Just looked up this case. Turns out, Texas doesn’t have “degrees” of murder.
It has capital murder and murder.
Manslaughter is committed recklessly without intent to kill.
But she testified that, when she pointed her gun at the victim, she intended to kill him.
Under Texas law, that is murder. That’s why she faces 5 years to life.
(At least that’s what I think I read. Maybe some Texans here will correct me if I’m wrong.)
So sorry for the victim and his family.
I'm almost certain that I've read that in Texas it's a *jury* that decides how a person is punished for a crime.I do believe that I've read of cases where a Texas jury has sentenced a person convicted of a serious crime to little or no punishment.
Of course a lawyer...particularly a Texas lawyer...might have something to say about my belief.
I think you’ve summed it up nicely.
Yes, that’s intent. Add in the fact she never administered CPR and he was still just barely alive when the other cops showed up. They did CPR. No excuse she shouldn’t have. She watched him bleed out and purposefully did nothing.