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Horn tells grand jury about fatal shootings, his attorney says
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Pasadena resident Joe Horn testified Thursday in front of a Harris County grand jury about fatally shooting two suspected burglars as they fled his neighbor’s home in November, his lawyer said.
“He was invited to testify, and he was hopeful that he could tell his side of the story,” attorney Tom Lambright said. “It was really traumatic for him to go back through all this again.”
Lambright said the 62-year-old retiree testified for about an hour and a half.
The grand jury is hearing the case, which has drawn national attention and public debate over whether shooting Hernando Riascos Torres and Diego Ortiz was justifiable.
Earlier Thursday, a community activist also went to the downtown criminal courthouse with family members of those who knew the dead men.
Case in second week
Quanell X said he brought Stephanie Storey, who said she was Torres’ fiancee, in his effort to make sure that Horn is indicted in the Nov. 14 shootings. A woman whom he identified as the widow of Ortiz was there, and the three left together a short time later.
Thursday’s testimony capped the second week of hearing evidence in the case for grand jurors, who work two days a week.
Quanell X advised Storey not to comment to the media. He said Storey has not been invited to appear before the grand jury, but he wanted to make her available to the panel. He did not say how he thought her testimony could benefit the investigation into the shooting.
The activist added that if grand jurors decide not to indict Horn, they will be sending a message to the nation “that Houston is the wild, wild West.”
“Nobody approves of what these two men were doing when they were murdered,” he said.
“We condemn that. But we also condemn any man who takes the law into his own hands as judge, jury and executioner.”
Shots heard on tape
Horn shot the two men with a 12-gauge shotgun after reporting to a 911 operator that he had heard glass breaking at his neighbor’s home in the 7400 block of Timberline. The operator instructed him not to confront the men, saying police were on the way, but Horn went outside.
Moments later, he was recorded on the 911 tape saying, “Move and you’re dead.” Gunshots then were heard.
Ortiz, 30, and Torres, 38, who were unemployed illegal immigrants from Colombia, died at the scene.
Police said both were shot in the back as one moved toward Horn and then angled to the curb, while the other fled in the opposite direction.
Ann
Joe will walk, and we will celebrate.
Sounds like he did everyone a favor.
A white man goes outside, places himself in harm’s way despite being told to wait for police and shoots two dark skinned people in the back (he told the 911 operator they were black) and he gets off scott free.
In NY, a white group of thugs shows up at the home of a black family in the middle of the night, drunk and threatening violence. The father shoots the lead thug and gets sent to prison because, despite being threatened in his home, he could have waited for the police.
White lives one story. Black another. Same old tiresome story.