Cop who shot burger-eating teen charged with attempted murder

[beschizza]

Originally published at: Cop who shot burger-eating teen charged with attempted murder | Boing Boing

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[Otherbrother]

Each count of aggravated assault Brennand faces carries a sentence of five to 99 years, and the attempted murder charge added by the grand jury carries a sentence of two to 20 years.

Weird numbers for the upper ranges of those sentencing guidelines. Why is aggravated assault considered to be up to 5 times more serious than attempted murder?

[beschizza]

The possible ranges are generally misleading. Reporters like them because of the big numbers on the back end.

However, Texas does like throwing away the key on aggravated assault, 15+ year sentences not uncommon. I suspect if you look into it, the history will be something like “we need a seemingly mild charge juries will convict on that lets us apply extremely long sentences”.

[euansmith]

I kind of assumed that the “99 years” was one of those things put in to allow the courts to feed black men in to the Prison-Industrial Complex.

[Elmer]

@beschizza

However, Texas does like throwing away the key on aggravated assault, 15+ year sentences not uncommon.

Maybe, but this guy is a cop… in Texas. I’m expecting him to get a medal for meritorious conduct as his sentence.

[deedub]

@Otherbrother

Why is aggravated assault considered to be up to 5 times more serious than attempted murder?

It’s because he was charged with aggravated assault by a public servant, which has longer sentence ranges than regular(?) aggravated assault. Aggravated assault is 2-20, aggravated assault by a public servant is 5-99.

Penalties for Aggravated Assault in Texas

[evadrepus]

I hadn’t heard about this. The footage is terrible. And then him screaming shots fired AFTER he was the one shooting…gebus.

[gabe_oakes]

He was yelling the truth, in a way. Shots were in fact fired. Of course he left out the detail of who was shooting. Now, I know it’s part of standard police training to say simply “shots fired”, but I’m wondering if the phrase “shots fired” was chosen in part because of this ambiguity.

[Michael_Cross]

Not necessarily when the victim is white…

[ddmone]

Ugh, that poor kid.

ACAB

[apalatn]

@beschizza

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said at the time of the arrest, “There is no question in anybody’s mind looking at that (body camera) video that the shooting is not justified.”

And that footage right there is the only reason this guy got in any trouble.

[MerelyGifted]

I’ve seen a lot of mug shots, and this guy is among the absolute worst. Creepy and terrifying AF. /shudders

That he’s a cop, FFS, and not one of the justifiably in-and-outta-prison-their-whole-lives creepy & terrifying murderers makes it worse by orders of magnitude.

[vernonbird]

@MerelyGifted

I’ve seen a lot of mug shots, and this guy is among the absolute worst. Creepy and terrifying AF. /shudders

There is murder in those eyes.

@MerelyGifted

That he’s a cop, FFS, and not one of the justifiably in-and-outta-prison-their-whole-lives creepy & terrifying murderers makes it worse by orders of magnitude.

Was a cop, and if he is convicted, he will no longer be able to possess a gun in Texas.

I bet a nickel his lawyer asks for [and gets] a change of venue… and he gets acquitted in one of the more fascist leaning counties… IOW, most of 'em outside the big cities.
I’ve seen this song & dance play out more than once, & I will be glad to be wrong this time.