Why The San Francisco Verdict Was Wrong

Yesterday's verdict in the Kate Steinle murder case in San Francisco was wrong.

Jose Ines Garcia Zarate was charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter, assault with a deadly weapon and illegal possession of a gun by a convicted felon. He was found not guilty of all charges except illegal possession of a gun. This verdict, regardless of the jury's reasoning, was wrong. And here's why:

Jose Zarate was in the country illegally. During that time he admits that he fired a gun that ultimately killed Kate Steinle. Whether or not he intended to do it makes a difference only in the degree of which crime he should be found guilty of but in the least, killing a woman when you're here illegally (for the sixth time) would be involuntary manslaughter. If you commit a crime while in the process of committing another you can and should be found guilty of both.

I have no idea how the prosecutor failed to prove his case to the jury. Personally, I believe the jury, being from San Francisco (one of the sanctuary capitols of the country) was tainted by the ridiculous belief that Zarate had a right to be there regardless of federal law. He was in violation of federal law and ICE had requested that he be held until they picked him up. He should never have been released to the streets. Kate Steinle's blood is on the hands of the city of San Francisco and the county Sheriff's Office that released Zarate.

Zarate's attorney immediately went political after the verdict, criticizing President Trump and saying that it was “a vindication for immigrants.” I've got news for him. Legal immigrants don't need vindication and illegal immigrants need to be prosecuted. California's blatant disregard for federal law has reached the critical point with this verdict. Yet they still demand the federal government continue to give them federal funding, as if they deserve it.

I lived in California for a total of five years in the 1980s and truly love the state. But the liberal government has changed it so much I would never return there to live. And now that their government has let us know that illegal immigrants not only have the same civil rights as US citizens but won't be held accountable for the crimes they commit I probably won't even visit anymore.

The Justice Department is looking into charging Zarate. They can charge him with involuntary manslaughter despite the California verdict since it will be a federal charge. They can also convict him of illegal re-entry and imprison him for two years on that conviction alone. Either way, they need to get him out of the hands of California authorities.

I'm wondering if Jose Zarate will do any state time for the one crime of which he was convicted. Or will California give him time served and release him before the federal government can pick him up? That wouldn't surprise me at all, given where he is.

Jerry Brown should be proud today. His liberal sanctuary law has worked in favor of a killer.