Crime In Houston

[editor]

I guess no one wants to touch the illegal angle. Don't want to offend anyone, right?

Is he here illegally? I didn't see that noted in the HPD release. Was it stated in the newspapers or television?

[ricco67]

Is he here illegally? I didn't see that noted in the HPD release. Was it stated in the newspapers or television?

Yes he is, but the way I say it, it has nothing to do with his being charged.

The point is that people drink and drive too often in this city.

[LTAWACS]

He was deported twice already... Amazing that he even has a TX drivers license. WOW!!!

And if I understand this correctly, the most he can get is life in prison? Yet a citizen could get death? Amazing...

[Fringe]

He was deported twice already... Amazing that he even has a TX drivers license. WOW!!!

And if I understand this correctly, the most he can get is life in prison? Yet a citizen could get death? Amazing...

He's being charged with manslaughter. I believe the death penalty only applies to capital murder charges.

(But I agree it's a waste of tax payer money to not kill the SOB)

My condolences to the officer's family.

[CHiPs]

What a POS drunk. My condolences to the officer's family.

[marmer]

Fringe is right about the death penalty. For that matter, I have kind of a problem with the death penalty applying to any auto accident, regardless of the circumstances.

[Jeebus]

Fringe is right about the death penalty. For that matter, I have kind of a problem with the death penalty applying to any auto accident, regardless of the circumstances.

Would you have a problem with someone getting drunk then accidently shooting someone with a gun? Pretty much the same difference in my opinion. Someone intoxicated doing something they shouldn't be doing while intoxicated, affecting another party with death.

As for the illegal angle, I'm all for a program to convert what we've got here, but only after a wall, with a moat, and alligators, and sharpshooters, and whatever else that smart ass President so wisely suggested during his recent trip to Texas is built or installed so that we may finally take control of this epidemic. It's all a joke to people like him, he'll never understand death and tragedy - which is so painfully ironic given his elected position.

[ricco67]

Fringe is right about the death penalty. For that matter, I have kind of a problem with the death penalty applying to any auto accident, regardless of the circumstances.

Red will have an opinion on this, but I have always believed that if you are over a certain blood alcohol level and get into a car, you are show blatant disregard for the lives of others and should be penalized appropriately. I don't think Manslaughter is harsh enough, but I doubt capital murder is justified either.

Murder by apathy?

[marmer]

Would you have a problem with someone getting drunk then accidently shooting someone with a gun? Pretty much the same difference in my opinion. Someone intoxicated doing something they shouldn't be doing while intoxicated, affecting another party with death.

I have a problem with calling that first-degree murder instead of intoxication manslaughter, yes. I agree that Red will clarify if he wants to but there are some pretty stringent tests to be met to reach the threshold of first-degree murder. I think if the state can't prove intent to kill it's not first-degree murder.

I understand that someone could commit murder using a vehicle as a weapon. But the whole reason that the offense of manslaughter exists is to punish accidental or negligent, but not deliberate, deaths.

[Fringe]

Normally I would cut a drunk a little slack. I'll be the first to admit I've gotten behind the wheel in the past when I was probably "legally" intoxicated. But only my reactions were impaired. I have never been so inebriated that I would go around a barrier and drive into a bunch of flashing red lights and run over a person. He was not just a drunk, he was a stupid drunk and I'm one of those people that believe in "thinning the herd". But I know it will never happen.

[Ross]

Would you have a problem with someone getting drunk then accidently shooting someone with a gun? Pretty much the same difference in my opinion. Someone intoxicated doing something they shouldn't be doing while intoxicated, affecting another party with death.

That's not a capital crime either. The requirements for the death penalty are fairly high.

[editor]

I seem to recall that Mexico gets pretty bitchy when its nationals are up on death penalty charges in the US. If convicted, they try to get them extradited to Mexico to serve a life sentence, instead.

And from Fark:

They called him "Illegal". That's going to upset some of our liberals.

He is an "undocumented" killer.

[RedScare]

I seem to recall that Mexico gets pretty bitchy when its nationals are up on death penalty charges in the US. If convicted, they try to get them extradited to Mexico to serve a life sentence, instead.

And from Fark:

Texas has never stopped an execution due to the defendant being a foreign citizen, though several countries, including Mexico, have complained. This offense, however, is in no way a capital offense. There is a list of crimes that are capital offenses, all of which involve intentional murder. There is no intent in manslaughter. But, fear not. After this turd finishes serving his 5-99 year Texas prison sentence, he will then be turned over to the Feds, who will almost certainly max him out at 20 years in federal confinement, before finally shipping his butt back to Mexico, or El Salvador, as the case may be. Also, he will be required to serve at least half of his state prison sentence and roughly 83% of his federal one. He will likely serve close to 45 years before getting deported. He's done.

