Purse Snatcher Shooter INDICTED

As a first offense (I am assuming), I bet they let her plead down to a lesser charge, a bunch of community service, fine, maybe a gun safety course, and she will be right as rain.
 
If the state wanted to sweep this under the rug, why give her the charge to begin with? Why ask for $10,000 bail? Once this trial starts, it's going to receive National attention. Should she be perceived to be receiving special treatment, there are likely to be political consequences. IMO the best thing "they" can do at this point is treat it as other such cases are treated & let the chips fall where they may.
 
That lady is dangerous and if not to punish her but to protect the public she needs to lose her gun rights. That was no warning shot. She just missed. You don't kill a human being for trying to steal a purse and what if she hit someone in the back ground.
 
Well Dreaming, Cotten isn't charged with attempted murder or event assault. She is charged with a felony of dangerous conduct (which can also be a misdemeanor), however, which if convicted for that felony would result on the loss of her gun rights.

It is certainly not unusual for DAs to bring forth the highest possibly charge(s) they think they could potentially make stick, ask for high bails, in an effort to convince the defendant or the potential significant negative consequences of their actions and actually hope the defendant requests for a plea or actually later offer a plea deal to the defendant for a lesser charge for not going to trial. As a first time offender (apparently), and as a person who has been reported by the police as being cooperative with their investigation so far, it is not unreasonable to expect to seen a lesser conviction for Cotten if she does not choose to fight the charges. This would have nothing to do with special treatment, but simply SOP in the court system.
 
From what I've read the Grand Jury came up with the charge. The $10,000 bail could have come by the DA's request or the Judge's opinion on her flight risk or threat to the community.
BTW on the subject of bail, the alleged purse snatchers bail was only $2,000.
This would seem to indicate to me at least, that Texas, views her crime as a more serious one than his.
I doubt this is going to be a landmark legal case, but would make a great movie of the week. If it were done in a Rashomon style documentary, it would be a blockbuster with something for everyone. :)
 
Clock, you have a citation for Dawson's charges and bail? Exactly what is Dawson charged with? Since he did not harm or otherwise assault the elderly lady, he may be charged with a simple misdemeanor of petty larceny.

Don't forget that bail can be set relative to ability to pay.

With that said, it doesn't matter of Cotten's bail was more or Dawson's. The cases won't be tried on the basis of whose bail was more.
 
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Was unable to recover the article regarding Dawson's bail, but have retrieved source of Grand Jury statement

"When police arrived at the parking lot, a group of men had 27-year-old Andre Dawson detained after Dawson reportedly stole a purse belonging to an 84-year-old woman from her shopping cart. Police recovered the purse and arrested Dawson on theft of property and credit or debit card abuse charges.

Martin said the woman, who does not have a concealed handgun license, met with police later Friday after she learned through media reports that officers wanted to speak to her about the incident.

He declined to reveal details of the interview, but said “it appears in the video and part of the investigation that she chose to shoot above the person.”

He declined to release the woman’s name.

“We intend to send it to a grand jury to see if they consider it a criminal offense that needs to be indicted,” Martin said. “It will be up to the grand jury if they want to indict it or no-bill it. The purpose of that is to allow a jury of her peers to make that decision without an arrest.”

Dawson's charge was some level of misdemeanor in that the dollar amount was less then $100. and there was no violence.
 
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