Posted on 11/27/2007 6:15:36 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
PASADENA, TEXAS -- When he saw two men pry into his neighbor's house with a crowbar one afternoon earlier this month, Joe Horn did what many people would do: He called 911.
But when police had not shown up by the time the suspects were about to leave, the 61-year-old retiree did something most people probably would not: He stepped outside with his 12-gauge shotgun and killed them.
"I'm not going to let them get away with this," Horn told the 911 dispatcher, who responded: "Property's not worth killing someone over."
Seconds later, the sound of a gun being loaded could be heard on the 911 tape, followed by a warning -- "Move [and] you're dead" -- and then three bursts of gunfire. Miguel DeJesus, 38, and Diego Ortiz, 30, both of whom had small-time criminal histories, died of their wounds.
The six-minute recording of Horn's anger, frustration and eagerness to take the law into his own hands has made him the focus of a national controversy. Critics condemn him as a vigilante bent on meting out murderous justice. Admirers praise him as a courageous hero whom any law abider would love to have next door.
"Why is he still a free man?" Linda E. Edwards wrote in a letter to the Houston Chronicle.
"Joe Horn gets a Texas 'attaboy' from me," countered John E. Meagher in the next letter. "Justice was served, law or not."
As the debate rages on talk radio and cable-TV news shows, Horn remains free.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
praised
Heard the audio’s on KFI’s Ken and John show as I was cruising on the Socal Freeway toward home....two shotgun blasts and the deed was done......
But when police had not shown up by the time the suspects were about to leave, the 61-year-old retiree did something most people probably would not: He stepped outside with his 12-gauge shotgun and killed them.
“I’m not going to let them get away with this,” Horn told the 911 dispatcher, who responded: “Property’s not worth killing someone over. . .
As to the 911 dispatcher's comment that Property is not worth killing for...excuse me? Anyone bent on taking your proerty is a mortal threat to your life, and must be considered so.
You gotta hear the audio....looking for a link....
He called the cops and since they didn’t respond immediately, as a citizen, he has the right to defend property and make citizens arrest.
It wasn’t his fault the criminals didn’t surrender and ran.
Give the man a medal!
Criminals need to be put on notice that breaking in and stealing anyones property makes them subject to a violent lifestyle and a not so friendly conclusion.
And it is naive for anyone to believe the cops are going to drop everything they are doing and come to a residential burglary, just because a neighbor called.
Justice Served, and an Atta Boy
We need more people with the fortitude like this guy to do what is neccessary when confronted with a choice.
The dispatcher is a dispatcher. Not a cop, not a judge, not a lawyer.
Joe should have called them after the fact to take a report.
Like Ron White, the comedian said...”Texas is not only in favor of the death penalty, Hell, they’re putting in an express lane”
Criminal justice does not belong in the hands of social workers.
911 tape traces deadly shootings by Pasadena man
*****************EXCERPT******************
Minutes before he shot and killed two burglary suspects, a Pasadena man ignored repeated orders from a police dispatcher not to go outside with a shotgun.
Police today identified the dead men as 38-year-old Miguel Antonio DeJesus and Diego Ortiz, 30, both of Houston.
On a 911 tape released Thursday, a dispatcher is heard asking Joe Horn to stay inside his home until police arrived. But Horn, who had called police about 2 p.m. Wednesday to report that he witnessed two men break into a neighbor's home, told the dispatcher he planned to "kill" the suspects.
"I'm not going to let them get away with it," said Horn, who reported being inside his home in the 7400 block of Timberline looking out a window. "I'm gonna shoot. I'm gonna shoot."
For approximately six minutes, the Pasadena police operator told Horn to remain in his home and repeatedly discouraged the 61-year-old man from taking his gun outside.
"Stay inside the house and don't go out there. OK?" the operator told Horn in calm tones. " ... I know what you're feeling, but it's not worth shooting someone over this. OK?"
Charles Lambright, Horn's attorney, said Thursday that the audio recording suggests Horn was afraid for his own safety.
"Just because he went outside doesn't mean he went outside with the idea of shooting them," Lambright said. "All I can see is a concerned homeowner who was scared for his own safety and, if he was some kind of nutcase, I don't think he would have called 911. His intention was to get police out there."
Pasadena police said it would be up to a Harris County grand jury to decide if Horn committed a crime. Charges had not been filed Thursday and Horn was not taken into custody.
"Usually, things like this take a little while to be presented to us," said Assistant District Attorney Lynne Parsons. "We would want the officers to contact witnesses and collect evidence."
The owners of the home that was burglarized could not be reached for comment. On the audio recording, Horn tells the operator that he did not know them very well. But, he states that he was upset that the men appeared to be burglarizing a home in broad daylight.
I agree for the most part, except for one thing. You said that “it wasn’t his fault the criminals didn’t surrender and ran”. If you’ve listed to the tape, you’ll know that he really didn’t give them any warning. He said “You move you’re dead” and the gunshots came immediately after that. There was no delay at all. I’m not saying he wasn’t justified legally in what he did, I just think that he went a little overboard in his eagerness to shoot these guys.
There are four types of homicide: felonious, accidental, justifiable, and praiseworthy. - Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary
Police have not found the families of the dead men. One had identification indicating he was from Puerto Rico, the other had documentation indicating he may have been from Puerto Rico, Colombia or the Dominican Republic, Corbett said.
Both men were shot once at a range of less than 15 feet with a 12-gauge shotgun.
My boss had his home burgled in Tx. They took guns, they took money,They took tools, they took the wifes lingerie.
He called the cops, the cops said “call your insurance agent”
They wouldn’t even come out to take a report.
Good Message sent by Mr. Joe Horn to any criminal so brazen as to do a crime, of this nature, during daylight. I still give the Man, Mr. Joe Horn, an AttaBoy. Brazen activity demands action. Mr. Horn did what he had to do to protect his neighborhood.
Just Damn!
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