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I don't envy anyone stepping into that job. The HPD is understaffed and doesn't have the budget to make a significant dent in that. Worse, all indications are that Harris County will, this November, get a DA that's even more "progressively" left than Kim Ogg, the DA since 2017. It's a difficult thing to do your job if the DA let's a boatload of criminals skate with little or no bond...or chooses not to prosecute at all.

puma guy wrote: ↑Tue Jan 23, 2024 11:53 am

philip964 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 22, 2024 2:41 pm https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nat ... 309110007/

Two teens arrested for murder of clerk over a bag of potato chips.

Clerk followed the robbers in his car, then they started shooting.

https://www.click2houston.com/news/loca ... -of-chips/

Quannel X is involved as he was with the teens when they turned themselves in.

They are saying it was self defense. Did clerk use car as an offensive weapon? Or they were just in fear of their lives because they were being followed by a man in a car?

Quanell says it's self defense. That defense line is about as lame as lawyer Allen Tanner's 'Rap defense' for the murder of state trooper Bill Davidson in 1992 by a thug whose name I refuse to include. Tanner's ridiculous use of rap music being the inspiration for murder was a failure and the murderer was finally executed October 6, 2005. I hope these thugs get the same sentence.

17-year-old not indicted on murder charge stemming from stolen chips in Humble
https://abc13.com/mario-young-not-indic ... /14690278/

A 17-year-old charged with murdering a store clerk is a free person after a Harris County grand jury chose not to indict him on Tuesday.

Mario Young was charged in the shooting death of Humble store clerk Asif Maknojia during a dispute that started with a stolen bag of chips....

"These young men were not guilty of anything other than trying to protect themselves at a time when they thought something was going to happen to them," Lott Brooks [Young's attorney] said.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't an individual have to be at least 18 years old to to possess and transport a handgun in Texas? And while there is an allowance for licensed carry for individuals 18 through 20, didn't HB1927 made it legal in Texas for qualifying people 21 or over to carry a handgun in a holster without a permit both openly and/or concealed?

So the 17-year-old wearing a hoody with the hood up to hide his face from store cameras and carrying a gun illegally while shoplifting was just a saint doing Peace Corps work and he is "not guilty of anything other than trying to protect himself at a time when he thought something was going to happen to him"?

The poor baby. His mother said, "He's physically and mentally depressed, he's stressed, and he's going to need some counseling."

philip964 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2024 9:27 pm https://www.click2houston.com/news/loca ... ston-area/

Houston - Rapper murder capital of the world.

Many of us remember exactly where we were when Migos rapper Takeoff was shot and killed in downtown Houston during the holiday season in 2022.

The thought of such a major celebrity taking their last breath so close to home was nothing short of bone-chilling, coupled with the horrific videos that surfaced afterward.

Er... Who?

cherokeepilot wrote: ↑Wed Mar 06, 2024 2:24 am Remember that you get whatcha vote for...now live with it....

Incumbent Houston District Attorney Kim Ogg lost her Democratic primary to former subordinate Sean Teare. Ogg's election in 2016 made her the first democratic DA elected in Houston in nearly 40 years.

Teare worked as the division supervisor for the Vehicular Crimes Division of the DA's office before leaving in February to run against her. He received the backing of one of Houston's most powerful political figures, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.

73s

Teare is Soros funded and clearly outspent anyone other campaign for any position in Harris County in this primary. I give it a 0.01% chance that a Republican challenger can win in November. I beat my head against the nearest wall when Ogg won in 2016, but Teare will be even worse. Hard-line liberal who bends the knee to George Soros "progressiveness." If we think things in the county regarding criminal prosecution are bad now, it's gonna get worse if/when Teare wins.

philip964 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 10:23 pm https://abc13.com/david-mann-out-of-jai ... /14481132/

Panhandler terrorizing drivers stuck in traffic by busting car windows with crow bar gets released with out bond.

