A jury has acquitted Jose Ines Garcia Zarate of murder and manslaughter charges in the 2015 shooting death of Kate Steinle on Pier 14 in San Francisco.
Not guilty.
That's the verdict against Jose Ines Garcia Zarate for the 2015 shooting death of Kate Steinle
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) December 1, 2017
Wow —. The jury has found Garcia Zarate NOT GUILTY of the murder of Kate Steinle.
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) December 1, 2017
#BREAKING: #KateSteinle trial verdict: Jose Ines Garcia Zarate acquitted of murder and manslaughter in killing at Pier 14 in S.F. https://t.co/j88ocGJ6Ll pic.twitter.com/5eI2tG8FtD
— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) December 1, 2017
#BREAKING: Jose Zarate not guilty of murder of Kate Steinle #steinletrial . Guilty of possessing firearm, a felony
— Sean Langille (@SeanLangille) December 1, 2017
JUST IN: San Francisco jury finds undocumented immigrant not guilty of murder or manslaughter in killing of Kate Steinle, the woman whose shooting death provoked a national immigration debate. https://t.co/uNOvLGoXpm pic.twitter.com/3rfxxyCmGb
— ABC News (@ABC) December 1, 2017
Jury finds Garcia GUILTY only on felony possession of a firearm.
— Dianne Gallagher (@DianneG) December 1, 2017
A jury has found Jose Ines Garcia Zarate not guilty in the murder of Kate Steinle, the woman whose shooting death on a San Francisco pier in 2015 provoked an immigration debate.
Zarate was found not guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder or manslaughter. However, he was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Zarate, of Mexico, had been deported several times and has previous convictions for re-entry after deportation. Before the killing, he had been released from a San Francisco jail after a minor drug charge was dismissed. While U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had issued a detainer for Zarate, he was released under the city’s sanctuary laws.
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) December 1, 2017
FIVE-TIME DEPORTED ILLEGAL ALIEN https://t.co/Hjao3ZiS3j
— Rep. Steven Smith (@RepStevenSmith) December 1, 2017
Undocumented…deported felon, Lord help us https://t.co/0bDQzFhbzZ
— Susan Scandone (@SusanScandone) December 1, 2017
Give me an earthquake, and sink this shithole state into the ocean. #katesteinle https://t.co/NzTerlKFHk
— ☠Problematic AF™☠ (@EF517_V2) December 1, 2017
If North Korea nuked San Francisco they'd be doing us a favor. Fuck them.https://t.co/PdSL7yfgm8
— Real Gabagool (@Real_Gabagool) December 1, 2017
OMG!!! Are you KIDDING ME!!! My heart goes out to her family! 🙁 https://t.co/L2NAL5XEZc
— Olleanie (@LeanOllie) December 1, 2017
So…. What you're saying is there's no justice for actual Americans! Murderous illegal aliens can be here and kill folks with impunity now. https://t.co/74OTexyiUg
— Shawn (@ShawnLivingLife) December 1, 2017
This is a bullshit verdict. https://t.co/M2mCmB3tTG
— ?Erin Murray? (@MsErinMurray) December 1, 2017
This is simply infuriating on many levels. This specific case kept individuals from speaking about immigration or kept people furthering the negative stigma of immigration. #cpol120 https://t.co/zFuPsVpvEI
— Eddy Munoz (@EddyMunoz19) December 1, 2017
I am literally at a loss for words over how this was not at least manslaughter. https://t.co/KMf695BDrr
— Amy Swearer (@AmySwearer) December 1, 2017
How does he not even get involuntary manslaughter? I feel sick. #KateSteinle https://t.co/56agPUkDPz
— Eager Beaver (@_eager_beaver) December 1, 2017
Mind boggling, he admitted he was holding the gun when it fired "accidentally". Definition of manslaughter. SF jury must be trying to send message to Trump instead of doing job https://t.co/nydgG17uHJ
— Rub NSFW (@rubguy) December 1, 2017
The jury hated Trump more than it hated the murder of an innocent woman by an illegal immigrant. https://t.co/2Lb8EEYvpi
— Michael_Haz (@Michael_Haz) December 1, 2017
Not even involuntary manslaughter??? You get involuntary manslaughter for hitting someone with a car. Shooting someone is apparently not a crime. Sad, sad, sad… https://t.co/TskN42usuV
— John Slocum (@PhillySlocs) December 1, 2017
Even I think this not guilty verdict is a mistake. I remember the day this happened, this man did shoot her, they just ruled that he "accidently" shot her and dropped all charges even though he stole the gun he used to shoot her. Wow. https://t.co/3hgKTh12P8
