JOE HORN CLEARED!

craigntx

Registered
http://www.abclocal.go.com/ktrk....6235878
ThumbsUp.gif



Joe Horn no billed by grand jury




LocalJoe Horn no billed by grand juryMonday, June 30, 2008 | 3:41 PM A grand jury has decided not to indict a homeowner accused of fatally shooting two burglars. HOUSTON -- A suburban Houston homeowner was cleared by a grand jury Monday for shooting to death two men he suspected of burglarizing his neighbor's home.
Joe Horn, 61, shot the two men last November after he saw them crawling out the windows of a neighbor's house in Pasadena, a Houston suburb.
Horn, a retired grandfather, called 911 and told the dispatcher he had a shotgun and was going to kill them. 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 told reporters at the courthouse.
Story continues belowAdvertisement
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 suspected burglars, 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 incident 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 use of deadly force did not rise to a criminal offense."
Magidson said nine of the 12 grand jurors would have had to vote in favor of an indictment in order for Horn to be charged. Lambright said this week that his client regrets the shooting and would stay inside if he had it to do over again.
Lambright did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment from The Associated Press.
In the 911 call, a dispatcher urges Horn to stay inside his house and not risk lives.
"Don't go outside the house," the 911 operator pleaded. "You're gonna get yourself shot if you go outside that house with a gun. I don't care what you think."
"You wanna make a bet?" Horn answered. "I'm gonna kill 'em." After the shooting, he redialed 911.
"I had no choice," he said, his voice shaking. "They came in the front yard with me, man. I had no choice. Get somebody over here quick."
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 their 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.
Statement from City of Pasadena
With a decision by the grand jury not to return a true bill against Mr. Horn, a panel of citizens drawn from the community has determined that the facts of the incident did not warrant the handing up of an indictment for criminal actions. The grand jury, hearing the available facts and witnesses as well as the law to be applied in this case, is in the best position to make that determination.
Mr. Horn has satisfied the state, through the grand jury process, that his actions do not warrant criminal prosecution on these charges. We hope that the decision of the grand jury, while difficult for some to accept, will be respected as the product of a careful weighing of all the facts by an impartial panel of citizens.
This incident has been a tragedy for all those involved, changing lives forever. The obvious lessons that can be drawn from it are that criminal activities are inherently a dangerous lifestyle, and the prevention and pursuit of those involved in criminal actions are best left to the police. They are professionals trained to meet the unexpected circumstances of pursuit and apprehension. The City of Pasadena intends to continue to provide its police force whatever resources required to assure our citizens that their community remains a safe place to live and work.

(Copyright ©2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
 
.... only [sadly] because their >>LAWYERS<< sucked. Lawyers are what keep the laws from working correctly
 
I guarantee you that this is going to make ALOT of people think twice about breakin into a home now, regardless if they are home or not!

JUSTICE IS SERVED!!
beerchug.gif
beerchug.gif


beerchug.gif
 
.... only [sadly] because their >>LAWYERS<< sucked.  Lawyers are what keep the laws from working correctly
whose lawyers sucked?
you mean the dead,doper, illegal alien, criminals lawyers
winkold.gif
yep. in QUOTE law UNQUOTE, there always has to be an opposing force or there would be no case at all. not that that makes ANY sense. I agree justice was properly served.

but in my perfect world, there would have not even been a "Trial" over anything... maybe some state paid counselling for the victim that was forced to take another's life in this tramatic event. a "glad you are okay! you did right" pat on the back and be done
 
.... only [sadly] because their >>LAWYERS<< sucked.  Lawyers are what keep the laws from working correctly
whose lawyers sucked?
you mean the dead,doper, illegal alien, criminals lawyers
winkold.gif
yep. in QUOTE law UNQUOTE, there always has to be an opposing force or there would be no case at all.  not that that makes ANY sense.  I agree justice was properly served.

but in my perfect world, there would have not even been a "Trial" over anything... maybe some state paid counselling for the victim that was forced to take another's life in this tramatic event.  a "glad you are okay! you did right" pat on the back and be done
he was never even arrested.
in fact, an undercover cop saw it all happen, and knew the man was within his rights.
the main opposing force was a black-panther wanna be group led by a puke named quannel-x, that protested in mr. horns neighborhood. but there was a great counter protest by a large group of harley riders
tounge.gif
 
I thought this was the SAINTS Joe Horn!! I was like "what did he do now??"

sorry...
blonde.gif
moment
 
he was never even arrested.
in fact, an undercover cop saw it all happen, and knew the man was within his rights.
the main opposing force was a black-panther wanna be group led by a puke named quannel-x, that protested in mr. horns neighborhood. but there was a great counter protest by a large group of harley riders
tounge.gif
Wow! I haven't heard the name Quannel X in a long time!! I grew up in Alvin, TX which is a small suburb type city South of Houston.
 
So, any other illegal immigrant robbers wanna come visit the 6 oclock news? loss of life is sad but if you have people living at home in fear all the time of robbery without a chance of defense? dig some more holes...
 
Back
Top