The defense attorney is a Certified Field Sobriety Test Practitioner, so maybe he has insight about the deficiencies of the Intoxilyzer and presented that evidence to the jury. There was a case in Houston where the company that was contracted by HPD to calibrate their meters did not perform the required calibrations. It appears that the defense attorney earned his fee.
From his website:
Q: Should I submit to a breath test?
A: The reliability of the instruments used to measure breath specimens to determine body alcohol concentration is doubtful. While state-paid experts routinely testify that the Intoxilizer 5000 is accurate and reliable, several independent experts have expressed contrary opinions. Consequently, the results may be inaccurately high or inaccurately low. In my experience, unless you have only had one drink, you ought not to submit to the breath test.
Texas Judge Disagrees With Jury's Verdict
Moderators: carlson1, Charles L. Cotton
-
Topic author - Senior Member
- Posts in topic: 7
- Posts: 17350
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:53 pm
- Location: Houston
Re: Texas Judge Disagrees With Jury's Verdict
NRA Endowment Member
-
- Senior Member
- Posts in topic: 1
- Posts: 1229
- Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 9:18 pm
- Location: San Marcos, TX
Re: Texas Judge Disagrees With Jury's Verdict
...and he was still alive?EEllis wrote:The kid blew .92 so it wasn't that they wanted to give a little slack or were concerned about the accuracy of the test, they just wanted to find the guy not guilty.
"When I was a kid, people who did wrong were punished, restricted, and forbidden. Now, when someone does wrong, all of the rest of us are punished, restricted, and forbidden. The one who did the wrong is counselled and "understood" and fed ice cream." - speedsix
Re: Texas Judge Disagrees With Jury's Verdict
Typo. I think I read one article that said 0.092 BAC.Fangs wrote:...and he was still alive?EEllis wrote:The kid blew .92 so it wasn't that they wanted to give a little slack or were concerned about the accuracy of the test, they just wanted to find the guy not guilty.
I am not and have never been a LEO. My avatar is in honor of my friend, Dallas Police Sargent Michael Smith, who was murdered along with four other officers in Dallas on 7.7.2016.
NRA Patriot-Endowment Lifetime Member---------------------------------------------Si vis pacem, para bellum.................................................Patriot Guard Rider
NRA Patriot-Endowment Lifetime Member---------------------------------------------Si vis pacem, para bellum.................................................Patriot Guard Rider
-
- Senior Member
- Posts in topic: 1
- Posts: 964
- Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:07 am
- Location: Snyder, Texas
- Contact:
Re: Texas Judge Disagrees With Jury's Verdict
Too much blood in my alcohol.Fangs wrote:...and he was still alive?EEllis wrote:The kid blew .92 so it wasn't that they wanted to give a little slack or were concerned about the accuracy of the test, they just wanted to find the guy not guilty.
-
- Senior Member
- Posts in topic: 1
- Posts: 470
- Joined: Sat May 22, 2010 5:50 pm
- Location: Copperas Cove, Texas
Re: Texas Judge Disagrees With Jury's Verdict
Yep, Judges can spout off all they please, but when one of us commoners do so, it is disrespecting the court and we get fined/jailed. I understand Judges are needed and are Human too, but they aint God, no matter what they believe. Jury Nullification is there for a reason...C-dub wrote:He's already retired and was probably just helping out with the case load. He probably doesn't care what anyone thinks if he spouts off.
Unless we keep the barbarian virtues, gaining the civilized ones will be of little avail. Oversentimentality, oversoftness, washiness, and mushiness are the great dangers of this age and of this people." Teddy Roosevelt"
DEB=Daniel E Bertram
U.S. Army Retired, (Sapper). VFW Life Member.
DEB=Daniel E Bertram
U.S. Army Retired, (Sapper). VFW Life Member.
-
Topic author - Senior Member
- Posts in topic: 7
- Posts: 17350
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:53 pm
- Location: Houston
Re: Texas Judge Disagrees With Jury's Verdict
So it could be that the defense was saying that the alcohol level reading that was close to the legal limit could have been inaccurate?C-dub wrote:Typo. I think I read one article that said 0.092 BAC.Fangs wrote:...and he was still alive?EEllis wrote:The kid blew .92 so it wasn't that they wanted to give a little slack or were concerned about the accuracy of the test, they just wanted to find the guy not guilty.
NRA Endowment Member
Re: Texas Judge Disagrees With Jury's Verdict
I don't know if they challenged that or not. It just sounds like the jury didn't want to convict him for whatever reason.WildBill wrote:So it could be that the defense was saying that the alcohol level reading that was close to the legal limit could have been inaccurate?C-dub wrote:Typo. I think I read one article that said 0.092 BAC.Fangs wrote:...and he was still alive?EEllis wrote:The kid blew .92 so it wasn't that they wanted to give a little slack or were concerned about the accuracy of the test, they just wanted to find the guy not guilty.
I am not and have never been a LEO. My avatar is in honor of my friend, Dallas Police Sargent Michael Smith, who was murdered along with four other officers in Dallas on 7.7.2016.
NRA Patriot-Endowment Lifetime Member---------------------------------------------Si vis pacem, para bellum.................................................Patriot Guard Rider
NRA Patriot-Endowment Lifetime Member---------------------------------------------Si vis pacem, para bellum.................................................Patriot Guard Rider
-
Topic author - Senior Member
- Posts in topic: 7
- Posts: 17350
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:53 pm
- Location: Houston
Re: Texas Judge Disagrees With Jury's Verdict
Since I haven't seen the trial transcript, so I can't say for sure, but I would think that any experienced/competent DWI attorney would challenge the results. Whether or not that was the [main] reason for the acquittal I can't say. I also can't say if the results would have been the same with another DA or defense attorney. Both the DA and defense do their best to winC-dub wrote:I don't know if they challenged that or not. It just sounds like the jury didn't want to convict him for whatever reason.WildBill wrote:So it could be that the defense was saying that the alcohol level reading that was close to the legal limit could have been inaccurate?C-dub wrote:Typo. I think I read one article that said 0.092 BAC.Fangs wrote:...and he was still alive?EEllis wrote:The kid blew .92 so it wasn't that they wanted to give a little slack or were concerned about the accuracy of the test, they just wanted to find the guy not guilty.
Sometimes jury select is like going to Las Vegas - you roll the dice. Jurors have their own particular prejudices. They swear that they can be impartial and only consider the evidence. But people are people.
NRA Endowment Member