Tweet
Off duty HPD shoots and kills someone who has been threatening his family. He even came to his sub staion to harass him. DA actually wanted to put him away for murder. What a load of crap! We have enough to worry about while acting under the law in uniform, now look out when you have to protect your own kids!
Ex-officer found not guilty in shooting death
He testified that his actions were in self-defense
By RENEE C. LEE
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
Eric Hillman
CONROE - After deliberating nearly 22 hours, a jury Tuesday found former Houston police officer Eric Hillman not guilty of murder.
Hillman, 42, was on trial for the shooting death of 25-year-old Kevin Lunsford on Dec. 15, 2003. The former HPD lieutenant said he shot Lunsford four times in self-defense during a confrontation on Hillman's property in Cut and Shoot.
Hillman slowly sat down in his chair, lowered his head and rubbed his forehead after the verdict was read. His attorney, Dick DeGuerin, gently rubbed his back, while family members quietly hugged each other.
Later outside the courtroom, Hillman, surrounded by his wife and four children, said he ''knew with prayer that God would make sure the truth prevailed."
''I've always known my actions were justified," Hillman said. ''I'm glad the jury deliberated and saw the real issue, that a man is allowed to protect his family."
DeGuerin argued that Hillman feared that Lunsford, who had been stalking and harassing the officer for months, would hurt him and his family.
He said Lunsford was upset because Hillman had had an affair with Lunsford's wife. Hillman testified that Lunsford had made verbal threats against him and had repeatedly called his home even after the affair had ended.
''What Eric Hillman did, he was protecting himself and his family from what he thought was a dangerous person, and he was justified to do it," DeGuerin said after the verdict.
DeGuerin said the jury understood that Hillman acted properly in using his FBI and HPD training during the confrontation.
On the night of the shooting, Lunsford had approached Hillman and his wife, Karin, in his car on the couple's driveway. The Hillmans were in their truck when they saw him driving toward them.
Hillman testified when he recognized Lunsford, he got out of his truck with his gun, badge and flashlight and ran to Lunsford's car.
He said after he told Lunsford he was under arrest for trespassing, he tried to open the car door and noticed Lunsford was moving to the right. ''He moved toward the glove box and I immediately shot him," Hillman testified.
Hillman said he shot at the car multiple times as it drove away in reverse before it spun and stalled in a ditch. ''My fear was that he was reaching for a gun," he said during the trial.
Investigators found no gun in Lunsford's car.
Montgomery County District Attorney Mike McDougal argued that Lunsford was trying to get away from Hillman, not kill him. He told the jury in closing arguments that Hillman did not follow his training and education as a police officer. Instead, his actions were based on ''an instinctive reaction."
McDougal said he had no problem with the jury's decision and waived the opportunity to poll the jurors after the verdict was read.
''The jury heard the evidence and rendered their decision," he said.
During four days of deliberations, the jury of three men and nine women asked several times to review evidence and testimony from the trial. On Friday, jurors requested to revisit the crime scene and rehear the 911 calls made by both Hillman and his wife. They also asked the court to read Hillman's testimony about the sequence of events the evening of the shooting.
Hillman, who has a law degree, said he has not made any decisions yet about returning to law enforcement.
[email protected]
Ex-officer found not guilty in shooting death
He testified that his actions were in self-defense
By RENEE C. LEE
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
Eric Hillman
CONROE - After deliberating nearly 22 hours, a jury Tuesday found former Houston police officer Eric Hillman not guilty of murder.
Hillman, 42, was on trial for the shooting death of 25-year-old Kevin Lunsford on Dec. 15, 2003. The former HPD lieutenant said he shot Lunsford four times in self-defense during a confrontation on Hillman's property in Cut and Shoot.
Hillman slowly sat down in his chair, lowered his head and rubbed his forehead after the verdict was read. His attorney, Dick DeGuerin, gently rubbed his back, while family members quietly hugged each other.
Later outside the courtroom, Hillman, surrounded by his wife and four children, said he ''knew with prayer that God would make sure the truth prevailed."
''I've always known my actions were justified," Hillman said. ''I'm glad the jury deliberated and saw the real issue, that a man is allowed to protect his family."
DeGuerin argued that Hillman feared that Lunsford, who had been stalking and harassing the officer for months, would hurt him and his family.
He said Lunsford was upset because Hillman had had an affair with Lunsford's wife. Hillman testified that Lunsford had made verbal threats against him and had repeatedly called his home even after the affair had ended.
''What Eric Hillman did, he was protecting himself and his family from what he thought was a dangerous person, and he was justified to do it," DeGuerin said after the verdict.
DeGuerin said the jury understood that Hillman acted properly in using his FBI and HPD training during the confrontation.
On the night of the shooting, Lunsford had approached Hillman and his wife, Karin, in his car on the couple's driveway. The Hillmans were in their truck when they saw him driving toward them.
Hillman testified when he recognized Lunsford, he got out of his truck with his gun, badge and flashlight and ran to Lunsford's car.
He said after he told Lunsford he was under arrest for trespassing, he tried to open the car door and noticed Lunsford was moving to the right. ''He moved toward the glove box and I immediately shot him," Hillman testified.
Hillman said he shot at the car multiple times as it drove away in reverse before it spun and stalled in a ditch. ''My fear was that he was reaching for a gun," he said during the trial.
Investigators found no gun in Lunsford's car.
Montgomery County District Attorney Mike McDougal argued that Lunsford was trying to get away from Hillman, not kill him. He told the jury in closing arguments that Hillman did not follow his training and education as a police officer. Instead, his actions were based on ''an instinctive reaction."
McDougal said he had no problem with the jury's decision and waived the opportunity to poll the jurors after the verdict was read.
''The jury heard the evidence and rendered their decision," he said.
During four days of deliberations, the jury of three men and nine women asked several times to review evidence and testimony from the trial. On Friday, jurors requested to revisit the crime scene and rehear the 911 calls made by both Hillman and his wife. They also asked the court to read Hillman's testimony about the sequence of events the evening of the shooting.
Hillman, who has a law degree, said he has not made any decisions yet about returning to law enforcement.
[email protected]
Comment