![Kate Steinle memorial. - [Image courtesy Gianluca Cogoli Wikimedia Commons]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/11/30/660x290/b_502x220x82/kate-steinle-memorial-image-courtesy-gianluca-cogoli-wikimedia-commons_1714577.jpg "Kate Steinle memorial. - [Image courtesy Gianluca Cogoli Wikimedia Commons]")
The fact that even a San Francisco jury could acquit an illegal alien who discharged a firearm in public and killed a young woman of all charges except unlawful possession of a weapon seems shocking on its face, on a scale of the O.J. Simpson case. However, the folks at Red State suggest that the verdict that found Jose Ines Garcia Zarate not guilty of murdering Kate Steinle was reasonable according to California law. Nevertheless, a Miscarriage Of Justice has occurred.
Why Zarate is skating
The facts of the case are not in dispute. Jose Ines Garcia Zarate discharged a stolen firearm.
The shot ricocheted and then hit Kate Steinle, killing her. Zarate was a homeless illegal alien who had been allowed at liberty by San Francisco law enforcement rather than be turned over to Federal immigration agents for deportation because of that community’s sanctuary city policies.
The prosecution in the case gave the jury the option of convicting Zarate on first-degree murder, second-degree murder, or involuntary manslaughter. The jury declined to convict on any charge. The defense attorneys convinced the jury that Zarate did not have the intent to harm anyone when he picked up the weapon and it fired, killing Steinle. The event was a freak accident, and Zarate did not intend or even have a reasonable expectation that his action would harm anyone.
Hence he is likely to skate with time served and a sixth deportation unless the feds can figure out a federal level crime to charge him with.
The miscarriage of justice
However, the people who are outraged at the verdict are right as well. In no sense should Zarate have been allowed to wander about the streets of San Francisco at liberty.
He was illegally in the country, but because the city government of San Francisco had decided that it is unfair the illegal aliens be deported, his path crossed that of Kate Steinle and a young, innocent woman died in her father’s arms.
Is there any way that the politicians and officials who allowed Zarate loose be called to account?
To be sure, the Trump administration must be delving into ways to make that happen. They are violating federal law, even though such practices have been winked at for the past several years. Perhaps Kate Steinle’s family can find some sort of civil solution to get justice.
In the meantime, if one looks at social media, the illegal immigration issue has become white hot in the United States. A lot of loose talk about people not being safe from murderous illegal aliens is taking place. Politicians will blow off that sentiment at their peril.
