Attorney General Jeff Sessions excoriated the local San Francisco government for implementing the conditions that led to Kate Steinle's death after the shocking verdict was released Thursday.
Here's what he said:
"When jurisdictions choose to return criminal aliens to the streets rather than turning them over to federal immigration authorities," Sessions said in a statement, "they put the public's safety at risk. San Francisco's decision to protect criminal aliens led to the preventable and heartbreaking death of Kate Steinle."
"While the State of California sought a murder charge for the man who caused Ms. Steinle's death-a man who would not have been on the streets of San Francisco if the city simply honored an ICE detainer-the people ultimately convicted him of felon in possession of a firearm," he added.
"The Department of Justice will continue to ensure that all jurisdictions place the safety and security of their communities above the convenience of criminal aliens," he continued.
"I urge the leaders of the nation's communities to reflect on the outcome of this case and consider carefully the harm they are doing to their citizens by refusing to cooperate with federal law enforcement officers," Sessions concluded.
Why was Steinle's murderer found not guilty?
Steinle was killed from a gunshot as she walked with her father on a pier in San Francisco in 2015. Jose Zarate was arrested and charged for the killing, and it was discovered that he was an illegal alien who had been deported five times.
Zarate claimed that the shooting was accidental, while the prosecution claimed that he purposely aimed the gun at Steinle. Both said that the gunshot ricocheted before hitting Steinle.
Zarate was found guilty of felony possession of a firearm, and immigration authorities said they will deport him to Mexico.
Carlos Garcia
Staff Writer
