Posted on December 6, 2007

Protesters Clash Over Pasadena Man Who Shot Suspected Burglars

Taylor Timmins, KHOU-TV (Houston), December 3, 2007

Riot police were on the scene in a Pasadena neighborhood Sunday afternoon as a planned protest teetered on the brink of mayhem.

Quanell X and his followers planned to meet in front of the home of Joe Horn, the man who shot and killed two suspected burglars at his neighbor’s home last month, in the 7400 block of Timberline for a protest around 3 p.m.

But they were met with an even larger group of protesters in support of Horn’s actions.

The Horn supporters, many of whom appeared to come from outside the neighborhood, crowded around Quanell X and his group, revving motorcycles, hoisting signs in support of Horn and chanting “U-S-A! U-S-A!”

“The neighborhood does not want that man here. They don’t want him here. He’s not welcome in this neighborhood. They don’t want him,” Blowout, a pro-Horn protester, said.

Police moved along with the group, breaking up skirmishes. On several occasions, shoving and kicking matches broke out as protesters confronted the group, shouting racial slurs.

Once Quanell X and his supporters left the neighborhood, the protesters marched along the streets, cheering.

“We have a right to bear arms, and we’re not afraid to use it. So criminals in Texas, watch out!” protester Jenni Foster said.

But the calm was short-lived.

Quanell X and his supporters returned shortly afterward.

“From the very beginning, we said that what the two brothers did was wrong. We don’t condone breaking into somebody’s house. But we are here today because we believe that it’s not right for anyone to become judge, jury and executioner,” Quanell said, speaking into a bullhorn over angry shouts from the crowd.

“It’s a matter of justice. It’s a matter of fairness. It’s a matter of respecting the law,” he said.

Quanell said the scene was indicative of the biased attitude in the neighborhood.

“If you’ll notice, nobody with us has pushed anybody. Nobody with us has made a racial remark. . . . It’s what I expected. It’s not what I wanted, but it’s what I expected,” Quanell said. “The real question is, be honest, tell the truth. You watched them push, you watched them kick, you watched them shove. Did any of us do that?”

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Pasadena police are compiling a report on the incident and plan to present the case to Harris County prosecutors, according to police spokesman Vance Mitchell. From there, it’s expected to be presented to a grand jury. In the meantime, Horn remains uncharged.

Texas law allows people to use deadly force to protect themselves if it is reasonable to believe they could otherwise be killed. In limited circumstances, people also can use deadly force to protect their neighbor’s property; for example, if a homeowner asks a neighbor to watch over his property while he’s out of town.

The question will be whether it was reasonable for Horn to fear the men and whether his earlier threats on the 911 call showed he planned to kill them no matter what, said Fred C. Moss, who teaches criminal law at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

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[Editor’s Note: An earlier ARNews story about Joe Horn can be read here.]