Texas Man Cleared Of Shooting Two Suspected Burglars

[dgridley]

HOUSTON — A Texas man who shot and killed two men he suspected of burglarizing his neighbor's home was cleared in the shootings Monday by a grand jury.

Joe Horn, 62, shot the two men in November after he saw them crawling out the windows of a neighbor's house in the Houston suburb of Pasadena.

Horn called authorities and told the emergency dispatcher he had a shotgun and was going to kill the men. The dispatcher pleaded with him not to go outside, but Horn confronted the men with a 12-gauge shotgun and shot both in the back.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,374223,00.html

Sorry but I don't agree that he should have been cleared completely. 1) he ignored the dispatcher's instructions to stay inside, 2) he said he intended to kill the men, 3) he shot them in the back, 4) he wasn't even protecting his own property or in any imminent danger

What do you think?

I know these guys were up to no good but I've had to climb into a window a few times when I'd forgotten my keys.. I'd hate to think a neighbor would shoot me in the back.

 

[squid]

He deserved to be cleared.
I remember seeing the news story when it first broke and I still think he did the right thing.

 

[.X.]

Not uncommon for a Grand Jury to not indite here, we have cases all the time that don't bring down inditements.

One case not to long ago. A couple of hoodlums were trying steal a mans pick up truck, he shot them with a 226 cal rifle.

Another case not to long ago, A man was trying to break into a lady's house in the middle of the night, he was jarring the front door enough that she felt her life was immediate danger, she shot him through the door with a 357.

There have been a few inditements, where the shooter in question, using deadly force was not justified.

I have seen way more "No Inditement" , Than Inditement here.

 

[MJ]

Thankfully it was in TX. In Cali or some crazed state, he would have been guilty.

No - I don't agree that he should have shot the men, especially in the back, especially after pre meditation.

But thankfully in TX you can defend your property without the threat of going to jail.

The story also states "he shot them out of fear for his life when they came into his yard and threatened him." If they were in his yard threatening him, its a big price to pay to learn that you dont do this.

 

[dgridley]

The fact he was able to shoot both men in the back demonstrates, to me, that he was in no imminent danger.. the guys should not have been there but they'd not have gotten a death sentence if apprehended by police.. they shouldn't have been executed by this guy. Sorry, but in my mind, as much as I am pro-security for you home and the right to bear arms, there's a responsibility that comes with owning those firearms. I wish I'd been on that jury.

 

[GILSAN]

The report that I saw on CNN was that these 2 guys were Illegal Imigrants and because of that it will be virtually impossible to take this to a Civil Court.

 

[MJ]

Alot of evidence we are not seeing. Did he fire one shot or two. What was said between the men, how they were acting etc.

I do agree that the legal system is jacked up but what can we do about it?

 

[.X.]

The fact he was able to shoot both men in the back demonstrates, to me, that he was in no imminent danger.. the guys should not have been there but they'd not have gotten a death sentence if apprehended by police.. they shouldn't have been executed by this guy. Sorry, but in my mind, as much as I am pro-security for you home and the right to bear arms, there's a responsibility that comes with owning those firearms. I wish I'd been on that jury.

Circumstances are always a factor here, I found Dave.

Once it is dark here, you are allowed to protect yourself and your assets. Why not as much during day light hours? I don't know.

But per say, Some one is trying to break into some ones house, They can be prowling from a window, to jiggling the handle of a door, IF i see a weapon on that person, be it a gun, knife, baseball bat, tire iron and ect, and i feel my life is in danger, I have the option to use deadly force, That does mean a grad jury will not indite me. But in most cases here. If the above applies, they will not hand down an inditement.

Criminals know what there agenda is, we do not, when they are committing a crime against a person or property, the vast majority of the time, the police will find a weapon on the criminal.

I have a license to carry a gun concealed, I never leave home with out it, I have never had to pull my gun in the 12 years i have my Conceal Carry License. But if i am being approached at 1am, In a dark parking lot, ATM machine or ect. by some one who presents a offensive posture, They are going to see a 9mm pointed at them. simple as that. If it's me or them, and i have a choice, It will be them.

 

[Keral_Patel]

Horn called authorities and told the emergency dispatcher he had a shotgun and was going to kill the men. The dispatcher pleaded with him not to go outside, but Horn confronted the men with a 12-gauge shotgun and shot both in the back.[/I]

2) he said he intended to kill the men, 3) he shot them in the back, 4) he wasn't even protecting his own property or in any imminent danger

I think he was more interested in killing those men rather then protect the property :p

Looks like he was on High and thought this is his lucky chance to kill some men.

Poor burglars :D Wrong place at wrong time.

 

[weblord]

serves them right.

Poor burglars :D Wrong place at wrong time.

 

[Keral_Patel]

serves them right.

Poor burglars :D Wrong place at wrong time.

Umm.... one way it is right though. If burglars took my things I would feel very bad. I would also feel like shooting them.

On other hand I think Burglars also have family and maybe their children are missing them

One solution was good though. If burglars were tied up and beaten up a bit but not killed then it would have been enough. Don't know about just killing them. But yet again here maybe if someone goes to tie them up burglars will kill him Everything is mess I think.

