Today, a Harris County grand jury decided that Joe Horn should not be charged for shooting the two immigrants he confronted outside his neighbor’s home in Pasadena.

Horn, 62, came under intense public scrutiny after the Nov. 14 shootings. Many supporters praised him as a hero for using deadly force to protect property, while as a murderer for not heeding the 911 operator’s instructions to stay in his house and wait for police. On the 911 tape, Horn can be heard telling Diego Ortiz, and Hernando Riascos Torres, “Move and you’re dead!” followed by two quick shots, a pause, and then a third shot. Both were shot in the back.

Horn’s attorney, Tom Lambright told 11 News, CBS local affiliate:

“I’m sure Joe will be delighted,” Lambright said. “I think the evidence showed that Joe was, in fact, within his legal rights to do what he did. He didn’t want to do it, but he didn’t have any other alternative.”

Community activist Quanell X has it right, “the message that the grand jury sent today is frightening.”

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Posted in Eliminationism, Immigration, Nativism, News/Noticias, Prejudices, Texas | | functional 5 Comments »

It’s Monday, and that means it is time for yet another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance’s weekly blog round-up. Posts included in the round up are submitted each week by Alliance member blogs. This week’s round-up is compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex.

Maybe PDiddie at Brains and Eggs was wrong about Obama and Texas. Decide for yourself.

Off the Kuff has one last belated interview from the state Dem convention, with CD32 candidate Eric Roberson.

There is a new email scandal in Harris County. XicanoPwr writes about the offensive emails discovered at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office by a local media undercover investigation. One email has Osama bin Laden urging folks to vote Democratic. In another email, a top commander suggested that alligators should be put in the Rio Grande to cut down on illegal immigration.

Big Drunk at McBlogger points out, again, the flaws in the R’s “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less” strategy. Which really isn’t hard to do since the R’s don’t exactly excel at critical thinking, are in love with fantasy and are (to a large extent) willfully ignorant.

refinish69 of Doing My Part For The Left is delighted to announce that the Texas Medical Association Rescinds their endorsement of Box Turtle and shares Rick Noriega’s response to Big Bad John.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the cracks forming in the Texas GOP in A Cooling Off Period For The Texas GOP.

Vince Leibowitz at Capitol Annex takes a look at the Texas Supreme Court’s recent opinion declaring, essentially, that if you are injured by a church, you are screwed, which stems from the case of–get this–an exorcism gone horribly wrong.

North Texas Liberal reports on the charge that John McCain and his wife Cindy have defaulted on four years of back taxes for their La Jolla, Calif. residence.

The Texas Cloverleaf helps expose the fact that oil companies are not drilling on 3/4 of the land they already lease, because it will cost them too much. Corporate greed, anyone?

Over at Texas Kaos, it is Kenneth Foster all over again, as it looks like Texas’ law of parties is fixing to execute another man, Jeff Wood, who didn’t kill anyone.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme notes John McCain shows his true colors by choosing Phil ‘Enron’ Gramm as a close associate.

NyTexan at BlueBloggin tell us how the Bush administration has hit the pinnacle of security chaos. We can rest easy now, knowing that we have outsourced the outsource; Department of Homeland Security Outsources National Security

Bay Area Houston writes about State Senator Kim Brimer keeping campaign cash for himself.

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Posted in Blog Round-Up, TPA, Texas | | functional 1 Comment »

Once in while I do get personal on here and this is will be one of those times. On Saturday, I was at another anti-Corrections Corporation of America protest. My good friends at Houston Indy Media, Gislaine and RoB had taken some pictures of the protest. I happen to be in one of those photos.

But in a more personal note, I am going to be a tío - Tío XP. Here is a picture of mi sobrino o sobrina.

Hopefully the world she or he grows up in will be a much kinder and gentler place than we are living in now. In the meantime, Tío XP will continue to be in front lines making sure he or she does.

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Posted in Misc | | functional 6 Comments »

The following email was obtained by our local ABC affiliate, ABC 13, from the Harris County Sheriff’s Department as a result of a lawsuit from an undercover investigation.

The email reads: “With a little planning they easily could have transplanted it to the Rio Grande River. Now that should have cut down on the illegal migration just a tad!!”

(more…)

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Posted in Prejudices, Racism, Republican, Texas, Xenophobia | | functional 6 Comments »

More than 100 community members and organizations met in front of the George Thomas “Mickey” Leland Federal Building yesterday to denounce the raid that took place Wednesday at Action Rags U.S.A. in the heart of Houston’s East End. According to local CBS affiliate, KHOU, agents arrested 166 of the 186 employees. ICE released 73 people who had medical problems or were sole care providers. Another 20 were released by cause they either were here legally or were born here. So here is the break down:

166 - arrested
-20 - released, here legally
———
146 - remaining
-73 - released for medical problems
———
73 - detained

The remain 73 who are detained, 70 of them are women, so only 3 of them are men.

To give you an idea of the area, Houston’s East End is nested between downtown Houston, the Port of Houston, and Hobby Airport. The East End consists of many different ethnic groups, including Hispanic, Asian, Anglo, and African American. Latinos make up more than half of the residents. According to the 2000 Census data: 42.8% live in poverty making under $15,000; 31.3% fall between $15,000 - $29,999; 45.9% have less than 9th grade; and 37.63% are not in the labor force, 25% has little or not English. The Greater East End’s youth live in an area profoundly impacted by poverty and crime.

Protest organizers felt the event was a success. I have to agree. To get over 100 people in short notice is not an easy thing to do here in Houston. Congratulations CRECEN America Para Todos, SEIU, HIWJ, FIEL, and ACORN for a job well done.

The only disappoint I have about the raid, NO local, state or federal official came out to denounce the raid. Where are our leaders?

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Posted in Immigration | | functional No Comments »