[Houston] DA rejects plea for illegal immigrant who shot officer

Houston Chronicle ^ | April 26, 2008 | BRIAN ROGERS

[SwinneySwitch]

Just days before his death penalty trial, attorneys for Juan Leonardo Quintero said he has offered to plead guilty and be sentenced to life without parole for the 2006 shooting of Houston police officer Rodney Johnson — a deal prosecutors have rejected.

Quintero's attorney, Danalynn Recer, noted in an e-mail Friday that the 34-year-old illegal immigrant confessed to killing Johnson and cooperated with authorities. She also said Quintero regrets the toll his actions have taken on Johnson's family, as well as on his own family.

"He is profoundly ashamed and deeply sorry for the pain he has inflicted on them," wrote Recer, founder and executive director of a Houston anti-death penalty organization, Gulf Region Advocacy Center.

Prosecutors on Saturday said the Harris County District Attorneys office has given the defense an opportunity to submit all mitigating evidence and, after reviewing that evidence, prosecutors will continue to seek the death penalty.

"We trust the judgment of 12 citizens to determine the appropriate punishment for the man who executed Officer Johnson," said Assistant District Attorney Denise Bradley.

Bradley said Quintero is expected to plead not guilty by reason of insanity when he is formally arraigned at the opening of the trial Monday in state District Judge Joan Campbell's court.

Because Quintero was in the country illegally at the time of the shooting, the case has become a rallying cry for those advocating stricter immigration enforcement.

According to court records, Quintero was convicted of a DWI and received deferred adjudication for sexual assault of a child before he was deported in 1999. Once back in the country, Quintero's life collided with Johnson's during a routine traffic stop on Sept. 21, 2006.

Johnson arrested Quintero for not having a driver's license. As Johnson worked on a report in the front seat of the patrol car, Quintero, who was handcuffed and locked in the back seat of the police car, apparently managed to slip his hands under his legs so he could pull out a pistol from his waistband that was overlooked in a search. He shot Johnson four times in the head, police said.

Police said they found Quintero sitting in the back seat of the police car behind Johnson's bloodied body. Police said he still had the gun used to kill the officer.

Opening arguments are expected to fill the courtroom with Johnson's friends at the police department, including his wife, Joslyn Johnson, who is also a police officer. The couple had five children.

"A lot of people are going to be there," Johnson said. "He was just so well-known and well liked."

Johnson spoke about some of her husband's heroics, including pulling disabled people from a burning building, which netted him a medal of valor.

Johnson said she hopes Quintero is sentenced to die.

"It was just so senseless and tragic," she said.

Jurors to view mock cruiser

In her first public statements since she was named Quintero's attorney, Recer said in an e-mail that Quintero does not understand and cannot explain what overcame him that September day, but accepts responsibility for his actions. She said Quintero would agree to all of the evidence against him if offered life without parole.

Prosecutors are expected to confront Quintero with his full confession, videotaped hours later. Other evidence includes a life-size mock-up of the inside of a police cruiser. Two bucket seats, a police car back seat and the plastic glass wall that separates the two have been mounted on a wooden platform, which prosecutors are expected to use to illustrate how the shooting might have happened.

Recer's position is understandable as the community watches the trial begin, said Sandra Guerra Thompson, professor of criminal law at University of Houston Law Center.

"It's the defense lawyer's job to get the best deal for her client," Thompson said.

She noted that Recer was seeking two different outcomes with her legal strategies.

If Quintero were granted life without parole, he would spend his life in prison. If he is found not guilty by reason of insanity, he would end up in a mental hospital.

"In a case like this, the facts suggest a mental instability," Thompson said. "It would be hard to craft a defense of any other kind."

Former District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal, who hadn't tried a case in years, came out of retirement to lead prosecutors against the Mexican citizen. Rosenthal's February resignation put veteran prosecutor Bradley in the first chair.

Bradley declined to comment on the evidence jurors are expected to see and hear.

Defense attorneys have worked to bury the prosecution in paper before the trial, which is expected to last one month. The team is expected to have access to national experts who oppose the death penalty.

brian.rogers@chron.com

[SwinneySwitch]

"We trust the judgment of 12 citizens to determine the appropriate punishment for the man who executed Officer Johnson,"

[Dustbunny]

Geeze, I guess he is profoundly sorry. Especially since he is facing the appropriate punishment of being executed.

Saying he is sorry is just not enough. He robbed a wife of her husband and the their children of their father.

I have noticed that almost all criminals developed very clear hindsight after being caught and convicted.

[YCTHouston]

C’mon, dontcha think he deserves another second chance?

He’s just here to rape and kill the people Americans won’t.

[Liz]

ping

[PetroniDE]

The illegal immigrant is lucky he is even getting a trial. Try that crap in most other countries and they have a little “accident” pre-arranged.

[PetroniDE]

Incidentally, just received a notice for Jury Duty in Harris County. Put me on this case!!!!

[RavenATB]

Here thanks to the advocacy of Americans who car far less for their country and their neighbors than they do their checkbook.

[raybbr]

Quintero's attorney, Danalynn Recer, noted in an e-mail Friday that the 34-year-old illegal immigrant confessed to killing Johnson and cooperated with authorities. She also said Quintero regrets the toll his actions have taken on Johnson's family, as well as on his own family.

"He is profoundly ashamed and deeply sorry for the pain he has inflicted on them," wrote Recer, founder and executive director of a Houston anti-death penalty organization, Gulf Region Advocacy Center.

This kind of crap really ticks me off. So what, if he's sorry? He didn't think about that before he murdered the policeman.

Fry him in the chair. Use lots of water and let him smoke.

