The one-year anniversary of the execution deaths of five Dallas police officers is just weeks away but the state of Texas has already responded by making it a hate crime to kill officers. The new law also applies to crimes against judges. The signing of the law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott comes just weeks after thepassage of the Thin Blue Line Act by the U.S. House.
The Texas “Police Protection Act” (HB 2908) increases criminal penalties and punishment for an offense “committed against a person because of bias or prejudice on the basis of status as a peace officer or judge.”
Only one Texas legislator voted against the bill – Democrat Jarvis D. Johnson, a freshman Texas House representative from Houston.
A person who causes serious bodily injury to a peace officer or a judge while that person was in the discharge of their official duties would be guilty of a felony of the first degree if convicted. A felony of the first degree is punishable by 99 years to life in state prison but the sentence may not be less than five years. The person convicted can also be fined up to $10,000.
Moreover, if a person restrains a police officer or judge while they are lawfully discharging an official duty, “or in retaliation or on account of an exercise of official power or performance of an official duty as a peace officer or judge,” the person would be guilty of a felony of the second degree. The crime carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison but not less than two years. The possible fine is the same – up to $10,000.
The new law makes a terroristic threat made against a peace or judicial officer a crime punishable as a state jail felony if the person threatens to commit any offense involving violence with intent to place the officer in fear of imminent serious bodily injury. The offense was previously a Class A misdemeanor. The possible confinement now is not more than two years or less than 180 days. The possible fine remains $10,000.
Breitbart Texas reported about the execution-style deaths of Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth, and the separate ambush of five Dallas officers. We provided livewire coverage of the tragic shootings and the aftermath when suspect Micah X. Johnson killed five police officers and wounded seven others in Dallas after the conclusion of a Black Lives Matter protest in July 2016. Johnson, a former New Black Panther Party member, said he “wanted to kill white people especially white officers.” Johnson was killed after officers used a robot to set off a bomb near him.
Breitbart Texas was also at the Waller County, Texas, jail for a Sandra Bland protest in August 2015 when a group of armed members of the New Black Panther Party marched chanting – “The revolution is on… Off the pigs,” and “Oink Oink… Bang Bang!”
Less than two weeks later, approximately 30 miles away from the jail, Deputy Darren Goforth was executed in cold blood. The deputy was gunned down from behind as he walked out of a gas station store in northwest Harris County in Houston. He was in uniform at the time and he was walking toward his patrol car. The deputy was shot 15 times in the back and in the back of the head. Then-Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman, and the indictment against Shannon Miles, the black defendant who is suspected of killing him, stated that Deputy Goforth was killed just because he was a police officer.
Shortly after the Dallas police shootings, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the Police Protection Act. Abbott said he was going to ask the Texas Legislature to pass the law during the next session, reported Breitbart Texas. “While our state and the nation continue to mourn the heroes lost in Dallas, it is time for us to unite as Texans to say no more,” Governor Abbott said. “The men and women in uniform risk their lives every day to protect the public, and it is time we show them the State of Texas has their back. Texas will no longer tolerate disrespect for those who serve, and it must be made clear to anyone targeting our law enforcement officials that their actions will be met with severe justice.” Abbott declared, “At a time when law enforcement officers increasingly come under assault simply because of the job they hold, Texas must send a resolute message that the State will stand by the men and women who serve and protect our communities.”
Breitbart Texas reported in November 2015 that law enforcement officials suspected that retaliation was a possible motive in the shooting of a Travis County criminal district court judge. Judge Julie Kocurek was shot when she and some friends arrived at her home. A bag of trash or a garbage can had been placed in front of her security gate to her driveway and someone opened fire and shot the judge when the driver stopped and got out of the car to clear the pathway. Luckily, the judge survived.
The Police Protection Act will take effect on September 1 of 2017.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.
http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/06/17/texas-makes-killing-cops-hate-crime/
As if a pig attacking an unarmed target or attacking because now they know without a doubt they are now within the protected class even further thanks to Texas
I think a pig with all his powers and arms
That them attacking us is more of what a true HATE crime defines
But , just like all their gun laws , this one won’t matter either soon enough
Notice there is now new law charging pigs with hate crime when they assault and murder citizens. We are truly entering an unmasked class system, where we are openly the servants.
