‘Cuz It’s Texas, ‘Cuz, And A Man’s Gotta Do What A Man’s Gotta Do …
Welcome to Bexar County (think San Antonio).
On Christmas Eve in 2009, Ezekiel Gilbert paid a 23-year-old Craigslist “escort” $150. Then, she wouldn’t have sex with him. So Ezekiel did what he had to do. He shot her in the neck. Yu know, just your average Christmas Eve.
She became paralyzed and later died.
So Ezekiel finally went to trial. He was found not guilty.
Gilbert’s defense argued that the shooting wasn’t meant to kill, and that Gilbert’s actions were justified, because he believed that sex was included as part of the fee. Texas law allows people “to use deadly force to recover property during a nighttime theft.”
So, that happened. In Texas.
Thanks to J. Barrett for the heads up.
Oh, I’ve got a comment. He’s not the victim and Karma knows where he lives. No getting away from Karma.
1So now it’s “She needed killin’?” Did he even ask for his money back before shooting her? If I had shot everyone who owed me $150, bet I’d be in prison. But then, I’m not a macho man paying for sex.
Sheesh. That’s a really stupid interpretation of the law, if you ask me.
2Carefully parsing out of respect for Momma and the ladies, but are we talking about “escort,” ‘escort’ or escort? The terms each mean something different in NV where we have a few counties that pay respect to the worlds’ oldest profession.
With his face and $150, he also should have expected to pay for dinner and cab fare simply for the pleasure of having a dinner companion, if we’re going with definition #3.
3Again, I’m aghast at the rednecks in Texas, and embarrassed that I might be mistaken for one.
4Proof again that in the minds of some authorities, a woman is just a **** and her life is worth nothing.
5WTMFFH? (no, thet innit momma safe)
Anybody know who the defense lawyer was? SA teevee iz jes eat up with super obnoxious attorney ads.
I met a guy recently whom I considered to be about the dumbest person I had ever encountered in a biz setting, or practically anywhere (outside of a certain state institution), and I’ve been around almost as long as rocks.
6This jury must have had twelve people just like him.
“…argued that the shooting wasn’t meant to kill”
Absolute bullcarp, not even a skilled assassin (ect) could shoot someone in the effen neck at close range expecting not to kill. Even a friggin BB gun could kill with a head -neck shot.
7Sandridge, there are two kinds of juries. Those composed of twelve people too st00pid to get out of jury duty or people with a civic conscience. Civic conscience can be pricey when the once one day murder trial can take 6 weeks to 6 months.
Voir dire is two four letter words, if the wrong attorney has the best jury consultants.
8Doesn’t No Mean NO in Texas?
9We’ve got so far to go in order to evolve as a species.
10Obviously some farther than others. That may not be the Scopes monkey trial, but it sure involved a lot of monkeys(No disrespect meant to monkeys by comparing them to Texans.)
First: my condolences to the woman’s family.
And second, ummm.
That’s an interesting defense.
Just what “property” was he supposed to be “recovering?” Obviously, he hadn’t lost any sperm in the deal — so where’s this “property?”
Sorry, Momma – but I couldn’t figure out any other way to ask the question.
11Polite Kool Marxist,
I know the process, but in my rural county the judge(s) don’t put up with WATB potential jurors. I’ve seen them get dressed down standing amongst 50-60 callee’s
As far as the disgusting case, it actually was decided on 8 June 2013, so it’s an old one. The lawyers were a well known around here father and son team, they have a pretty bad rep AFAIK, but they’re very wealthy (hint hint, this is South Texas, droga centrál).
12Forgot:
13The weapon Gilbert used was a freakin’ AK-47, not a wimpy 32 or 380 or 9mm or 45, a freakin’ AK-47. Choice of militaries around the world.
The AK-47 has a lethal range of about 800 YARDS! He shot her at close range.
How this SOB avoided blowing the poor girl’s head clear OFF I don’t know.
And as the advanced space people approached earth they heard this story and said…..No intelligent life here, lets move on!
14Yipe! And there was no outcry to get rid of the judge? I bet he got his law degree by correspondence school advertised on a matchbook! There is such a thing as a judge setting aside a verdict, especially when it is totally crazy, bawling out the jury and sending them home disgraced. But that would take brains and guts.
