re: Dallas PD Guyger Trial: Guilty of Murder..Sentence to 10years in prison

Why the murder charge though?

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if she gets off I’ll have lost an immense amount of respect for our judicial system

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It shouldn't take this specific case to do that. Justice depends on how much money you have. Justice for some, not for all.

I’ve lived in mega apartment complexes before (they suck) and it is actually very easy to walk into the wrong apartment. Every floor and door looks the same, so I do believe her story, particularly if she was tired from a long shift. I’ve done it myself a couple times, and also had other people walk into my apartment.
However, (and maybe this is just because I’m not a cop) my first instinct was NEVER to automatically assume an intruder and open fire. It was always “Oh shite, wrong apartment!!” followed by embarrassed apologies and a hasty retreat. Again, maybe being a cop gives you that mentality, but if so it’s kind of scary to be walking around with a quick trigger like that.

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Why the murder charge though?

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you can do "down" but not "up"

if they go for 2nd degree murder, they can get a conviction for any lesser included charge

if they go for a lesser charge, they can't get a conviction for 2nd degree murder

In Texas there is no Second Degree Murder. There is just Murder.

Defenses against murder:

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Lack of intent

Lack of knowledge

Insanity

Intoxication

Self-defense

"Heat of passion" defense (i.e. The defendant was provoked to commit the crime by fear, rage, terror or some other extreme emotion.)

NOTE: If none of the criteria are met, the defendant may still be found guilty of a lesser homicide charge.

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If found guilty of Murder, the sentencing phase of the trial will determine whether it is a First Degree or Second Degree Felony.

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Murder in Texas is a first degree felony. This charge will typically carry a sentence of between five and 99 years in a state prison and/or a fine of no more than $10,000. At the sentencing stage of the defendant's trial, the defendant can raise the issue of having committed the crime in the "heat of passion" arising from an adequate cause. If the defendant is found to have been in the heat of passion at the time of the homicide, then the charge will be reduced to second degree felony. A second degree felony carries a sentence of between two and twenty years in a state prison and a fine of no more than $10,000.

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They didn't do an alcohol/tox screen until the following day, right?

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i think so

i remember DPD not following protocols too closely

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Get your looting shoes ready if she does walk.

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Just can’t see any way she walks. She has zero community support and even the PD has been silenced.

I’ve been interested in seeing how this trial will play out for quite some time. I have to think she gets at least voluntary manslaughter.

Along with the murder trial of that preppy looking Latter and Blum realtor who killed the old man in the Lower Garden District, this has been a case to watch on the OT, especially after the Joe McKnight case.

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This is the same one where dallas PD started looking for drugs/anything to smear the poor victim right?

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WTF are you serious? So she entered the wrong apartment, killed the dude and then tried to find a reason to say she was in the right?

This is why I got a problem with police

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She didn’t do that, I think. I believe it was DPD who worked the crime scene who did that.

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You are correct..it was the crime scene investigation that found the drugs.