September 11, 2008

Appeals court denies new hearing in convicted agents' case

Associated Press

A federal appeals court has denied a request for a new hearing in the case of a pair of former U.S. Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a drug smuggler and then trying to cover it up.

A three-judge panel in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans denied the request from Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean on Wednesday. In July, the same court upheld convictions against the men that required lengthy prison sentences.

The two-page ruling did not give any reason for the denial.

Ramos and Compean are each serving sentences of more than 10 years in prison for shooting Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, an illegal immigrant and admitted drug smuggler.

Aldrete was sentenced to 9 1/2 years in prison last month for his role in two drug smuggling efforts just a few months after being shot by Ramos and Compean.

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