— Terri L (@terrileedoll196) December 1, 2017
How is this possible? Fuck the wall put up pill boxes. https://t.co/y0nfsqGooW
— TEKEL (@ewilliams30102) December 1, 2017
Despicable, utterly despicable. Shame on that jury. https://t.co/PNZSdLSpvn
— Katie Bass (Ferrara) (@klbass617) December 1, 2017
Just another reason to never set foot in CA again. They sanction murder. Disgusting. Just disgusting. Hope the state appeals the verdict. https://t.co/2RgvkLqmfs
— Belinda Deane (@BelindaBee13) December 1, 2017
California, you're fucking worthless https://t.co/tgrkucQy7B
— JJ (@JimmyJames38) December 1, 2017
This is insane. https://t.co/kvUjXpZ7Ig
— Harlan Z. Hill (@Harlan) December 1, 2017
Welcome to San Francisco where illegal aliens get priority over American citizens apparently. https://t.co/7H7dC7LZsC
— Real Jack (@RealJack) December 1, 2017
Where has this country gone ???????????#KateSteinle
Insanity …. INSANITY ????????? https://t.co/L7HnSUQXCP— Pansylee VanMeteren (@PoeticPastries) December 1, 2017
Omg! This is horrible that there is no justice for her family. Pray for them. https://t.co/AI6AAYfJUZ
— Women for Trump (@WomenforTrump) December 1, 2017
Absolutely tragic. On top of it all, it took the public defenders about 15 seconds to politicize this case by attacking @realDonaldTrump. https://t.co/D9c8fpebjI
— Maxwell Pichan (@MaxwellPichan) December 1, 2017
Absolutely disgusting. https://t.co/RUCBGFQtQJ
— Robert M. Dalton (@RobertMDalton1) December 1, 2017
An illegal immigrant just got away with murder. Doesnt matter your stance on immigration that man killed her and should be in jail for it. https://t.co/iwaqNtZY1H
— phishman (@phishman715) December 1, 2017
That felony won't mean much in this sanctuary state. Smfh. https://t.co/GXS9hjT4GA
— Sean Starks (@StarksSM) December 1, 2017
Had Garcia Zarate shot and killed a sea lion instead of Kate Steinle, he would have been found guilty. Disgusting.
— NotKennyRogers (@NotKennyRogers) December 1, 2017
California will jail people who abuse animals but not illegals who murder Americans.
— EducatédHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) December 1, 2017
California: Where you're more likely to face justice over pronoun use than murder.
— Who Elected Them? (@CounterMoonbat) December 1, 2017
Is there some possible way to get California removed from the Union? This is absolutely pathetic. https://t.co/peVMZmDMyd
— John Reed (@vesarious) December 1, 2017
We should build the wall around California
— Mujahed Kobbe (@Moj_kobe) December 1, 2017
Let's all pray for #KateSteinle family that tonight they will have some closure and justice finally. Pray
— Proud American (@uniquechoices) December 1, 2017
#KatesLaw pic.twitter.com/auJldUdtb3
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) December 1, 2017
I wonder how the jurors in the Kate Steinle trial will feel when they lay down to go to sleep tonight knowing they made a mockery out of American justice.
— Charlie Daniels (@CharlieDaniels) December 1, 2017
* * *
Update:
For the record, here’s a criminal defense attorney’s take on how the jury possibly arrived at the conclusion it did:
Quick thread on Steinle verdict: It was an undisputed that the bullet ricocheted on the pier's concrete walkway before it struck Steinle. 1/
— LB (@beyondreasdoubt) December 1, 2017
The defense was that the gun went off accidentally. The jurors likely believed that to be the case. For those saying why no manslaughter conviction 2/
— LB (@beyondreasdoubt) December 1, 2017
In California, voluntary manslaughter requires proof of intent to harm. So if jurors believed gun went off by accident, they wouldn't find him guilty of manslaughter.3/
— LB (@beyondreasdoubt) December 1, 2017
The defendant did not deny that he was holding the gun when it was fired, hence, they jury's guilty verdict on felon in possession. I get the outrage, but helps to know the facts before you tweet 4/
— LB (@beyondreasdoubt) December 1, 2017
And involuntary manslaughter?
— Erielle Davidson (@politicalelle) December 1, 2017
I don't practice in Cali, so don't hold me to this, but I think it's application is very limited. I am also not sure it was presented to the jury in this case. If the gov't was arguing intent to kill, it's unlikely it gave jury the option to convict on a lack of intent theory
— LB (@beyondreasdoubt) December 1, 2017
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional tweets.
* * *
Related: