Number of Signatures: 650

Background: Since April 2000, five law enforcement officers have been prosecuted by the Federal Government under the direction of U.S. Attorney Western District of Texas Johnny Sutton for alleged crimes committed as they carried out their duties. The first case involves former Border Patrol Agent David Sipe, prosecuted for using excessive force in the arrest of an illegal. The Government was caught hiding evidence, and a new trial was ordered. When the jury heard about the deals made with the illegals, it found Agent Sipe not guilty. (See "Prosecution of Border Patrol Agents" by Congressman Ted Poe at www.nbpc.net.) The second case began January, 2001, and concerns former Agent Gary Brugman involved in the apprehension of a group of 10-12 illegals. As Agent Brugman and a trainee tried to contain the group, Brugman, fearing several were going to run, pushed one illegal with his foot to keep him seated. Agent Brugman was later prosecuted for violating the civil rights of the illegal Jiminez. Sutton contacted the Mexican Consulate, Eagle Pass, Texas, to help find and return Jiminez to the U.S. so he, Sutton, could prosecute Brugman using Jiminez as a witness. Sutton offered Jiminez immunity and health care for his family (including possibly chemotherapy) in return for his testimony. After sentencing, Sutton stated on TV that he was making an example of Gary Brugman. Gary Brugman served 2 years in Federal prison. (See "The Untold Story of Border Agent Gary Brugman" at www.AmericanFreedomRiders.com and "Another Sutton Victim," www.firesociety.com.)

Third and fourth officers are former Border Patrol Agents Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos who were recently sentenced to 11& 12years in prison for shooting an "unarmed" Mexican drug smuggler in the rear. This occured Feb. 17, 2005, near Fabens, Texas, as Aldrete-Davila abandoned his 700+ pounds of marijuana, refused to halt, and fled across the Rio Grande. As he fled, Davila turned, extended his left arm backward pointing at the agents. They testified they believed he had a gun. The doctor who treated Davila (at government expense) concurred that his wound was consistent with someone running away and turning backwards. Notes made by a congressional staffer indicate that nothing was done about this incident until shortly after the Mexican Consulate contacted the U.S. Consulate in Mexico. On March 4, 2005, DHS began its investigation of Compean and Ramos. DHS's Office of Inspector General recently admitted it "misled" Congressmen with its statements against the former agents. ("Misled" is a synonym for "lied.") Aldrete-Davila was given immunity if he would return to the U.S. and testify against the agents. He was apprehended a second time with approximately 1,000 pound of marijuana. This indictment was sealed and later expunged; thereby, preventing forever the agents' use of testimony it contained to help prove their innocense. Three of the 12 jurors in the case signed affidavits alleging they were misled concerning how they could vote. They wished to vote "not guilty" but was led to believe they could not. The judge chose to ignore these affidavits. The prosecution withheld and suppressed exculpatory evidence and, therefore, denied the defendents a fair trial. (See "National Border Patrol Council Rebuttal...." www.nbpc.net, Rep. Ted Poe's address cited above.)

The last officer is Deputy Sheriff Gilbert Hernandez who attempted to stop a car for a traffic violation on April 14, 2005, Edwards County, Texas. The car, later found to contain illegals, attempted to run Hernandez down. The deputy shot at the tires and, in so doing, slightly wounded an illegal hiding in the car. Both Texas Rangers and ATF investigated the incident immediately, clearing Deputy Hernandez of all wrong-doing. Over a year later the Department of Justice re-opened the case (perhaps due to a letter from Mexican Consul Jorge Ernesto Espejel Montes written April 18, 2005, demanding Hernandez be prosecuted for wounding a Mexican national, Maricela Rodriguez Garcia). Deputy Hernandez has been convicted of violating her civil rights, and, as this petition was being written, has been sentenced to a year in Federal prison. (See www.firesociety.com, Petition to President Bush: Free Deputy Gilbert Hernandez of Rocksprings, Texas.")

The Petition states

To The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of U. S. Representatives

Madam Speaker:

We bring this petition to you asking that you revue all information cited herein. It is our hope that you, and others,in the House of Representatives, will find, as we did, that the evidence surrounding these arrests, prosecutions, and convictions lead to more questions than answers. We feel a pattern is present throughout these prosecutions which indicates law enforcement officers working along our Texas border are being targeted by the U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton. We also feel the evidence shows pressure from the Mexican government which has sought to influence the criminal justice system of the United States of America. We respectfully ask, therefore, for an official Congressional investigation into these prosecutions and the related actions of U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton.