Don't Mess with V---

Nearly two years ago, I was robbed in front of Pets R Us in The Fountains Shopping Center. It happened Tuesday, Nov 14, 2006 right after I had visited Fauntelle in Salt Lake. I still had my camera in my purse along with several wonderful items I had purchased from Fauntelle's shop. Wednesday, Oct 1, 2008 I testified in court against "Manny". I was grilled by his attorney for one and a half hours. Thursday I testified in the sentencing portion of the trial. Friday the jury issued his sentence. Below is the article from the local papers.

Fountains Robber Gets 60 Years


'Manny' was convicted by a 400th District Court jury in only 28 minutes for a robbery he committed in November 2006. The 32-year-old Houston man was then sentenced to 60 years in prison after the jury deliberated for approximately an hour on his punishment.
According to Assistant District Attorney Michael Hartman, Manny’s female victim was shopping at the Fountains Shopping Center in Stafford just after lunch on November 14, 2006. As she headed towards a store, she saw the defendant drive up, jump out of his car and run towards her. She tried to escape but Manny tackled her, injuring her arm and ripping her purse from her grasp. The woman and another eyewitness were able to write down the defendant’s license plate number as he fled the scene. That evidence led investigators to Manny, who had rented the car by giving the owner crack cocaine.
Testimony presented during punishment, including Manny himself, revealed that the defendant had led a life of crime. His first felony conviction was for Robbery in 1993. Since then, Manny had many contacts with the criminal justice system, mostly in Harris County. His prior charges included robberies and drug crimes. Evidence was also presented that Manny was a Crip gang member.
“It came out that Manny was trained as a pipe fitter while in prison and actually got a job in that field when he was released,” said prosecutor Drew Dornburg. “He then lost that job because he was arrested for dealing drugs.”
Manny was also under investigation in Harris County for at least six similar robberies where his victims were all women.
“What’s happening here is shameful,” said Michael Hartman, “in that the defendant purposefully selects women – and sometimes elderly women, who are alone and cannot easily defend themselves. He actually tackled the woman in this case when she tried to run. It is a “me-at-all-costs” attitude and not the way we are taught to treat the ladies, or gentleman, in our community. It is also a forceful reminder to be constantly aware of your surroundings.”
Manny was tried in the 400th District Court before Presiding Judge Clifford J. Vacek. Robbery is a second-degree felony punishable by 2-20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000, but because of Manny’s prior robbery conviction, his punishment range was increased to 5-99 years or life in prison.
Assistant District Attorneys Michael Hartman and Drew Dornburg prosecuted the case.