US: Man kills 'burglars'. Jury: Not Guilty

[clippedgull]

The yanks know how to deal with low life scum

HOUSTON, Texas (AP) -- A Texas man who shot and killed two men he suspected of burglarizing his neighbor's home was cleared in the shootings Monday by a grand jury.

Joe Horn, 61, shot the two men in November after he saw them crawling out the windows of a neighbor's house in the Houston suburb of Pasadena.

Horn called 911 and told the dispatcher he had a shotgun and was going to kill the men. The dispatcher pleaded with him not to go outside, but Horn confronted the men with a 12-gauge shotgun and shot both in the back.

"The message we're trying to send today is the criminal justice system works," Harris County District Attorney Kenneth Magidson said.

Horn's attorney, Tom Lambright, has said his client believed the two men had broken into his neighbor's home and that he shot them only when they came into his yard and threatened him.

The two Horn suspected of committing burglary, Hernando Riascos Torres, 38, and Diego Ortiz, 30, were unemployed illegal immigrants from Colombia. Torres was deported to Colombia in 1999 after a 1994 cocaine-related conviction.

The episode touched off protests from civil rights activists who said the shooting was racially motivated and that Horn took the law into his own hands. Horn's supporters defended his actions, saying he was protecting himself and being a good neighbor to a homeowner who was out of town.

"I understand the concerns of some in the community regarding Mr. Horn's conduct," Magidson said. "The use of deadly force is carefully limited in Texas law to certain circumstances ... In this case, however, the grand jury concluded that Mr. Horn's use of deadly force did not rise to a criminal offense."

Lambright did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment from The Associated Press.

Texas law allows people to use deadly force to protect themselves if it is reasonable to believe they are in mortal danger. In limited circumstances, people also can use deadly force to protect a neighbor's property; for example, if a homeowner asks a neighbor to watch over his property while he's out of town.

It's not clear whether the neighbor whose home was burglarized asked Horn to watch over his house.

 

[Easy 10]

Couldn't he have just shot them in the legs ?

 

[CHAPPERS]

The yanks know how to deal with low life scum

.

:thud:

Are you serious?

 

[bhaexpress]

In Texas a couple of illegals are deemed worthless and I would bet some Texans would consider Mr Horn's actions as little more than a mercy killing. You have to realise that Texas is a very backward state in many ways and that's despite it being the second richest.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Magidson said. "The use of deadly force is carefully limited in Texas law to certain circumstances ... In this case, however, the grand jury concluded that Mr. Horn's use of deadly force did not rise to a criminal offense."

Texas law allows people to use deadly force to protect themselves if it is reasonable to believe they are in mortal danger.

He shot them both in the back? That does not seem to constitute mortal danger. That would suggest they were leaving the scene. If that was the case then...

In limited circumstances, people also can use deadly force to protect a neighbor's property; for example, if a homeowner asks a neighbor to watch over his property while he's out of town.

It's not clear whether the neighbor whose home was burglarized asked Horn to watch over his house.

Surely this would have been brought up in court? And what is wrong with the word 'burgled'?



Either way, I would never condone this sort of behaviour. God I hate America.

 

[CHAPPERS]

There MUST a been a load of redneck FUCKS on the jury.

 

[bhaexpress]

He shot them both in the back? That does not seem to constitute mortal danger. That would suggest they were leaving the scene. If that was the case then...




Surely this would have been brought up in court? And what is wrong with the word 'burgled'?

I'll be honest, I'm almost surprised that he was even charged.

 

[Les Biehn]

No one with a mullet should be allowed a gun.

 

[bhaexpress]

There MUST a been a load of redneck FUCKS on the jury.

Well it was a Texan jury, of course it was !

 

[Mr C]

These two guys shouldn't have been on his neighbour's property.

Were they trespassing and there illegally? If the answer is yes, they should have absolutely no claim whatsoever and they lose their "human rights" in this case as a result of being on the property.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), I think in the UK we require a bit of U.S.-style justice and handling of criminals. This reminds me of the knife thread earlier on here.

 

[bhaexpress]

These two guys shouldn't have been on his neighbour's property.

Were they trespassing and there illegally? If the answer is yes, they should have absolutely no claim whatsoever and they lose their "human rights" in this case as a result of being on the property.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), I think in the UK we require a bit of U.S.-style justice and handling of criminals. This reminds me of the knife thread earlier on here.

Didn't do a lot for Tony Martin did it ?

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Forget it. If they were there it would never have happened whats the problem. Rob someone you are asking for it.

 

[Mr C]

Didn't do a lot for Tony Martin did it ?

That's because the liberal bleedin' hearts brigade always jump up on their high horse about how the poor burglar's human rights have been violated, or some crap like that.

 

[Kaiser_Soze]

So he only shot them "when they came onto his property and confronted him" but they were both shot in the back?

If you are in fear of your life and a burglar is coming AT you then you have a case but shooting someone in the back when your life is no longer in jeopardy is cowardly and should be treated HARSHLY!

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

He has saved the local authorities an immense sum of money , as these two criminals would have served lengthy prison sentences before being deported. Trailer trash should be dealt with in the same manner over here in the UK.

 

[Kukev31]

Unfortunately (or fortunately), I think in the UK we require a bit of U.S.-style justice and handling of criminals. This reminds me of the knife thread earlier on here.

Yes, because it's clearly working in America. What with their almost non-existent crime rate.

 

[clippedgull]

So he only shot them "when they came onto his property and confronted him" but they were both shot in the back?

If you are in fear of your life and a burglar is coming AT you then you have a case but shooting someone in the back when your life is no longer in jeopardy is cowardly and should be treated HARSHLY!

Why give them a chance to come back and maybe mortally wound you next time.

No, good riddance to the scum.

 

[Mr C]

Yes, because it's clearly working in America. What with their almost non-existent crime rate.

Well, our current softly-softly liberal methods clearly aren't working are they. What with rising knife crime and lack of respect by teenagers (and others) etc.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

If they never went,they would still be alive now ?
Robbing someone else maybe ?

 

[Kukev31]

Year Homicide (includes murder, manslaughter and infanticide)3

2002/03 1,047
2003/04 904
2004/05 868
2005/06 766
2006/07 755

Seems to be working to me, obviously this is just one stat, but if you look overall at all our crime levels, they are more often decreasing than increasing. Don't believe everything the media portrays.