Defense to Manipulate Jury in Steinle Murder Suspect’s Trial by Blaming Gun

By David Codrea

Just a victim of defective greedy gun manufacturer product design? (San Francisco Sheriff)
David Codrea in his natural habitat.

USA – -(Ammoland.com)- “The trial of an undocumented immigrant accused of shooting and killing San Francisco resident Kate Steinle was postponed again Friday, more than two years after Steinle’s death,” The Mercury News “reported” Friday. “But the defendant, Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, asserted his right to a speedy trial, meaning that the trial must begin within 60 days. He hasn’t asserted that right before, as he waited for his defense team to collect evidence and prepare a strategy.”

“Reported” is in quotations marks, because referring to a criminal serial invader who has been deported a total of five times and accrued seven felony convictions as a mere “undocumented immigrant” is in itself an editorial deferral to “progressive” political correctness. As for preparing a defense strategy, we can see indications of  what will be tried. Public defender Matt Gonzales showed some of his cards in an op-ed earlier this month by blaming the gun.

The Sig Sauer has a history of “accidental discharges,” he claims, due to “no safety lever … an unlabeled decocking lever [and a] hair trigger.” By way of “proof” he offers up a handful of incidents that could best be described as cases of negligence, and does nothing to put things in perspective in terms of the infinitesimal fraction of a percent these anomalies represent vs. overall usage.  And contrary to what the anti-armed citizen lobby would have you believe, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act does not absolve manufacturers of liability for defective products.

In any case, the fact that law enforcement officer negligence sometimes causes unplanned discharges is not exactly a secret. I’ve long presented such examples to refute the gun-grabber claim that police are the “Only Ones” who can be trusted with guns. The term was coined when DEA Agent Lee Paige told a classroom full of school children he was “the only one professional enough” to carry a gun and then shot himself in the foot while holstering it. And using NYPD’s heavier mandated trigger pull as a model to be emulated ignores the safety and accuracy problems that has caused.

Besides, the reported gun the documented criminal foreign invader used, the P226, is on the Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale by the State of California Department of Justice, meaning that it “has passed firing, safety, and drop tests.”

On top of that, Lopez-Sanchez admitted firing the gun three times. Perhaps if a “progressive” jury learns he said he was shooting at seals, they’ll put him away for good.

It figures that his attorney is going to do everything he can to create confusion in the minds of a jury that will be required to meet a “beyond a reasonable doubt” evidence standard for a “Guilty” verdict. It’s also apparent that the trial will be taking place in an area where the majority of the populace from which a jury pool will be drawn approves of citizen disarmament and sanctuary for illegal aliens, and will not possess enough knowledge of guns to know they’re being played.

About David Codrea:

David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating / defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament.

In addition to being a field editor/columnist at GUNS Magazine and associate editor for Oath Keepers, he blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.

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Henry

“The Sig Sauer has a history of “accidental discharges,” he claims, due to “no safety lever…”

This is also the model that has a history of launching itself from the interior of police vehicles into the pockets of innocent pedestrians, isn’t it?

Alan

I have carried a double action pistol for years, never use the safety, don’t need one when dealing with a double action pistol, this last being my opinion. In any case, the defense raising such an argument is pure baloney. The guy who shot Kate should have long since been executed. By the way, the piece is carried hammer down, chamber loaded, magazine full, safety off.

JohnBored

Title 18 Section 924(c). Felon in possession of a firearm. Death resulting in the commission of a felony. No accidental break in; no accidental theft of a firearm by a prohibited person. Any firearm is an inanimate object, incapable of discharging unless someone cocks the trigger putting it into single action mode and dropping it (accidental) or pulling the trigger in either single action or double action mode. A purposeful series of acts. Leave it to a lib to blame the object not the person who acted upon that object.

BLG

Hmmm…so given how insane the entire concept of any “santuary” cities or zones to exist under U.S FEDERAL LAW and now recently reading of a Kalifornia ILLEGAL ALIEN being turned over to and apprehended by ICE within the geographical boundaries of one of these “zones”, then being set free and on top of this awarded a large $$$ settlement paid for by the Kalifornia “sanctuary” city’s TAX PAYERS for the “trauma and inconvenience” he suffered in having been turned over to ICE (as per U.S. FEDERAL LAW) and then still not deported per US LAWS. I am curious, could one… Read more »

Jo Ann

I have lived in CA 47 yrs, taught at the university that the smart, beautiful young woman attended. Let me assure you all that Californians are outraged by this crime. Although Pres Trump lost the state, many of us supported him financially and campaigned for him. We too are sick of the ignorant efforts by so-called sanctuary cities on behalf of illegal aliens. I have hope for a legitimate verdict in this case. It has already spawned a strong anti-sanctuary sentiment that is responsible in part for Gov Brown’s newfound reluctance to continuing pushing for a “sanctuary state”. Please remember… Read more »

Alan

It will be most interesting to see what sort of verdict comes in, if this piece of human garbage ever ctually goes on trial. Otherwise, re legislative and other problems, the people of California, I lived in Oakland and Berkeley for a couple of years in the late 1960’s, have only themselves to blame, nobody else.

