Do the Right Thing

People can get angry over simple mistakes, and this true crime is a prime example. A 57-year-old man eating a sandwich at a fast-food place realized there was no meat in his sandwich. Side note - this also happened to a friend of ours when we were out to dinner at a nice restaurant. Slip-ups happen.

The man went to the counter and made a scene, using profanity, yelling at the employees, and demanding a refund of less than $2.00 (I’m sure they would have quickly made him a replacement sandwich).

A regular customer, a local attorney, stepped in and told the man to leave. He gave him a shove toward the door. Whether the shove was the act that pushed the angry man over the edge is unknown.

He went to his vehicle and grabbed a gun, went back inside the hamburger place and shot the customer who had shoved him, then he fled. There were plenty of witnesses, and emergency services were called for the 46-year-old victim, who began his law career as a landman and then became a personal injury defense attorney.

Four days after the shooting, through the investigation, the police identified the older man, who was out on bond for an aggravated assault charge on a family member. Two days later, he turned himself in.

The shooter finally had his day in court, over 18 months after the crime, claiming self-defense. It took the jury 20 minutes to reach a verdict of murder. The judge sentenced the man to life in prison, eligible for parole in 30 years.

The victim’s sister said about her brother,

“He’s always wanted to fight for the little guy and do the right thing.”

p.s. “Do the Right Thing” was what the beloved principal in my hometown always told students. His positivity and kind heart weren’t enough to keep him from also being a victim of violent person who snapped.

Source: Houston PD, Law & Crime, People

All data and information provided is for information and research purposes only and not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual. Criminal cases may have been appealed or verdicts overturned since I researched the case. All information is provided on an as-is basis.