On Wednesday, Harris County Criminal Court hearing officer Courtney St. Julian signed off on a $2,500 personal recognizance bond.... In Mann's case, this included appearing for all scheduled court appearances. But Mann wasn't at his scheduled 9 a.m. hearing on Thursday....

ABC13 called and texted St. Julian to ask why she approved a personal recognizance bond for Mann, who was previously listed as an out-of-state fugitive in 2021.

Just perfect. The border crisis, 19.2% inflation over just 3 years, and all crime everywhere is obviously Trump's fault. Liberal DAs and judges have no responsibility or accountability for the lawlessness in the streets. How exactly did Harris County Criminal Court hearing officer Courtney St. Julian decide that someone already on the books as an out-of-state felon and who was panhandling for change at street corners with the enticement of a crowbar and smashed car windows was perfectly good for a $2,500 personal recognizance bond?

Idiots.

E10 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 8:42 pm I wonder if it was Bud Light.

The latest numbers are in. The estimate now is that deciding to use transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney to promote Bud Light has cost Budweiser as much as $1.4 billion in sales. That right there ain't chicken feed.

https://www.abc12.com/news/business/bud ... 459ad.html

I had to finally look up how long beer lasts before going bad...and there was no good answer. Evidently it's years to decades depending on the type of beer, what container it's in, and how it's stored. The best article I found about it, for any who are interested, is one from a year ago at EatingWell.com.

No firearm discharged that I can tell--though the one identified perpetrator did threaten to "shoot up" his old workplace--so maybe this doesn't belong here at all. But, you know, because among large counties nationwide Harris County ranks #3 in "worst drunk-driving problem," this gives a whole new meaning to, "Here, hold my beer":

4 men accused of stealing $675,000 worth of beer at warehouse in northeast Houston, police say
https://abc13.com/beer-heist-in-northea ... /14465297/

One man is in jail and three others are wanted by police after they were accused of stealing $675,000 worth of beer. The beer was taken from the Jaguar Transport warehouse in northeast Houston.

Christopher Gray was charged with theft and engaging in criminal activity. The theft appears to have begun in 2022, when Gray was working for a third-party trucking company that was hired to transport beer from the warehouse.

In 2023, police say three warehouse employees started hiring him to move expired beer to another warehouse and to several clubs. The beer was supposed to be returned to the manufacturer to be destroyed. That year, police say all four men stole 375 pallets of beer worth a combined $675,000.

Regarding Harris County's DUI stats:

• Share of total driving fatalities involving a drunk driver: 46%
• Drunk-driving fatality rate: 4.1 per 100k
• Total drunk-driving fatalities (last 5 years): 964
• Total traffic fatalities (last 5 years): 2,102

Number one in the nation for large counties by share of total driving fatalities involving a drunk driver is El Paso County; #2 is Hidalgo County; #4 is Travis County; #5 is Tarrant County; #6 is Bexar County; #7 is Collin County; #8 is Dallas County; #9 is Denton County; and it isn't until we get to #10, New Haven County, Connecticut, that we move out of Texas.

One of the few things I'm not proud of Texas for.

srothstein wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 11:12 am The weapon is irrelevant to the robbery. Among other things, PC 29.02 defines robbery as if a person threatens the victim or places the victim in fear of imminent injury during a theft. PC 9.42 allows for the use of deadly force to stop someone from from fleeing after committing a robbery.

If the initial police report is correct, the shoot was good.

Thanks, Steve. I stand corrected, then, on the means with which the robber can threaten injury. However, did you look at the surveillance footage in that ABC13 piece? They claim, at least for now, they are the only news outlet that has it. It shows the activity unbroken from the moment Terry enters the store until he ducks his head as he's fleeing. He seems unarmed, never comes within probably 20 feet of either store employee, and never seems to make any threatening or even challenging gesture at all. As soon as Terry is spotted, it seems all he's interested in is running away.