While my condolences go out to this officer's family, and all of HPD, it pains me to see that the punishment for a drunk hitting a police officer standing on a highway is 5-99 years, yet the drunk woman who launched her Camaro into the toll road worker...who also stands on a highway for a living...last week is only eligible for 2-20 years. I don't want this to be perceived as disparaging of the police, but a realization that all of those who serve the public should be protected.

Note to Marmer: This case is still Intoxication Manslaughter, but the punishment goes to 1st degree because a police officer is the victim. It did not become murder, only the punishment increased.

[Jeebus]

Texas has never stopped an execution due to the defendant being a foreign citizen, though several countries, including Mexico, have complained. This offense, however, is in no way a capital offense. There is a list of crimes that are capital offenses, all of which involve intentional murder. There is no intent in manslaughter. But, fear not. After this turd finishes serving his 5-99 year Texas prison sentence, he will then be turned over to the Feds, who will almost certainly max him out at 20 years in federal confinement, before finally shipping his butt back to Mexico, or El Salvador, as the case may be. Also, he will be required to serve at least half of his state prison sentence and roughly 83% of his federal one. He will likely serve close to 45 years before getting deported. He's done.

While my condolences go out to this officer's family, and all of HPD, it pains me to see that the punishment for a drunk hitting a police officer standing on a highway is 5-99 years, yet the drunk woman who launched her Camaro into the toll road worker...who also stands on a highway for a living...last week is only eligible for 2-20 years. I don't want this to be perceived as disparaging of the police, but a realization that all of those who serve the public should be protected.

Note to Marmer: This case is still Intoxication Manslaughter, but the punishment goes to 1st degree because a police officer is the victim. It did not become murder, only the punishment increased.

Thank you. I know that he couldn't get the death penalty for what he did. It was just frustrating to see a family man die over something so stupid. Something, that in my opinion, would have never even happened, had he been kept out of the country in the first place. I know there are good "hard working" illegals, but all I keep seeing are examples of the bad.

[(Otto Mation)]

 

HARRIS COUNTY (Covering Katy) – The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is reminding the public about an ongoing scam involving suspects contacting victims by telephone claiming to be law enforcement officers collecting fines for phony missed jury duty.

The HCSO first warned the public about such a scam several months ago, which has been prevalent the past few years in the Harris County area.

The scammer will try to intimidate the victim by threatening to put the victim in jail if the money is not paid.

The impersonator will ask the victim to purchase pre-paid gift cards and provide him/her with the card information when he/she calls back. In most cases, the victim has no knowledge of any jury duty summons being issued to them.

In some cases the scammer falsely claims to be a deputy or lieutenant with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and use real names of employees of the sheriff’s office.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office does not solicit or collect money for unpaid tickets, fees or any other type of collections over the phone.

The sheriff’s office advises that if you receive such a phone call, never give any personal information such as birthdates or Social Security numbers, make the scammer answer your questions, always get a call back phone number and never send money to anyone you don’t know.
.
Anyone who has been a victim of this scam is urged to call the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Financial Crimes Unit at 713-274-9100 .

The post HCSO Financial Crime Investigators Want Public to Be Aware of Jury Summons Scam appeared first on Covering Katy News.

View the full article

[Blue Dogs]

Unless all of y'all have been living under rocks, there has been increase of violent crime impacting the Lone Star State's largest city including a rising murder rate inside the City of Houston due to what Houston Crime Stopper's victim advocate Andy Kahn calls "bond pandemic".

 

https://abc13.com/houston-murder-rate-homicide-hpd-update-8121534/

 

https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2020/12/09/593466.htm

 

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/houston-authorities-target-rise-in-road-rage-amid-pandemic/2500231/

 

https://www.theblaze.com/op-ed/horowitz-houston-accused-murderer-released-from-jail-5-months-later-for-another-murder

 

The weak-kneed progressive criminal court judges as well as the STUPIDITY of radical liberal Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo (D) have let criminals wreaking havoc on the streets of Houston with the progressive garbage of bond reform, bail reform & other liberal weak on crime garbage. Any thoughts on the violent crime ?

[Ross]

1 hour ago, Blue Dogs said:

Unless all of y'all have been living under rocks, there has been increase of violent crime impacting the Lone Star State's largest city including a rising murder rate inside the City of Houston due to what Houston Crime Stopper's victim advocate Andy Kahn calls "bond pandemic".

