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In reply to the discussion: Jury Acquits Man for Murder of Escort Who Refused Sex [View all]freshwest
(53,661 posts)93. The jury was only thinking of the money, but there's a lot to show he wanted more than he paid for:
Why Ezekiel Gilberts Acquittal Proves the Lunacy of Texass Gun Laws
By Kurt Eichenwald June 7 2013
...In my home state of Texas, a man named Ezekiel Gilbert decided on Christmas Eve in 2009 that he was feeling randy. He checked Craigslist, found a listing for an escort, andbelieving the service included sexarranged for a meeting. The escort, 23-year-old Lenora Ivie Frago, showed up, and Gilbert paid her $150 for half an hour of time. Then, once the paid-for time had passed, Frago got up to leave. Gilbert was outraged: he had paid money! He thought the price included for-hire sex! He wanted his illegal sex!
Frago went outside where her driver, Christopher Perkins, was waiting. Gilbert came out and confronted Perkins, who told the enraged man that he had hired Frago for 30 minutes of her time, not sex, and that was what he had received. Perkins drove away, when suddenly Frago screamed, Hes got a gun!
Gilbert fired at the car four times. A bullet struck Frago at the base of the skull, paralyzing her. Months later, she died as the result of the shooting. Gilbert was charged with murder. He admitted that the basic facts I just recounted were true.
On Thursday, Gilbert was acquitted. The jury agreed with his argument that he was justified in shooting and killing Frago because she had stolen his propertyas in, the $150 taken without providing him the sex he wanted. Never mind that Perkinswho was labeled as Fragos pimp by the defensetestified in court that his escorts never promise sex. If I found out you were having sex, you were fired. Period. End of discussion, he said.
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/eichenwald/2013/05/why-ezekiel-gilbert-s-acquittal-proves-the-lunacy-of-texas-s-gun-laws
Here is the man who was found *not guilty* by the jury:
The woman he *thanks God* for being acquitted of murdering:
Statements about the case:
I sincerely regret the loss of the life of Ms. Frago, Gilbert said on Wednesday. Ive been in a mental prison the past four years of my life. I have nightmares. If I see guns on TV where people are getting killed, I change the channel.
While Gilbert may be trapped in a mental prison after killing Frago, Perkins testimony seems to better capture the central facts of the tragic case: For $150, Mr. Zeke opened fire on my car and shot my friend. He took a mother from her daughter, Perkins said. The responsibility lies with him. He was the one holding the gun.
I'll leave you to speculate what of this constitutes "stolen property". The money - which he paid her? Or that he felt cheated of his chance at sex? Oh, and the poor Mr. Gilbert trapped in his "mental prison". Yeah, he's in a "mental prison" (of fear that's he'd be convicted) while she's in a GRAVE.
http://www.salon.com/2013/06/06/texas_man_acquitted_in_craiglist_escort_murder/
The jury neglected that he could have killed Perkins in his fit of rage. He wasn't defending himself or his home. If we all were permitted to kill anyone who scammed us, what a world it would be.
Or is now, perhaps.
By Kurt Eichenwald June 7 2013
...In my home state of Texas, a man named Ezekiel Gilbert decided on Christmas Eve in 2009 that he was feeling randy. He checked Craigslist, found a listing for an escort, andbelieving the service included sexarranged for a meeting. The escort, 23-year-old Lenora Ivie Frago, showed up, and Gilbert paid her $150 for half an hour of time. Then, once the paid-for time had passed, Frago got up to leave. Gilbert was outraged: he had paid money! He thought the price included for-hire sex! He wanted his illegal sex!
Frago went outside where her driver, Christopher Perkins, was waiting. Gilbert came out and confronted Perkins, who told the enraged man that he had hired Frago for 30 minutes of her time, not sex, and that was what he had received. Perkins drove away, when suddenly Frago screamed, Hes got a gun!
