Kate Steinle Decision

For John, BLUF:  I can't distinguish, in this case, between incompetent and unlucky, but aside from being here illegally and picking up a gun he shouldn't have, he committed no crime.  As the author says, the guilt is on the City Fathers of San Francisco.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The Unintended Consequences of the Steinle Decision

By Mr Roger L Simon, 30 November 2017, at Pajama Media.

As we know, the shooter, a klutz by the name of Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, was acquitted by a jury of six men and six women of murder and manslaughter  I am with the jury.  He didn't want to harm her, or anyone else, at the time.  He was just clueless about handling a gun.  He was, rightly, convicted of felony possession of a gun.

Here is a discussion of the outcome from SFGATE, the on-line version of The San Francisco Chronicle.

I am with the jury, but I think the analysis by Mr Simon is spot on:

1. Attorney General Sessions, with the firm backing of the president, will redouble his efforts to do away with sanctuary cities both financially and legally.  It may take some time, but the days of these sanctuaries are over.
2. ICE will be set free to do its work.  (It already has been, but even more so now with fewer complaints.)
3. The border wall will be built, at least a good part of it, and Trump will find it far easier to get his way with border security.  The Dreamers will remain, but the public will back Trump on further security measures that will be enacted.  Those measures will be stronger than hitherto predicted.
4. Fewer people will "leave their hearts in San Francisco."  Many Californians have already left the state, but some who have been on the fence about decamping will get off that fence and finally leave.
5. Although I'm probably overly optimistic here, fewer people will use the noxious euphemism "undocumented immigrants."  (Well, maybe a dozen or so. Or perhaps Zerate should have a document of his own that says "I'm a bloodthirsty killer.  Set me free!")

All rightfully so.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff