I am firmly convinced that she didn't set out to harm anyone...she made a huge mistake.Nothing more,nothing less.
If there had been a history of "bad blood" between them...or if she had a history of aggressive behavior I very probably would have voted guilty of murder. But unless I'm mistaken neither of those two things were true.
I feel very sorry indeed for the dead guy and his family. I think they have good reason to sue her for millions...and possibly the city as well.
“If I was a juror I would ave voted guilty on some kind of negligent homicide charge but not 1st Degree murder.”
There is no 1st degree murder statute in Texas.
So if I break into your home and shoot you then should I get off since it was a huge mistake, nothing more? I didn't set out to kill you.
I don’t see this standing up on appeal!
“I am firmly convinced that she didn’t set out to harm anyone...she made a huge mistake.”
Mistake? LOL!
Some things I have heard/seen over the past couple of days:
1 During the trial there was testimony that it was not uncommon for residents to park in the wrong area and try to enter someone else’s residence.
2. Black colleagues were almost giddy with joy over the guilty verdict. Seemed to be HAPPY. A bit disturbing. Not a “justice is served!” attitude, more like a “yay! She is going to prison!” (FWIW, I think she should be accountable.)
3. Benjamin Crump, the Florida based “lawyer” who also got involved with the family of George Zimmerman’s attacker, said this verdict was something like payback for Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland,.etc. He clearly mixed apples and oranges in his pursuit of publicity. I doubt if any “journalists” covering his remarks challenged Crump.
Assuming she is telling the truth which is an assumption...
I put myself in her shoes.
Suppose I try to open my apartment door and find it pushes open. There is an unidentified man sitting on an unfamiliar couch eating ice cream.
Do I draw and shoot? No. And I am not even a trained police woman.
I am not trapped. I can flee. No one has reported a crime going on. He is not threatening me (what kind of an active threat is eating out Of a bowl? The strange furniture is a huge tip that things are not what I think they are
I am scared and confused and back out. That’s it.
I vote murder.
My suspicion is that more was going on than we know between them. Regardless, it’s murder.
What reasons would they have to sue the City? The City didn't make her go into the wrong apartment and shoot someone.
But I agree with you that "murder" is a bridge too far for the evidence to support. Manslaughter or negligent homicide is more accurate, but some people get upset if you disagree with them about the murder charge being too strong.
What I wonder is why her key worked on his door.