 

[weblord]

on second thought i might have agreed with you, he shouldn't be shooting other neighbor's burglars it's very risky what if like dgridley said it's the owner of the house.

you go on shooting your own burglar.

here you can do anything to the man as long as he's unwanted in your yard he's trespassing.

you can send in the dogs, electrocute or shoot in leg but no murder.

Umm.... one way it is right though. If burglars took my things I would feel very bad. I would also feel like shooting them.

On other hand I think Burglars also have family and maybe their children are missing them

One solution was good though. If burglars were tied up and beaten up a bit but not killed then it would have been enough. Don't know about just killing them. But yet again here maybe if someone goes to tie them up burglars will kill him Everything is mess I think.

 

[MJ]

I have a license to carry a gun concealed, I never leave home with out it, I have never had to pull my gun in the 12 years i have my Conceal Carry License. But if i am being approached at 1am, In a dark parking lot, ATM machine or ect. by some one who presents a offensive posture, They are going to see a 9mm pointed at them. simple as that. If it's me or them, and i have a choice, It will be them.

Me too. Thankfully I have never had to use it. It's always wise to be prepared though. Its like providing and protecting your family.

Check out these pics
http://www.a-human-right.com/

Very awesome.

 

[liquidcherry]

Ok, i have to go with Dave here.....

I watched the whole coverage of the incidence, heard the police tapes, followed discussions.....

But the facts are:

Horn(shooter) called the cops...told them that some burglars are in his neighbors property....he has a gun/rifle and goes after them....got adviced not to shoot,(a couple times) stay calm by the dispatcher after all...he refused....he shot them in the back, not once, at least twice...and the best....he saw them in his neighbors yard.....and his excuse was "uhhhh, i am scared, i felt threatened...yeah, that's why he killed them by shooting them in the back....he was not even telling a story like"they run towards me and then i felt threatened", no need for that.....

I will buy me a gun very soon and i believe in self defense...but this was just not right.....

Fellas, it is easy to jump into conclusion but a lot of you are just not right on that, you need to know all the circumstances....

Just my 2 cent

Cheers and happy burglar shooting...

Frank

 

[Keral_Patel]

Burglars are also humans and shooting humans or animals is no good I can surely bet the shooter here who shot this 2 burglars would not last a minute if someone else was shooting at him from other end. Maybe he was a coward. Coward enough to shoot 2 of them in back instead of legs. Coward enough to shoot 2 men just to prove it to himself that he is not a coward. I think someday he might be taking a walk and someone like him will shoot him in head thinking he came into his property for stealing things. Karma always catches up fast.

 

[Easydoms]

Myself and my partner saw this last night on the BBC news, what a weird world we live in eh!! The despatcher was very clear with his instructions and advised him a few times not to do it, but i guess if you live in a country and a state that allows you to defend your home with such devastating results then it says a lot for the world we live in. Commiting a crime is wrong and deserves justice to be dealt to those who commit crimes, but what example does this set to people all over the world about the dangers of using guns!!

Thats my morning moan out of the way done

 

[GILSAN]

Episodes like this or even worst are to be expected in a country like the US that are so obssesed with guns. Maybe in 50-100 years time you will come to an overwelming conclusion that a gun free society is a much safer society. At the moment it's pointless telling Americans that their Gun Laws are plain stupid. The majority just won't reason with that idea.

 

[ApeXX]

I think he was more interested in killing those men rather then protect the property :p

Looks like he was on High and thought this is his lucky chance to kill some men.

Poor burglars :D Wrong place at wrong time.

According to the 911 dispatch recording I heard on the news, the Texan demanded the men get on the ground but they didn't comply. What happened after that (whether they ran or confronted him) I don't know, however now they are both dead.

Should he have shot them? Probably not. Should he end up in jail? No.

Episodes like this or even worst are to be expected in a country like the US that are so obssesed with guns. Maybe in 50-100 years time you will come to an overwelming conclusion that a gun free society is a much safer society. At the moment it's pointless telling Americans that their Gun Laws are plain stupid. The majority just won't reason with that idea.

The right to own guys is guaranteed in our constitution and will not be removed. No matter what laws you place, criminals will always get their hands on guns. Following that reasoning, there's no point in removing the right to have guns from law abiding citizens.

 

[dgridley]

Is anyone seeing the facty that he wasn't even protecting HIS property.. it was a neighbor's place.. and hey, nice guy, but he personally wasn't in any danger, the guys were shot IN THE BACK (so either he's a lousy shot or he was planning on killing them rather than disabling them until police arrived). In my mind, he executed guys that would have most likely been deported or received a jail sentence, not a DEATH sentence.

I'm all for owning guns but owning a gun is one thing and using it responsibly is another.. this guy clearly stepped over the line IMO.

Thank God he didn't have one of these:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4ff_1214617913

 

[holyroller]

Is anyone seeing the facty that he wasn't even protecting HIS property.. it was a neighbor's place.. and hey, nice guy, but he personally wasn't in any danger, the guys were shot IN THE BACK (so either he's a lousy shot or he was planning on killing them rather than disabling them until police arrived). In my mind, he executed guys that would have most likely been deported or received a jail sentence, not a DEATH sentence.

I'm all for owning guns but owning a gun is one thing and using it responsibly is another.. this guy clearly stepped over the line IMO.

Thank God he didn't have one of these:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4ff_1214617913

If I was a neighbour, I would be more worried than thankful, especially if I got locked out of my house.