And doesn't PC 9.42 specify qualifications to use of deadly force to stop someone who is fleeing after committing burglary or robbery? Isn't item 2(B) dependent on satisfying the requirements of (3), namely that the property cannot be recovered by other means (in this instance, it's cash-drawer change that does not belong the shooter, belongs to the chain retail store, and presumably can't be over a few hundred dollars), or that "the use of force other than deadly force to protect or recover the land or property would expose the actor or another to a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury"? It also looks like item (2) applies to its subitems as well item (3), to wit: "...would be justified...when and to the degree he reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary."

In this case, use of force other than deadly force was never possible because the individuals never came close enough to each other even for a nice blast of streaming FOX pepper spray. The initial police report supposedly indicated that Terry "had a sharp object," but from the surveillance we never see him pull it or threaten anyone with it unless he stopped his sprint immediately off camera and turned around to bring a folder or a box-cutter into a gunfight...which it's difficult to believe anyone would be stupid enough to do, especially if you're sprinting away and already have 7-yard+ lead on your heavier pursuer.

We'll see how it turns out in court. But I think Wingers' defense attorney has an uphill battle since the surveillance video both inside and outside the store seems to paint a pretty clear picture.

Chaparral wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 11:05 pm

Paladin wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 9:39 pm

Chaparral wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 9:27 pm Carter’s Country employee charged with murder after shooting fleeing unarmed thief who grabbed cash from the register.

https://abc13.com/carters-country-stor ... /13875854/

There seems to be some dispute about the "thief" being unarmed:

He points out initial police reports said that Terry had a sharp object and that the employee who shot him feared for his life.

There is a substantial difference between a theft and a robbery. I could see the case decided on that difference alone.

Indeed, the difference between robbery and theft is key to this case. An important distinction to understand.

And even if deemed to be a robbery, and an armed one, the weapon may make a big difference, as well. The ABC13 article states that Terry was unarmed. From the surveillance footage, it certainly seems that way. What Terry transfers from one hand to the other as he walks toward the cash register isn't a firearm, and doesn't look like a bladed weapon, either. Looks more like a piece of folded paper.

And the footage seems to clearly show Terry making no threatening moves of any kind toward either store employee. He simply dashes out the door as quickly as he can. He runs off camera so we don't know what he's doing at that point, but Winger already has a sight picture and looks milliseconds away from pulling the trigger just as Terry leaves the frame.

From every angle, this looks like a bad shoot. Unless Terry was actually in possession of a firearm, I think Winger's going down.

If a life is to be forfeit due to your criminal actions, and it comes down to me or thee, all other factors and exigencies being equal...it's going to be thee.

What exactly would the assistant chief expect if one of her officers, alone and on the street, was attacked by two men and had already been struck in the head with a blunt object? For the officer to give them free tickets to a Texans home game and offer to sit down and talk about their situation over coffee? While they continued hitting the officer in the head...or worse?

For something completely different: Does anybody know how tall either Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez or HPD Chief Troy Finner are?

I saw them together in a presser yesterday about the manhunt and eventual SWAT standoff in the Humble area that ended, finally, in the capture of the scum that shot three LEOs within 24 hours (https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime ... 51e4d7317c). Either most of the people, including the women, surrounding Gonzalez and Finner were over 6 feet tall--and some of them approaching 7 feet--or our head LEOs are around 5'6" or so. Not an issue, mind you; it's just that, like the immortal words directed at Patrick Swayze's character in the movie Roadhouse: "I thought you'd be bigger."

Mayor Sylvester Turner wants to ban guns inside bars and nightclubs in Houston.

https://abc13.com/metal-detectors-at-ho ... /13385667/

Now the mayor wants to ban guns inside those kinds of establishments with a new ordinance.

But wait a second. By definition, aren't most bars and nightclubs TABC Red already? Good plan, mayor.

Just an interesting tidbit for Houstonians:

Don't be alarmed, but FBI nuclear training exercises will be taking place in Houston through Friday
https://abc13.com/fbi-nuclear-training- ... /13201294/

Don't be alarmed, but Houstonians may start seeing military personnel, aircraft, and people with protective equipment.