[Kenny Bunk]

Contact Johnny Sutton immediately. I am sure there are some posthumous federal charges he and his office would like to bring against the officer.

Contact René Sánchez of the BP, to transport Quintero back to Mexico, get him any medical treatment he requires, and enough cash to retire.

If Quintero needs work, I heard that Aldrete-Dávila's group needs a driver. Sánchez can arrange an interview.

[docbnj]

It is a fine think that he is “profoundly sorry.” It will give him something to think about as he exits this world.

[Kenny Bunk]

Just checked the link.

This guy was loose on "DEFERRED ADJUDICATION FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD???"

Why would any American judge do this? He or she should sit in this guy's lap when the switch is pulled.

[AuntB]

“This guy was loose on “DEFERRED ADJUDICATION FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD???”

Why would any American judge do this? “

Good question, Kenny, it seems to happen all the time. We’ve got a batch of soft headed judges it seems. Oregon has an illegal alien violent sex convict who they’re getting a kidney transplant for.

[mtbopfuyn]

More blood on Jorge’s hands.

[Liz]

“This guy was loose on “DEFERRED ADJUDICATION FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD???”

I'm surprised John McCain has not appointed the guy to the official McCain Amnesty and Social Security For Child Molesters Presidential Election Committee.

[Dante3]

He is probably thinking about it already.

[SwinneySwitch]

Ping!

If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.

[Liz]

This POC looks like a lamb compared to this guy. In Newark, New Jersey four innocent young Black students were savagely attacked (and three tragically died) by six criminal latinos. One killer, Jose Carranza, an illegal from Peru -- was previously arrested on multiple occasions and had 31 counts of child rape against him) and, was set free to kill by a PC justice system.

LINE-UP OF EVIL These scumbags mutilated four victims w/ machetes (signature weapon of latino MS-13 gangs operating in the US). The victims were then shot execution-style....one survived.

Melvin Jovel, Jose Carranza, Rodolfo Godinez (L to R)

===============================================

Clearly, latino invaders, MS-13 gangs, and their cadres of co-conspirators are publicly and privately conspiring against the US government,and committing hate crimes against America and Americans.

It's time to penalize anyone on American soil who (a) conspires to undermine the US government, and (b) commits hate crimes against America and Americans.

LEGISLATORS Anyone who spews hate and discontent about OUR country, who marches in mobs, holds up hate signs, and publicly proclaims they will violate US laws, shall be penalized under hate crime laws (and shall be excluded from holding US citizenship).

[Paleo Conservative]

Just days before his death penalty trial, attorneys for Juan Leonardo Quintero said he has offered to plead guilty and be sentenced to life without parole for the 2006 shooting of Houston police officer Rodney Johnson — a deal prosecutors have rejected.

This is Houston not some left wing city on the east or west coasts. He couldn't have found a more hostile jurisdiction to commit his crime. He might as well have chosen 19th century Pecos County with Judge Roy Bean presiding.

[Paleo Conservative]

Incidentally, just received a notice for Jury Duty in Harris County. Put me on this case!!!!

About 10 years ago, I got called for jury duty for a capital murder case where a gang banger murdered a 5 year old girl. There were 800 potential jurors just for that 1 case. Unfortuately I had to withdraw my name from that pool for medical reasons due to a severely herniated disk that I was having treated. The jury that was seated for that case convicted him and sentenced him to death.

[org.whodat]

In her first public statements since she was named Quintero's attorney, Recer said in an e-mail that Quintero does not understand and cannot explain what overcame him that September day, but accepts responsibility for his actions. She said Quintero would agree to all of the evidence against him if offered life without parole.

No problem, he can serve his life sentence up until the day they pop him, which means he gets a short jail sentence, but a real long death sentence.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Does anyone recall seeing this on tv? The molester/drunk/killer was driving a really nice looking truck! I never heard anyone mention if it belonged to an employer or if he actually was making enough money off of criminal Americans paying him illegally.

[Levante]

“Here thanks to the advocacy of Americans who car far less for their country and their neighbors than they do their checkbook.”

That describes Jorge Bush very well.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

It also describes some freepers who openly relish having illegal labor handy. You know, stealing jobs from Americans.

[Levante]

“It also describes some freepers who openly relish having illegal labor handy. You know, stealing jobs from Americans.”

Exactly, so that we can have “cheap labor” (THERE’S NO SUCH THING).

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

And explains why I’m still doing my own lawn when I could easily pay someone else to do it. Try finding an American who is even attempting any more.

[Travis McGee]

"Quintero does not understand and cannot explain what overcame him that September day..."

Coming soon to a barrio near you.

[HiJinx]

Ping!

[fella]

WE must be more tolerant of the diverse cultures that we lure into our country. After all it is all our fault with the exception of all our own minorities because it’s not their fault either.

[theymakemesick]

If you are lucky enough to be on that jury pool, be very careful how you answer the questions, you don’t want to be excluded by the defense!

[theymakemesick]

This is a classic example of why voting for judges should not be ignored. I don’t have the expertise to determine who the judge was that let him go, anyone?

[primeval patriot]

I finally watched Apocalypto just last weekend.

It was instructive to see a modern depiction of what Hernan Cortes saw when he entered Mexico.

Great movie.

[dearolddad]

I have noticed that almost all criminals developed very clear hindsight after being caught and convicted.

I've noticed that too... FRY the SOB!!!

[Travis McGee]

Yeah, it’s a great flick. After the movie, I watched the entire documentary about making the movie, and then I watched the movie again with the commentary of Gibson and the producer. All the same night, one after the other.

[philetus]

Why would any American judge do this?”

Because when they needed to stand up to judges and politicians abusing their power, the people didn’t have the time, the will, or the guts.