The illegal immigrant who shot and killed a woman on a San Francisco pier has been found not guilty on murder and manslaughter charges.
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A jury read the verdict in a San Francisco courtroom Thursday afternoon, announcing that Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was found not guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the death of Kate Steinle, KGO reported.
Jurry leaves out back door. Only 1 says 'if I'm going to speak to anybody, I'm not going to do it today. I have to collect my thoughts.' pic.twitter.com/8dap8HeFtR
— Evan Sernoffsky (@EvanSernoffsky) December 1, 2017
Zarate was found guilty on one charge: felony possession of a firearm. His defense attorney appeared stunned for a brief moment after the verdict was read, but Zarate appeared stoic and did not react.
Spanish-language court interpreter Lisa Pritchard talks about Jose Ines Garcia Zarate's reaction in court to the not guilty verdict #KateSteinle pic.twitter.com/hgVNcw1Bso
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) December 1, 2017
In July 2015, Steinle and her father, James Steinle, were walking on a San Francisco pier when she was shot. In an emotional testimony in October, James Steinle recalled that he did not initially understand what happened to his daughter but later saw that she had sustained a bullet wound. He then provided CPR until paramedics arrived.
Many were expecting at least an involuntary manslaughter charge for defendant Jose Ines Garcia Zarate. He was found guilty of only the felony possession of a firearm charge. #SteinleVerdict https://t.co/nOfde7l0I5
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) December 1, 2017
Zarate had been deported several times and has previous convictions for re-entry after deportation, ABC News reported. The case garnered national attention during the 2016 presidential election, when then-presidential candidate Donald Trump cited it as an example of why sanctuary cities should no longer be in effect.
#BREAKING: #KateSteinle trial verdict: Jose Ines Garcia Zarate acquitted of murder and manslaughter in killing at Pier 14 in S.F. https://t.co/j88ocGJ6Ll pic.twitter.com/5eI2tG8FtD
— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) December 1, 2017
After the verdict was read, Steinle’s family told the San Francisco Chronicle that there were “saddened and shocked.”
“There’s no other way you can coin it. Justice was rendered, but it was not served,” James Steinle said.
Exclusive: Family of #KateSteinle speaks. https://t.co/5H7SlXb3Ig via @JohnDiazChron pic.twitter.com/XUMgytNbA3
— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) December 1, 2017
Steinle’s brother, Brad Steinle, said he was “just flabbergasted” by the “culminations of errors” that led to her death.
“I’m stunned that they couldn’t even get him on using the weapon,” Brad Steinle said.
Steinle’s family did not attend court to hear the verdict. Before it was read, her father said they were ready to “move on” with their lives.
“We have never had a second of anger — not a moment,” James Steinle, said. “Frustration, maybe, and sadness for sure, but no anger and no retaliation or vindictiveness or anything like that. We’re not that kind of people.”
(H/T: San Francisco Chronicle)