Posted on 12/01/2017 2:10:56 AM PST by BenLurkin
A Mexican man will be deported after he was found not guilty in the killing of Kate Steinle, whose death while out walking on a San Francisco pier reignited a national debate over immigration policy.
Jurors acquitted Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, 45, of murder and involuntary manslaughter, as well as assault with a deadly weapon. They convicted him of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The undocumented immigrant faces up to three years in prison, but has already spent more than two years in jail awaiting trial and may get credit for time served. He has not been sentenced.
Before Steinle's fatal shooting in July 2015, Garcia Zarate had been deported five times, and was wanted for a sixth deportation on drug-related felonies.
Under a sanctuary city law, San Francisco authorities released him from custody three months before the shooting, instead of turning him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Authorities said the gun he used was stolen from the car of an off-duty agent for the Bureau of Land Management. Kate Steinle's brother said the theft of the gun set off a series of system failures that culminated with the ruling.
"I'm not surprised. The system failed Kate from the start of this chain of events. Why would the verdict be any different?" Brad Steinle said. "From the drug charge. To being released. To not being detained by ICE. The BLM agent leaving a loaded weapon in an unlocked car. It is failure after failure."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
He got away with murder!! What the heck!!
He’ll be back and kill again...
Keep him in California; Corcoran, Pelican Bay, San Quentin ...
One story he told was that he was shooting at a seal. If he had killed a seal, you can be sure he would have been convicted and thrown in prison. Seal lives matter in San Francisco. White tourists? Not so much.
new American Justice...
Well, you didn't mean for her to get killed, so it's okay".
It would be good to be 100 years ago in this case.
So a multiple felon convicted of possession of a fire arm (used in an act that resulted in a death) get yet another “get out of jail free” card?
Tag and release?
What is the betting pool that he’ll be back in the USA by New Year’s Eve?
Build the wall!!
But be sure Kalifornia is on the other side of it.
And he is far from the only one, if I had any thing to guess by.
San Francisco should have the courage of their convictions and just put this guy back on the street.
How can they justify deporting this guy over some bogus weapons charge?
Since it is clear he committed no underlying crime, why are we not to assume he was just safeguarding this dangerous weapon until he could find a police officer to turn it in?
Should he get deported for that?
How much you wanna bet there were people on that jury who voted Not Guilty because they did not want to give Donald Trump a victory.
When the jury really wants to vote one way, you only have to give them the flimsiest excuse.
I agree with you absolutely. Hillary would be proud!!
All of his past criminal record and deportations were not allowed into the trial. Without the background, an acquittal was just pro forma. California pro-illegal alien laws and politics at work and play ...
So now SF will turn over the murderer to ICE? What happened to their principles?
Why not deport him by helicopter: fly him over Mexico and then “deport” him at 6,000 feet.
Mexican man of the year......
He was convicted in state court of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Why is he not now being charged in federal court with the similar federal offense?
Elected San Francisco leaders should be arrested for violation of federsl laws. They are guilty of Obstruction of Governance
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.