Exactly. What’s truly horrible is that most people are just fine with it, or at least have been blinded to it.
Most Americans today don’t even know what freedom is. They think it means “being able to do whatever you want as long as it’s legal.” They never stop to think that by that definition even North Korea is “free.”
Actually no…. The shadow global govt has failed to kill Americans and or our country em-mass. So their end game is to foment civil war on multiple fronts using numerous races and the police state all fighting each other. The fat psycho paths as pink Floyd well coined in one of their songs/ sit back and laugh at all the chaos and mayhem created. Then when the race war is over/ they pick up the piecesvand start their insanity all over again. But as in the time of Noah…. Some supernatural stuff is gonna happen soon that will scare the krap Even out of the elite fat pricks. I will be laughing st them then…
ALTHOUGH THAT TEXAS GOVERNOR CARRIES MY FAMILY NAME,,,,,,,,,,,, IF I EVER SEE THAT SONOF A BITCH, I’LL SPIT IN HIS DAMN FACE………… BEFORE I SHOOT HIS ASS…………….
IN THE BALLS……………………………
Take a look at the comments on Breitbart if you want to get sick to your stomach. So many “Americans,” ESPECIALLY so-called “conservatives” in places like Texas, have been conditioned to love their oppressors (those who “serve”) and wear their chains with pride.
There’s an epidemic of Stockholm syndrome in this country, and the “liberal vs. conservative” divide-and-conquer strategy continues to work perfectly. We have a LOT of work to do.
“There’s an epidemic of Stockholm syndrome in this country,…”
The end result of decades of t.v. ‘programming’, BMF.
Prepare for the war!
We need it, its coming, be ready.
Actually we’ve been at war for a couple centuries and it coming to the surface and thats when we need to attack. Like when a snake pokes his head out of his hole cut that bastard off! Don’t let any of them get away!
Ain’t that the damned truth!
Hey Governor Wheels, go F**K YOURSELF, YOU TREASONOUS PIECE OF SHIT!!!
So I’m supposed to just bow down to a cop no matter what, even if he is killing my friend. F**K YOU!
This “Don’t hurt the king’s men” bullshit has gotta go. NO ONE is above the law, especially not some COMMIE PIGS and how come I didn’t have a say in this VOTE and when were you going to tell us all about it before voting on it, you sneaky little weasel?
GRRR!!! This pisses me off! Hang that SOB!
Texans are so damn stupid, too. They feel that everyone but Texans are bad.
They say things like, “Oh he’s a Texan, so he’s on our side. He knows what’s best for Texas because he’s a Texan.”
Their stupid blind Texan pride will be the death of them.
“The one-year anniversary of the execution deaths of five Dallas police officers is just weeks away but the state of Texas has already responded by making it a hate crime to kill officers.”
You mean Hitlery’s distraction campaign from her scandals?
“Execution deaths”? What deaths? Did anyone see any bodies? The whole thing was staged.
“The Texas “Police Protection Act” (HB 2908) increases criminal penalties and punishment for an offense “committed against a person because of bias or prejudice on the basis of status as a peace officer or judge.””
I love how they try to input that word, “Peace officer” as if them bashing your face in is considered peaceful.
Unfrigginbelievable………
So a Round Rock, TX police officer can tase the shit out of me for no reason and if I fight back to defend myself, I can go to prison for 20 years. What a CROCK OF SHIT!!!! God, I hope they all hang for their treasonous crimes and burn in Hell.
That just about sums it up NC, I used to think Texas was a special state, now I’m starting to wonder when they will start serving rainbow colored Rib Eye steaks…..
Wheels has given this state over to the Mexicans. The bastard’s wife is a wetback and he even wanted to (not sure if he really did or not) do a campaign ad in Spanish for the Mexican vote. He’s a treasonous pieces of shit.
http://fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/abbotts-first-tv-ad-since-primary-in-spanish/92764
“The Texas “Police Protection Act””
Police Protection Act? Seriously? What a sick joke.
More like “Police Abuse Act”.
Well….
We still have a little freedom left.
They could have passed a law that ..
“Insulting” officers instead of AssSalting officers is a hate crime.
Seems to me THEY just changed the rules of engagement
They should really rethink this stupid and bold move