Texas Man Cleared of Shooting Suspected Burglars Next Door

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by E.L., Jul 1, 2008.


  1. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,374223,00.html

    HOUSTON — 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, 62, 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 authorities and told the emergency 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, said his client was relieved by the grand jury's decision and never wanted to hurt anyone.
    "He wasn't trying to take matters into his own hands," Lambright said. "He was scared. He was not playing cowboy."
    Horn did not speak with reporters Monday, and had a "No Trespass" sign blocking the path to the front door of his home.
    Lambright said Horn believed the two men had broken into his neighbor's home and that he shot them out of fear for his life when they came into his yard and threatened him.
    "He wasn't acting like a vigilante," Lambright said. "He was well within his rights to do what he was doing."
    The men Horn killed, 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 is not clear whether the neighbor whose home was burglarized asked Horn to watch over his house.
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  2. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    Re: Texas Man Cleared of Shooting Suspected Burglars Next Do

    Ohhhhh nice
     
  3. Tackleberry

    Tackleberry Krieg Hündchen

    Re: Texas Man Cleared of Shooting Suspected Burglars Next Do

    And and another one, er I mean two, bites the dust......dadda, dumm, dumm, dumm, dad, dadda, da, da, da....
     
  4. toemag

    toemag Monkey++

    Re: Texas Man Cleared of Shooting Suspected Burglars Next Do

    Shot them in the back....

    That is the only thing I don't like about this story.

    Tony
     
  5. MbRodge

    MbRodge Monkey+++

    Re: Texas Man Cleared of Shooting Suspected Burglars Next Do

    Even the back shooting didn't bug me too much. If I was 62 I wouldn't count on my reflexes getting the better of two young men, I'd just shot 'em and be done with it.
     
  6. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Re: Texas Man Cleared of Shooting Suspected Burglars Next Do

    I don't know if this story stated it or not, but the original story (too lazy to dig it up) stated that the two perps charged the elgerly fellow, and that he shot one in the side and the other turned as it ran and he thought he was going to get shot at so he fired.

    Either way...."The stars at night, are big and bright.....deep in the heart of Texas...."
     
  7. jim2

    jim2 Monkey+++

    Re: Texas Man Cleared of Shooting Suspected Burglars Next Do

    Yup, they're good thieves now! Couldn't care less what side he shot them in, as they were felons in commission of a felony. Really enjoyed listening to the liberals whinning about this one![beer]

    jim
     
  8. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    Re: Texas Man Cleared of Shooting Suspected Burglars Next Do

    Shoot them all in the back, before they can you.[beer]
     
  9. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Re: Texas Man Cleared of Shooting Suspected Burglars Next Do

    GREAT NEWS!!!

    Glad it was a win for the good guys, and saved the tax payers the trial(s) and (possible) jail time for the bad guys.
     
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