Gilbert fired at the car four times. A bullet struck Frago at the base of the skull, paralyzing her. Months later, she died as the result of the shooting. Gilbert was charged with murder. He admitted that the basic facts I just recounted were true.
On Thursday, Gilbert was acquitted. The jury agreed with his argument that he was justified in shooting and killing Frago because she had stolen his propertyas in, the $150 taken without providing him the sex he wanted. Never mind that Perkinswho was labeled as Fragos pimp by the defensetestified in court that his escorts never promise sex. If I found out you were having sex, you were fired. Period. End of discussion, he said.
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/eichenwald/2013/05/why-ezekiel-gilbert-s-acquittal-proves-the-lunacy-of-texas-s-gun-laws
Here is the man who was found *not guilty* by the jury:
The woman he *thanks God* for being acquitted of murdering:
Statements about the case:
I sincerely regret the loss of the life of Ms. Frago, Gilbert said on Wednesday. Ive been in a mental prison the past four years of my life. I have nightmares. If I see guns on TV where people are getting killed, I change the channel.
While Gilbert may be trapped in a mental prison after killing Frago, Perkins testimony seems to better capture the central facts of the tragic case: For $150, Mr. Zeke opened fire on my car and shot my friend. He took a mother from her daughter, Perkins said. The responsibility lies with him. He was the one holding the gun.
I'll leave you to speculate what of this constitutes "stolen property". The money - which he paid her? Or that he felt cheated of his chance at sex? Oh, and the poor Mr. Gilbert trapped in his "mental prison". Yeah, he's in a "mental prison" (of fear that's he'd be convicted) while she's in a GRAVE.
http://www.salon.com/2013/06/06/texas_man_acquitted_in_craiglist_escort_murder/
The jury neglected that he could have killed Perkins in his fit of rage. He wasn't defending himself or his home. If we all were permitted to kill anyone who scammed us, what a world it would be.
Or is now, perhaps.
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I've been told that the trafficking problem has been neglected chiefly because
Kurovski
Jun 2013
#37
I have the same reaction. This is so beyond comprehension, I'm at the loss of words.
snagglepuss
Jun 2013
#78
More and more, there are organizations that will rescue girls off the streets, from "The life"
Kurovski
Jun 2013
#33
I think that it is time for women who earn a living as prostitutes should start
pennylane100
Jun 2013
#54
Yes, that will be the only recourse. He's officially 'not guilty' of murder now.
freshwest
Jun 2013
#92
We Texans are not going anywhere. Not all Texans are nuts. There are millions of Dems down here n/t
Tx4obama
Jun 2013
#9
The jury was only thinking of the money, but there's a lot to show he wanted more than he paid for:
freshwest
Jun 2013
#93
So, you take a really fucked up decision by a Texas Jury as evidence against legalization of
Yavin4
Jun 2013
#7
The poster never said anything was evidence against legalization of prostitution.
Squinch
Jun 2013
#14
You quote someone NOT saying anything was evidence against legalization of prostitution.
Squinch
Jun 2013
#17
And now YOU are saying that the poster is saying something the poster never said.
Squinch
Jun 2013
#61
That means that 12 jurors unanimously acquitted him and thought he should have been offered sex.
Kablooie
Jun 2013
#20
Doesn't seem remotely possible. I had to see its face, to see what kind of thing would do this.
Judi Lynn
Jun 2013
#36
I knew a man in AL that was acquitted once, and not even charged another time, for shooting
Mnemosyne
Jun 2013
#40
This is insane. He admits he shot her in the neck. And they took his word for it about the $150...
SunSeeker
Jun 2013
#53
The problem is that the Texas law in question seems to encourage this outcome.
geek tragedy
Jun 2013
#76
I used to think that Austin would be a nice place to live. I think I'll pass... nt
Blasphemer
Jun 2013
#114
Which is why there's no way New York State will ever honor Texas concealed weapon permits.
geek tragedy
Jun 2013
#110
With such a broad decision, another real good reason to stay the hell out of Texas.
Katashi_itto
Jun 2013
#131