is not a surprise," Poe told WND. "The federal government doesn't do any better job of protecting border agents in jail than it does protecting them on the border."

Poe said the bureau is drafting a report on the incident, and he has requested a copy.

In a phone call from prison, Ramos told his wife yesterday the assailants allegedly threatened him in Spanish, taunting him with, "**** la migra." "Migra" roughly translates as "immigration," slang for Border Patrol agent.

Ramos had been moved to the medium-security facility about 10 days ago. He and Compean began prison sentences last month, of 11 and 12 years respectively, for their actions in the shooting and wounding of a Mexican drug smuggler who was granted full immunity to testify against them. The case has caused national outrage, and dozens of congressmen are publicly insisting President Bush grant an immediate pardon of the two law enforcement officers.

Ramos's family believes the decision to place him in a medium-security prison violates a promise from federal authorities that he would be kept in isolation at a minimal-security prison.

At Yazoo, Ramos was housed with the general prison population. A medium-security prison such as Yazoo would be expected to house illegal immigrants, including those incarcerated on drug offenses.” World Net Daily

Although the World Net Daily is not the best of sources, this attack on Ramos has been widely confirmed. The act of placing him in with the general population is outrageous – even if he were guilty of the charges on which he and his partner have been railroaded.