Posted on 01/17/2011 3:25:57 PM PST by moonshinner_09
The widow of a Houston police officer is "aghast" that a law advocacy center defending poor people charged with capital crimes is selling T-shirts apparently designed by her slain husband's convicted killer, her attorney said today.
The T-shirts bear the initials of Juan Leonardo Quintero Perez, 36, an illegal immigrant serving life without parole in a Texas prison for fatally shooting Houston police officer Rodney Johnson in 2006.
The sales might meet the definition of "murderabilia" — items sold by convicted killers - since the artwork is being used to solicit donations for the law advocacy center that defended him at his trial, said city of Houston victims advocate Andy Kahan.
Johnson's widow, Joslyn Johnson, a sergeant in the Houston Police Department's burglary and theft division, declined to comment on the T-shirt sales, citing departmental policy. But her attorney said she was very upset.
"She's aghast and angry about it," attorney Ben Dominguez said. "She lost her husband in this tragic way. But on top of that, now that sales of the T-shirts have come to light, if that's what's going on, it just makes it that much more hard for her.
"By the grace of God, (Quintero Perez) was lucky enough to not get the death sentence. Now he's helping someone else profit from the T-shirts to pay for his legal bills, probably," Dominguez said.
Houston attorney Danalynn Recer, executive director of the Gulf Region Advocacy Center (GRACE), who defended Quintero Perez at trial, did not immediately respond to the Houston Chronicle's requests for comment today.
Quintero Perez killed HPD Officer Rodney Johnson, 40, a father of five, on Sept. 21, 2006, after being stopped for speeding.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
sanctuary city.
TEXAS, Scum murdered a Police Officer and he got life.
What in Hell happened in this case, Texas?????
Ah, yes. Another Mexican, I see.
That advocacy group is probably getting government funds too, all the leftist groups seem to.
Absolutely disgusting that an Illegal Alien cop murderer is allowed to do this.
Too many politicians in BOTH PARTIES value the rights of Illegal Aliens over the rights of American Citizens. This Illegal Alien should be executed...not rewarded making t-shirts
Together We Thrive.
Nearly every whiny little murdering piece of canine excrement that goes behind the locks starts drawing this crap.
Full of symbolism, such as roses, flying birds, etc...nothing but sentimental grade school level junk.
Mostly line drawings and tracings.
The joke is the fact that the idiots that are associated with these free legal clinics tend to be whiny liberals that actually see it as "art" and become convinced they are doing something good by popularizing the so-called "art".
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.