VE Veteran - Old Man's Club

You’ve lived in the “People’s Republic of Kalifornia” all that time?! I was born there but don’t claim it. I too served for 20 years and look at this as a huge smack in the chops of all Americans. Now what are you Californios going to do about it? Are you going to vote some folks in who give a damn about this Country or are you going to vote the same crowd of morons back in that you guys have done for so long. Any state that would vote back in some jackwagon who screwed the pooch on you… Read more »

Wild Bill

I could solve the border problem for a mere five million dollars per year, no stress, no strain. Here is how: There are five Mexican states that border the US. Go to each Mexican governor with an annual one million dollar bribe. Tell each governor to have a good time with it because I will be back next year with another million dollars bribe, but for each Mexican that sneaks across your Mexican state border illegally into the US, I will deduct ten thousand dollars. Next year you can have a big bribe or a small bribe. It is up… Read more »

VE Veteran - Old Man's Club

F@#K THAT! Don’t pay him a dime – tell him that any persons caught in the country illegally will be subject to terminal velocity when the plane flies over his “State”. It’ll be enough that we give them the plane ride down there.

Use the money for taking care of some of the poor people in the Appalachians. You know … the ones that are really disadvantaged, but would be willing to work.

Wild Bill

@VE Even if we could do as you propose it would be more expensive than my proposition. And my proposition would keep the blood on the Mexican side of the border.

Alan

Interesting proposition.

Roy D.

Even Jesus said non-complimentary things about lawyers.

durabo

So did Shakespeare

Roy D.

I have fond memories of Mrs. Cash and her eighth grade English class and the Merchant of Venice.

Pete

Safety rule #1 is don’t point a gun at something you don’t intend to shoot– a corollary of always keep a gun pointed in a safe direction. So the real question in the case is why the gun was pointed at Kate Steinle in the first place. This transcends all the excuses the defense can come up with.

durabo

Jeff Cooper’s Rule #1 is, “All firearms are ALWAYS loaded.” You quoted his Rule #2. But, thanks; we can never stress these important rules enough. BTW, the most violated rule at the range is his Rule #3, “Keep your finger off the trigger and alongside the frame until your sights are on target and you have decided to shoot.”

Alan

Defense counsel can put as much lipstick on this pig as they like, but basic facts remain the same. 1. The shooter was an ILLEGAL ALIEN, guilty of multiple illegal entries into the country. 2. The shooter was in possession of a stolen pistol, how did he come into possession thereof, did he steal the pistol? 3. The weapon was issued to government personnel, law enforcement, an individual who was unforgivably careless with it. What has happened with that individual? 4. In conclusion, the shooter, based on his past record, deserves nothing less than the toughest penalties available under applicable… Read more »

Dr. Strangelove

The really sad part is that a Kalifornia jury just might acquit the creep.

Alan

Re some of the “failings” alleged failings attributed to the pistol used by this ILLEGAL ALIEN, since when has he become a small arms expert, or does the expertise lie with his defense counsel? The shooter was in this country in violation, repeated vioation it seems, of U.S. Law. HE was also in possession of a STOLEN WEAPON. Some sort of angel or misunderstood kid he wasn’t. Seems as it he has had the benefit of an unconscionable amount of slack, no more being warranted. This clown should be hung, that being the end of this story.

Alan

Other aspects aside, there are several interesting ones, the pistol was not a repeat border violator, it was leagally in the country. It did however come into the shooters hands via carelessness on the part of it’s “owner” or the person to whom it was issued, assuming that government owned the weapon in the first place. Also, the shooter had repeatedly violated the border and the laws of this country, such antics being, in no way attributable to the firearm, not even via the strange quirks of the law as it exists in California.

