Criminal Justice
Texas Man Not Indicted in 2 Killings; Immigrants Shot in Back
Posted Jun 30, 2008, 05:27 pm CST
By Martha Neil
After two weeks of evidence and consideration, a Texas grand jury today refused to indict a 62-year-old retiree who shot two illegal immigrants in the back on Nov. 14, killing them.
Joe Horn initially called 911 when he apparently heard the men breaking into a neighbor's home in Pasadena, a town near Houston. But then, ignoring a dispatcher's instructions to stay inside his house, he went outside and confronted the men, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Unbeknownst to Horn and the suspects, a police detective had already arrived at the scene. But he apparently stayed in his unmarked car, afraid that Horn would mistake him for the getaway driver in the burglary, the newspaper recounts.
Attorney Tom Lambright, who is representing Horn, said earlier that his client regrets shooting the two men in the controversial case. "Was it a mistake from a legal standpoint? No. But a mistake in his life? Yes," Lambright told the newspaper in a separate story. "Because it's affected him terribly. And if he had it to do over again, he would stay inside.
"I don't think anybody can really appreciate the magnitude that something like this has on a person's personality."
Additional coverage:
Padadena Citizen: "Joe Horn Case: District attorney issues statement"
Pasadena Citizen: "Joe Horn Case: City of Pasadena's statement"
Defending People: "Not Right, But Not a Crime"
Updated at 12:53 p.m. to include additional coverage.
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