Jury convicts former Palmview Police Department dispatcher of manslaughter
A jury convicted a former Palmview Police Department dispatcher of manslaughter Friday but acquitted him on a more serious felony murder charge.
After a two-week trial, the jury convicted Jacobo Daniel Rivera, 24, of Palmview — a former police dispatcher and volunteer firefighter — on charges of manslaughter and evading arrest or detention causing death, according to Hidalgo County District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez.
Rivera sped away from a state trooper on Aug. 17, 2016, and crashed a red Ford Mustang. The crash killed his girlfriend, 21-year-old Kryztal Luna, and injured Palmview police Officer Juan Martinez, who sat in the back seat.
Both charges are second-degree felonies punishable by two to 20 years in prison.
The jury, though, acquitted Rivera on the more serious charge of felony murder, a first-degree felony.
The manslaughter charge required the jury to find that Rivera recklessly caused Luna’s death. The felony murder charge had a higher bar, requiring that the jury find Rivera “intentionally and knowingly” attempted to avoid arrest and caused Luna’s death in the process.
Check back for updates.
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2018 8:23 PM
To: ’Jose De Leon’; Jose De Leon III Progress Times
Subject: Fwd: Story: Jury convicts former Palmview Police Department dispatcher of manslaughter
From: “Dee“ <dee@ptrgv.com>
Date: Fri, Nov 16, 2018 at 8:12 PM -0600
Subject: Fwd: Story: Jury convicts former Palmview Police Department dispatcher of manslaughter
To: “Jose De Leon III Progress Times” <reporter.ptrgv@gmail.com>
From: “Dave Hendricks“ <hendricks.dave@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Nov 16, 2018 at 5:45 PM -0600
Subject: Story: Jury convicts former Palmview Police Department dispatcher of manslaughter
To: “Dee Rendon” <dee@ptrgv.com>
After a two-week trial, the jury convicted Jacobo Daniel Rivera, 24, of Palmview — a former police dispatcher and volunteer firefighter — on charges of manslaughter and evading arrest or detention causing death, according to Hidalgo County District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez.
Rivera sped away from a state trooper on Aug. 17, 2016, and crashed a red Ford Mustang. The crash killed his girlfriend, 21-year-old Kryztal Luna, and injured Palmview police Officer Juan Martinez, who sat in the back seat.
Both charges are second-degree felonies punishable by two to 20 years in prison.
The jury, though, acquitted Rivera on the more serious charge of felony murder, a first-degree felony.
The manslaughter charge required the jury to find that Rivera recklessly caused Luna’s death. The felony murder charge had a higher bar, requiring that the jury find Rivera “intentionally and knowingly” attempted to avoid arrest and caused Luna’s death in the process.
Check back for updates.
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