Ron

Please stop calling ILLEGAL ALIENS, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. They are NOT immigrants. Immigrants come here legally!! ILLEGAL ALIENS have broken our laws and need to be DEPORTED IMMEDIATELY. How does an ILLEGAL ALIEN live here for 20 or 25 years anyway? How many ANCHOR BABIES have they produced at OUR EXPENSE? Congress needs to get their head out of their backside and change the LAW on ANCHOR BABIES and stop this process. Come here ILLEGALLY AND HAVE AN ILLEGAL BABY, you get a birth certificate from your CONSULATE for the country you’re from, NOT America!! We’re the ONLY country in the… Read more »

A. X. Perez

It’s called Section 1 of the Fourteenth Amendment at least as currently interpreted by the Supreme Court. This is the same section that requires states and local governments to respect your rights under the Second Amendment. Good luck on the Anchor Baby thing, keeping in mind that it’s a mess with one part, mess with them all thing. BTW, I grew up in a neighborhood on the border where we had to be alert to keep from being burglarized by illegal aliens. If you want to end the problem with illegal aliens pull n asset forfeiture on Walmart for selling… Read more »

A.X. Perez

The killer in this case was using a gun that was stolen from a careless fed LEO. Stolen weapon. Illegal alien in possession of stolen weapon. Illegal alien convicted of felonies in past in possession of a stolen weapon for which he did not have a permit. While committing a felony. He is still liable for pointing the gun at the deceased while attempting to rob her. Even if the gun improbably went off by accident because he didn’t know how to handle it safely he is still liable for his victim’s death, with all appropriate enhancements to punishment based… Read more »

freewill

@ A X Perez..instead of complaining about illegals earning a wage, why dont you start complaining about them being on welfare? and at least 5 states issue drivers licenses to illegals

freewill

@AX Perez..dont complain about them earning a wage, you instead should complain about them on welfare, and at least 5 states issue drivers licenses to illegals..

A. X. Perez

I agree. Cut welfare to illegal aliens. However, most of them come for work. Take away the jobs most won’t come. BTW, it is illegal to stay in the US if you are an alien on welfare. Automatic out.

freewill

the Governor of Utah fired two employees at social services for releasing the names of over 1000 illegals on welfare, call any government office and you’ll be prompted in english or espanol, most that come here cant speak english

A. X. Perez

The hell they can’t speak English,. They learn it damn fast when money is involved.

Alan

How is it that Illegal Aliens come to be collecting welfare.How come they aren’t being deported?

freewill

nope, i deal with a lot of contractors on site, lots of illegals im sure of it, banks even cater to them now

VE Veteran - Old Man's Club

@ A.X. Perez. Part of the problem is all the turds graduating from US High Schools. They think they are above working in a field, putting up fences, stocking shelves at a grocery and other menial manual labor jobs. They whine about the pay if they do and want $15 an hour because they feel they are entitled to it. I know because the owner of a fencing outfit I worked for after retiring from the Military told me that is why he had to hire illegals, otherwise he wouldn’t have many workers at all. My parents generation bore the… Read more »

Brick

The column writer like many others shows himself to be controlled by political correctness. Regardless of all the added fluff to the story the truth is simple. The lady was shot by an ILLEGAL MEXICAN INSIDE A CALIFORNIA SAFE ZONE FOR ILLEGALS BETTER KNOWN AS A SANCTUARY CITY. The story written should have had a far different truth told. Instead he writes how it may have been an accidental dicharge as accused by the defense.

A.X. Perez

Mr. Codrea was describing the defense’s strategy. It was outside the purview of his article to comment on San Francisco’s insane policy of not turning over illegal alien felons to ICE or immigration when they receive a request to turn over such prisoners.

Tionico

David’s target was NOT San Francisco’s insane “sanctuary city” and “anti gun” laws. Nope. It was the utter corruption of the tax funded defense attorney scratching at spider-web straws to get his man off. What exactly his motives for this plan is hard to guess. If this defense guy tries this meme to get his guy off, I hope the State spends the bux to bring in a hihgly qualified firearms expert such as Massad Ayoob or Steve Ellifritz, or any other of a dozen or so qualified experts on firearms, especially government and police issued duty weapons. The Sig… Read more »

Elmo

What part of ‘criminal serial invader’ don’t you understand?
You need to reread the article. And take a chill pill.

Repo

Makes for a great visual doesn’t it… let’s add bullsharks to the piranhas and gators because from what I learned on shark week is the can live for months in low to almost no saltwater environments. They are very grumpy sharks that love to bite people.. I still want a moat of flaming gas for good measure.

JorgeNorberto Pedace

Que no se manipule más el caso de este individuo,si es culpable,ya que todo hace suponer que lo es,que se lo senten cie y nada más,la víctima lamentablemente no vuelve más y la felicidad a sus padres tampoco.Los criminales deben pa gar sus culpas,según lo determine la ley.

Alan

In general,the U.S. is an English speaking, reading and writing country. Your comments or questions would be better understood in English than in Spanish, in so far as most readers here are concerned.

Wild Bill

@Albbac2, I believe that he is in Argentina.