15Easykill and judge expanded the definition of “bang”.
16Maybe we should all remember this law next tax season. I’m sure not gettin’ my money’s worth.
17So I guess in Texas women are still considered “property?”
18@Sandridge
I never heard my sainted father refer to the Kalashnikov rifle in other but this phrase, “AK-47 rifle, the preferred weapon of your enemy”. He and the cold war passed aboot the same time. He likely would have missed the cold war as compared to the wars America’s enemies of today – ISIL, snacilbupeR, Putin’s Russia, etc – fight.
19@Sandridge
Oh, and “How this SOB avoided blowing the poor girl’s head clear OFF I don’t know.” Y’know the answer, he didn’t lead her much.
20Micr, The AK-47 type rifle has earned it’s rep. I’ve always wanted to get one (or a derivative, like the AK-74). It’s clearly super reliable, and operable by idiots… We trained with M1 Garands, my favorite.
21We have an incredibly bad DA in Bexar county named Niko LaHood. Even though he was elected as a Democrat, he acts more like a Republican. Hopefully he is a one time deal.
22Sam in San Antonio, LaHood (appropriately named…) took office recently, long after this travesty. Whatshername, Ms. McNasty or something, preceded him.
23He was judged innocent because she died and could not testify against Zimmerma….. uh…Easykill.
24He has a constitutional right to face his accuser in court and if he just happens to off her, his rights are violated. Never mind hers.
25This makes me ashamed to be human.
26My head just blew up. Not Guilty by reason of? Oh, justified use of a fire arm in Texas.
27http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2013/05/why-ezekiel-gilbert-s-acquittal-proves-the-lunacy-of-texas-s-gun-laws
This is interesting/sickening.
28Easykill’s lawyers were Bobby Barrara and Roy Barrara Sr.
29@ Sandridge#21- At least the 47 still uses the 7.62x39mm round.And is the only weapon to grace a national flag, albeit with bayonet attached. My Army trained with the M-1 upgrade the M-14. No one got M-1 thumb.
30Micr and l’angelomisterioso, I forgot this link. JJ’s gonna boot me for devolving into ‘gunz’, but the context of EZ using one of the world’s most lethal weapons without any ‘intent to kill’ is insane.
Comparison of the AK-47 and M16
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_the_AK-47_and_M16
e platypus onion, that’s Barrera.
31I haven’t read the off site background yet, but this strikes me as the worst example of everything wrong with the US.
Senators that pray for an early and painful death of the POTUS, Congress that thinks taking away prevention from one plague to fight another is good enough, and a thin skinned Con Artist that thrills people like this murderer. Well, here’s hoping that Hillary learned the hard lessons from running State that she needs to do SOMETHING about this.
32This is on par with that scum Stanford swimmer only getting 6 lousy months for rape.
33Ok, I am in NO WAY defending the accused, now the acquitted, but he is nothing like the Turner kid and neither is his case. That girl willingly went to his apartment, paraded around unclad, and pulled a classic bait and switch. Do I think he should walk after using deadly force? Nope. But there is no doubt that the woman got his money, and he did demand a refund. She had already taken the cash down to the pimp/boyfriend and was arguing the terms when he shot her. It can be (successfully) argued that she did him an injury, and a JURY of 12 voted to ACQUIT. I don’t think a judge can just overturn a verdict he/she doesn’t like, and if the accused is acquitted why would there be a punishment assessed?
34The Stanford swimmer, meanwhile, decided that a defenseless girl he may or may not have met was just the ticket to slake his lust upon since he hadn’t come up with a better offer by other means. She didn’t have any choice in the matter, any more than a Barbie doll gets to choose what clothes are put on her. And that’s what she was to Mr Turner, a toy he could play with and she couldn’t stop him. No business transaction, no implied consent, no injury to him whatsoever. A JURY of 12 voted to CONVICT on three felony counts, and a JUDGE reduced the gravity of that conviction to a slap on the wrist to a man who views other persons as objects. I don’t think there is a good comparison between the cases, excepting that both involved female victims. And of course, I don’t think any of us were there to hear the testimony! Our legal system has some flaws, which we should work to correct, but I can’t think of any that are better, offhand?