[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 40 (Thursday, March 8, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H2306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   LET THE JURY HEAR ALL THE EVIDENCE

  (Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, if the prosecution negligently or intentionally 
or by incompetence fails to give beneficial information to the defense, 
then our law says a new trial should be ordered. In the Ramos and 
Compean border agents trial, the prosecution based its whole case on 
the testimony of a drug smuggler who not only brought in $1 million 
worth of marijuana to the United States but was given immunity for it. 
He was portrayed as just a mule trying to get some money for his poor 
sick mama. Well, now it seems that after he got immunity for his crimes 
and while waiting to testify against Ramos and Compean, he brought in 
another large load of marijuana.
  Here is the DEA report on the second case. I have read it. This case 
is simple enough that a third-year law student could prosecute it. But 
the U.S. Attorney's Office refused to prosecute the drug smuggler in 
the second case, and the jury never heard about this matter. The jury 
should have known about the second case to judge the credibility of the 
drug smuggler's testimony. The border agent should receive a new trial. 
Let the jury hear the truth about the star witness the Federal 
Government made a backroom deal with.
  And that's just the way it is.

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