Harris County Grand Jury: Kill An Immigrant, Go Scot Free
Put forth on June 30, 2008 by XicanoPwr
Posted in Eliminationism, Immigration, Nativism, News/Noticias, Prejudices, Texas
Today, a Harris County grand jury decided that Joe Horn should not be charged for shooting the two immigrants he confronted outside his neighbor’s home in Pasadena.
Horn, 62, came under intense public scrutiny after the Nov. 14 shootings. Many supporters praised him as a hero for using deadly force to protect property, while as a murderer for not heeding the 911 operator’s instructions to stay in his house and wait for police. On the 911 tape, Horn can be heard telling Diego Ortiz, and Hernando Riascos Torres, “Move and you’re dead!” followed by two quick shots, a pause, and then a third shot. Both were shot in the back.
Horn’s attorney, Tom Lambright told 11 News, CBS local affiliate:
“I’m sure Joe will be delighted,” Lambright said. “I think the evidence showed that Joe was, in fact, within his legal rights to do what he did. He didn’t want to do it, but he didn’t have any other alternative.”
Community activist Quanell X has it right, “the message that the grand jury sent today is frightening.”
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Tags: Immigration, Joe Horn, prejudice, Quanell X, Texas | 
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This is the blog of Edmundo "XicanoPwr" Rocha, a social worker, an activist, freelance writer and founder and editor of The Sanctuary. My interests include: immigration reform, critical race theory and it's interaction with equality/inequality and freedom/oppression as they relate to the experiences of people of color in the Americas.
Para Justicia y Libertad is a Latino-centered political blog focusing on the humanistic perspective of politics, history, and society as they relate to the Latina/o community throughout Texas and the United States.
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9 Responses to “Harris County Grand Jury: Kill An Immigrant, Go Scot Free”
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Good God. No alternative?! He had a gun, so he just had to use it?!
Welcome to Texas, where shoot first, ask questions later reins supreme.
Being from the South, this sounds frightening familiar. This is really scary. I live in Arizona now and have to say that even after growing up in the deep South and attending a high school that had been segregated until 1986, Arizona is the most blatantly racist place I’ve ever encountered in my life. And it’s getting worse.
The transcript from the Joe Horn’s call to 911 says it all. Right before he heads out the door, he says, “I’m going to kill them.” On top of that, both men were shot in the back.
How a grand jury decided Horn’s actions were not premeditated murder is beyond me.
How did a grand jury decide it wasn’t premeditated murder? Because Senate Bill 378 went into effect two and a half months before Mr. Horn, who was in absolutely no danger at all, told that dispatcher he was going to go kill those men. And did. In front of the police who had already arrived.
SB 378 makes what he did completely legal in this state. Not only that, did you hear him tell the dispatcher he knew he had the right to kill them? He was aware of the legislation and was just waiting for a chance to take advantage of it.
http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/pressreleases/PressRelease.2007-03-27.0601
Shooting people in the back in broad day light….NOT acceptable. I don’t care if it was the holy grail, you don’t murder unarmed people over property!
I think the DNC should have credentialed some Latino blogs to cover the Democratic National Convention, particular as part of that elite 55-member state blog corps. But, as I understand it, there might not be any Latino bloggers there at all. Am I right or wrong on this?
What do you think? If white bloggers are needed to reach out to white people, aren’t Latino bloggers also needed to reach out to Latino people?
Well, you know what Markos Moulitsas said about that:
I know that the folks from VivirLatino got credentials, however, I know they are trying to raise funds to go, hopefully they will be able to go. I know Liza will be going and the last thing I heard, she was taking a diverse group of bloggers over there.
I would agree that it would be helpful to utilize Latino bloggers who understand the complexity of the Latino community to reach out to them. However our community has a nasty habit of continuing the “White-is-right” mentality. By doing we continue to tell each other that if we are given a choice between a White and Latino profession, we are still inferior to Whites regardless if went to the same school they did.
I know where Markos stands and where other Hispanics like him stand on this too. People like them are very similar to other minorities who use their elasticities for convenience. I read you blog post and what concerns me about Markos statement is that it works both ways. If the guy and any Latino has never engaged in the community, then why should they be forced down our throats - like they did with Al Gonzales - and accept him as our saviors.
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