 

https://abc13.com/houston-murder-rate-homicide-hpd-update-8121534/

 

https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2020/12/09/593466.htm

 

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/houston-authorities-target-rise-in-road-rage-amid-pandemic/2500231/

 

https://www.theblaze.com/op-ed/horowitz-houston-accused-murderer-released-from-jail-5-months-later-for-another-murder

 

The weak-kneed progressive criminal court judges as well as the STUPIDITY of radical liberal Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo (D) have let criminals wreaking havoc on the streets of Houston with the progressive garbage of bond reform, bail reform & other liberal weak on crime garbage. Any thoughts on the violent crime ?

So, you want all suspects kept in jail with no chance for bail? You seem happy that rich people can make bail while poor people can't. Why do you hate the poor?

 

Hidalgo isn't very radical. She is attempting to change the direction of the County, which has treated poor people like crap for decades by ignoring infrastructure needs in poor areas while spending lots of money in richer areas. She has done a decent job, and doesn't deserve the crap she's getting from the so called conservatives.

 

Bond reform was/is necessary. It's stupid to keep someone in jail before trial simply because they can't afford the bail, which means that bail ought to be set according to the ability to pay. I don't think the poor person who can't make $5,000 bail is more of a threat than the better off person who can make that bail. However, lots of judges are lazy and stupid, and don't want to think. They are also averse to getting "Willie Hortoned" by letting someone out on bond who later commits a crime, so they just lock up all the suspects, except the rich ones. Keeping all of those people in jail cots taxpayer money, and also makes it harder for the suspect to make a living prior to any convictions.

 

[Montrose1100]

I'd like to see a non-political, legit source that the bond reform is to blame (even partially). The Blaze link is a joke. How many pop-ups can one website have? 

 

If it does, then it needs to change. If it doesn't, and it's just HPD Politics, then the narrative needs to end. Correct me if I'm wrong, isn't the reform for nonviolent misdemeanor cases? To free up the courts and jails for the violent ones? All I've seen is propaganda on FB on this one. Legit news sources cite differently. 

 

Has every city across the country simultaneously reformed theirs as well? Or can we blame the rise in violent crime on the pandemic and economic depression?

[Blue Dogs]

The fact is violent crime is skyrocketing in Houston.

[Montrose1100]

On 3/25/2021 at 1:49 PM, Blue Dogs said:

The fact is violent crime is skyrocketing in Houston.

It's going up in every major city (Robbery & Gun Violence)..

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/02/america-saw-a-historic-rise-in-murders-in-2020-why.html

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/fbi-report-crime-shows-decline-violent-crime-rate-third-consecutive-year

https://www.npr.org/2021/01/06/953254623/massive-1-year-rise-in-homicide-rates-collided-with-the-pandemic-in-2020

And According to this, the Chief of Police said they were hesitant to arrest lower level crimes due to COVID-19, not because of the "weak-kneed progressives".

https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/houston-cracking-down-on-crime-after-city-already-surpasses-40-homicides-this-year/285-9e431a2d-d607-4be6-ba76-ed096860e308

 

 

Quote

Crime Stoppers — along with Acevedo, police unions and local politicians — have been raising concerns about such cases, in which they say the person released has gone on to then commit more serious crimes. Kahan said he started noticing a pattern more than a year ago, before the pandemic.

"In Harris County, there's many people who become victims of violent crime and especially murder by defendants who have been repeatedly released on multiple felony bonds," he said.

But researchers dispute that bail had much to do with the rise in crime. Houston Public Media spoke to three criminal justice experts about what they see as the reasons for the increase in crime in Houston and nationwide. All of them said that bail was not a factor.

"The homicide increase was really across the board encompassing cities that had engaged in bail reform and those that had not," said Richard Rosenfeld, a criminologist at the University of Missouri in St. Louis.

Rosenfeld co-authored a study for the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice that looked at 34 major cities and found that homicides went up by 30% in 2020.

Rosenfeld attributed the increase to a number of issues surrounding the pandemic, including mental health.

 - https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/criminal-justice/2021/03/16/393606/houston-leaders-grapple-with-continued-rise-in-violent-crime/

In fact, the City has diverted funds to homicide detectives and extra patrols in Hot Spots. So if you can find me a non-politically driven information about the bond reform, I'm all ears. 

[strickn]

Is there any evidence that Houstonians who would have been "locked up" for property crimes and other misdemeanors have a great attraction to violent felonies?  The original poster's Insurance Journal link cites an uptick in 30 of the 34 largest cities (2019 to 2020).  
 

Here is a good group for statistics:  https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=7046