DPS was watching burglars shot by Horn
Even before their deaths prompted a series of heated debates about the use of deadly force, detectives at the Department of Public Safety had their eye on Diego Ortiz and Miguel Dejesus.
The two were shot and killed by Joe Horn, a Pasadena man who thought they were burglarizing his neighbor’s home last month.
According to a DPS memo obtained by 11 News, the department was investigating the use of Puerto Rican birth certificates by Colombians seeking to obtain Texas driver’s licenses.
Both Ortiz and Dejesus had applied for licenses. Dejesus listed his country of origin as Puerto Rico, but both men were Colombian.
Apparently, the DPS is investigating hundreds of immigrants who may have used illegal papers to get Texas licenses.
But that’s not all.
A much wider probe has been launched into an organized syndicate of Colombians who are engaged in illegal weapons sales and home break-ins – just like the one Ortiz and Dejesus were involved in last month in Pasadena.
That day, Joe Horn and a shotgun stood in the way of the suspected thieves, but in many instances the suspects have gotten away.
The ATF, ICE and DPS have reportedly formed a task force to bring the crime wave to an end.
The burglars are said to be very effective at what they do, conducting extensive surveillance on their targets before striking. Some of the suspects are extremely violent.
The investigations have already led to several arrests.
MR MASSachusetts: you have a castle bill in your state.yes it applies only to you home,but it does give you the right to use force including deadly to eject some one.
On the police recording you can clearly hear him tell the criminals right before he shoots them that they where "Dead". He did not tell them to stop, or put down the goods. He just said they are dead then shot them.
I'd say Horn is an idiot that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent.
Running out on the porch and taking pot shots at punks is not self defense. It is the deliberate unwarranted use of deadly force.
Blatantly incorrect. On the tape is it clear that he said "move and youre dead".
Quote from transcripts."Boom! You're dead!" he shouts. A loud bang is heard, then a shotgun being cocked and fired again, and then again.
As for the racial aspect . . . does anyone here seriously believe that if the shooter went out and saw a couple of blond, blue-eyed white guys robbing the home he would simply have turned around and gone back inside?
ZeroJunk said:I like motorcycles just fine, but question the intellect of somebody goosing the throttle as some kind of statement.
Sorry that is incorrect. At least according the transcript from the Police recording of his 911 call. If you read their transcript he clearly states "Your Dead". He does not say anything else.
I did listen to the tape five time the past two days and I swear he only says "Your dead". Well we will see what happens in the grand jury on who they believe. I would like to see the transcripts from a neutral source like the Police. There is no way to say which is correct. There does seems to be a lot of misinformation out on the net on this case from pro and antis sides
Thumper, to quote Dickens and paraphrase Shakespeare.
"The Law is an ass."
wingman said:Personally if serving on a jury I will always take the word of a citizen without a criminal background over that of a known criminal.