Texas grand jury refuses murder indictment on man who killed deputy on no-knock raid

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Raw Story

Texas grand jury refuses murder indictment on man who killed deputy on no-knock raid
By George Chidi
Saturday, February 8, 2014 21:04 EST

A grand jury in central Texas refused Wednesday to indict a man on murder charges after he killed a sheriff’s deputy who stormed his house while executing an early-morning no-knock warrant looking for marijuana in December.

Henry Goedrich Magee will still face a charge for possession of marijuana while in possession of a deadly weapon, but prosecutors failed to convince the grand jury that Magee was out of line when he went for his gun while he thought he was being burglarized, ABC reported. Burleson County Sgt. Adam Sowders died during the drug raid, executing a search warrant at Magee’s rural home northwest of Houston.

Magee’s attorney, Dick DeGuerin of Houston, called the fatal shooting a tragic accident, noting that Magee believed his home was being robbed and his pregnant girlfriend at risk of harm.

“In my opinion, the Burleson County Sheriff’s Office did nothing illegal by securing and executing a “no knock” search warrant that day,” said Julie Renken, 21st Judicial District Attorney, in a statement. “I believe the evidence also shows that an announcement was made. However, there is not enough evidence that Mr. Magee knew that day that Peace Officers were entering his home. The events occurred in a matter of seconds amongst chaos. The self-defense laws in Texas are viewed in the mindset of the actor, not the victim, which allows for tragedies to occur when one party is acting lawfully, but it can be reasonably seen as a threat of deadly force by another.”


Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/08/texas-grand-jury-refuses-murder-indictment-on-man-who-killed-deputy-on-no-knock-raid/

[TexasTowelie]

1. Not exactly late breaking news.

I posted a thread about this story on Friday morning in the Texas Group.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/107815037

[TexasProgresive]

2. But I missed it and this is good news

I'm sorry that the deputy died but i have a real problem with "no knock" warrants.

[raccoon]

3. Wonder if this Henry Goedrich Magee is white? My guess is he is. nt

[Chan790]

9. He is. Here's his booking photo.

[efhmc]

12. Thought so. Otherwise he'd be on death row.

[Sanity Claws]

4. A No-Knock Warrant for Marijuana?

This police officer is another victim of the stupid drug laws.

[L0oniX]

5. Texas has put away people for life over possession of a joint.

[Gothmog]

6. I was surprised by this outcome

[Comrade Grumpy]

7. Wow. That's surprising. I hope it's a heads-up to the cops.

There are safer ways of making an arrest than breaking in someone's home in the middle of the night, especially in a country that loves its guns.

Whatever happened to: "The place is surrounded. Come out with your hands up"?

[NutmegYankee]

10. But SWAT needs to justify their cool new gear!

The other way requires people skills and patience. Can't have now can we?

[NutmegYankee]

8. Good news in the fight against the war on civil rights.

Fuck no knock warrants.

[warrior1]

11. Wonder if that would been the same if he had been black.

[christx30]

13. My guess is that he'll either die in prison,

or he'll suffer a crisis of guilt and commit suicide by shooting himself 7 or 8 times in the back of the head.