M Reyna

Amazing how it’s always someone else’s fault including the victim but never the perpetrator.
Poor criminal . Disgusting liberals and so
Called criminal justice system. What a joke.

freewill

if were gonna blame the gun, then lets not stop there, the spoon made rosie odonnel fat, the key board spells my words wrong,

Alan

Funny, but I’ve noticed that my keyboard displays the same failings.

durabo

AUTOCORRECT IS MY WORST ENEMA

Samuel Stephens

Does attorney Matt Gonzales have license to dispense BS? He needs one to dispense BS in bulk. Blame the gun for his criminal clients behavior, BS. How about executing that SOB by firing squad now and stand his lawyer next to him and kill two a**hole with two bullets, besides it gets rid of another crooked Kalifornia lawyer on taxpayers dollar defending somebody who has no defense.

BLG

Samuel, I do agree with your frustration. However, this is Kalifornia and you know we need to be very “conservation minded”. Have them both stand front to back. Why waste 2 rounds when a single .338 Lapua will do. Semper Fi.

Alan

A single round of 30 caliber full jacket might serve just as well and be less expensive too.

Grim

That “Devil gun” made him do it!

Dr. Jim Clary, PhD, Maj.,USAF (ret.)

Everyone knows that defense attorneys lie and twist the facts (by cherry-picking) in order to get their criminal clients off the hook…. in my humble opinion, they are typical of the progressive type of individuals infecting our nation today. We have reached a sad state of affairs in the United States. I truly fear for the future of my country.

Rkn

Hi Dr. Jim, So, if this Illegal Immigrants, Undocumented Immigrant, whatever you call it gets aquited how is he able to have a gun in the first place? I admit I didn’t read or know what the whole story is, was it his pistol? If so we should file a class action lawsuit stating that if it then is okay for Illegal Immigrants to own guns that probably means he didn’t go through the legal process which means why should we, Americans have to. I might sound silly or outrageous but this guy was deported how many times? Just him… Read more »

Tionico

the gun was stolen from a Fed law enforcement officer who carelessy left it in his parked car. Can’t remember whether said car was locked or broken into. That is how he came to have it. He is NOT an “illegal immigrant” Immigrant, by definition, goes through the process to lawfully and with full knowledge of the government enter a country not his native land. An immigrant is, by defintion, “legal”. If he is not “legal” then he is an illegal ALIEN, resident of another country here not according to our laws. Aliens can visit, and not be illegal. This… Read more »

A.X. Perez

14th Amendment. And the reason is that if you don’t respect his Constitutional rights you make it easier for our socialist would be overlords to ignore yours.

VE Veteran - Old Man's Club

Once again – blame the inanimate object as if it whispered “evil thoughts” into Lopez – Sanchez’ ear telling him to shoot three times.

Chief of Police – “Round up the usual suspects!” Sig. Ruger, Colt, Smith & Wesson, Walther, etc.
Detective – “Yer honor, we been interviewin ’em for days and nary a peep outta one of ’em.”

Fricking liberal morons.

Alan

Sounded better when spoken by Claude Rains, pardon any spelling anomalies

Steven

Should Of Be Shot The Third Time Caught Here !

Rock

Clear out all brush etc in a 200 yard wide swath along the length of the Mexico/U.S.border. Place Ma Deuces and a “whole 9 yard” can in towers on the border every 200 yards, limit sweep movement to 170 degrees. THEN charge LEGAL U.S. CITIZENS $100.00 per day to man it ! They would be lining up, it could even be done as a LOTTERY DRAWING type thing ! No more border jumpers, less crime and drugs, less burden on the taxpayers AND an for one an actual INCOME income for the nation from the illegals.. And as a bonus,… Read more »

BLG

Rock. Sir you are RIGHT ON! Thank you, I have been saying this for years. Add in some low-level recon Drones 24/7 in a horizontial grid and the entire problem would vanish in less than 30 days. Should one “wish to” try to break our American laws, you will have a 98% chance of dying to do so. No Ma-Duce for me, .338 Lapua would get it done. I would volunteer to do it. Semper To.

Rock

Zackley ! I went with the BMG due to a tripod or pintle mount, easier for many to fire and possibly control. The .338 would be great too ! Howabout we give the paying tower occupant the choice of a few different “VARMINT” guns…

Repo

I would add a river of gas lit on fire. Let them try to cross if they want.. problem solved in about 30 days. Also start using catapults for deportation.

dueabo

Would the defense attorney have blamed the knife of the baseball bat if this w3tback had attacked the victim with these devices?

Wild Bill

@dueabo, A really good defense attorney that I know says, “Pick a reality that works.”

VE Veteran - Old Man's Club

Yes the evil gun jumped up and whispered insidious thoughts into the head of Lopez – Sanchez, AND it told him to fire three (count ’em) THREE times! Round up the usual suspects! Glock, Remington, Ruger, Smith and Wesson, Colt, Sig, etc.
” Yer Honor, we questioned the suspects for days, but nary a peep out of ’em.”

Attorneys – perhaps that is why they are like spermatozoa – they have a 1 in 500 million chance of becoming a human being.