The FBI will begin conducting a large-scale training exercise in southeast Houston and Harris County. The agency says it's to prepare for the possibility of a nuclear incident. The training will take place Monday through Friday [May 1 through May 5] at the following general areas:

• NRG Park
• Ellington Field
• Highway 288 to Highway 146
• East Freeway to Highway 225

srothstein wrote: ↑Sat Apr 29, 2023 11:29 pm

Rafe wrote: ↑Sat Apr 29, 2023 3:36 pmBasically, if you're a permanent resident (e.g., have a green card) you're good to purchase, own, and possess a firearm. God bless the 2A. If you are not a legal permanent resident, you haven't earned that right yet.

While this is almost correct, it is not quite there. A legally admitted alien on a non-immigrant visa may purchase and own guns if they meet one of the exceptions, such as having a hunting license or a carry permit. I have always thought this was a stupid exception to have since anyone can get a hunting license and it does not require the firearm to be a hunting weapon. But then, I think not allowing the legally admitted non-immigrant to have a firearm is also a stupid rule. If he came in legally, he has 2A rights too.

Thanks, Steve. And in the memory-dimmed past of just a few years ago, I knew about the hunting license exception...but forgot it completely. I took a visiting Brit to the range at the end of 2018 and that very thing was brought up by the staff at the range.

And I'm kinda half with you on all legal admittees having 2A rights equal to citizens. But I don't think I'm completely convinced regarding most tourist and business traveler visas. If the duration of the stay is to be very brief with no intention of domicile (unlike student or temporary worker visas), I don't think "in possession of" a firearm, as in handling and firing--like my Brit friend at the range--should be restricted, but I'm not sure about purchasing and owning. Here for one week to sightsee, not so much. Here for a one-year work permit and establishing an address of residence, sure; I'm all for it.

03Lightningrocks wrote: ↑Sat Apr 29, 2023 2:44 pm

philip964 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 29, 2023 1:56 pm So the article mentions ten people in the house and everyone is from Honduras.

Another article said the shooter who is at large is Mexican.

Can foreign nationals in the US own and possess guns? I don’t know.

Interesting question. I forgot all these new immigrants are coming in illegally. I am thinking they may not be allowed to legally possess a firearm.

Yep; Lightnin's right. Non-immigrant aliens are prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Of course, "non-immigrant" most definitely includes undocumented and illegal aliens, but the definition goes farther than that. From the website of our eternal friend, the ATF:

A nonimmigrant alien is an alien in the United States in a nonimmigrant classification as defined by section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)). Generally, "nonimmigrant aliens" are tourists, students, business travelers and temporary workers who enter the U.S. for fixed periods of time; they are lawfully admitted aliens who are not lawful permanent residents.

(27 CFR 478.11)

Basically, if you're a permanent resident (e.g., have a green card) you're good to purchase, own, and possess a firearm. God bless the 2A. If you are not a legal permanent resident, you haven't earned that right yet.

Veteran in wheelchair shoots would-be robber who targeted him near METRO Headquarters
https://abc13.com/downtown-houston-atte ... /13033335/

A man in a wheelchair used a gun to defend himself during a robbery attempt across the street from METRO Headquarters in downtown Houston, according to police. Houston police said the man the attempted robber targeted is a military veteran.
...
The man told HPD the 18-year-old suspect ran up to his wheelchair and tried to take his backpack, but he had a handgun and put up a fight the suspect likely never saw coming.

"He fired multiple shots, striking the suspect," Lt. J.P. Horelica said. "The suspect ran several hundred yards, where he collapsed and was picked up by the Houston Fire Department and treated."

The thinking- and morality-impaired 18-year-old thug was hit several times. He was transported to the hospital in stable condition, and police expect to file charges once he recovers enough to be interviewed by officers.

Mugging a guy in a wheelchair at nine o'clock at night while he's waiting for a bus.

Kudos to the unnamed and wisely armed disabled veteran. I only hope one of his shots prevents the 18-year-old idiot from reproducing.