UPDATE II (Oct 23) — A jury recommended probation for Colvin.
So, a man is murdered. Beat to his death. And then robbed. And the two punk-ass-thugs who did not? Will be walking around free with nothing more than probation.
_________
UPDATE (Oct 22) — Kurtiss Colvin was found guilty of aggravated assault; acquitted of manslaughter in the beating death of David Morales.
Which is the right ruling, since it’s most likely that the blow that killed Mr. Morales was thrown by Samuel Byrd.
______
What the hell is the matter with our justice system here in Texas?
Last June, after a day of celebrating Juneteenth, two black men in East Austin beat do death a Mexican man who was trying to protect a co-worker from the same hostile crowd.
One of the men accused of beating David Morales to death is former Golden Gloves boxer Kurtiss Colvin, 20. His trial started yesterday.
Colvin is charged with recklessly causing Morales’ death and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted. He was also charged with felony theft (he stole Morales wallet after beating him down).
While Colvin was the first to attack Morales and threw the first blow that sent Morales to the ground, witnesses say it was 16-year old Samuel Byrd who delivered the fatal blow that killed Morales.
Byrd was convicted in juvenile court of manslaughter.
Manslaughter: The unlawful killing of a human being without malice or premeditation, either express or implied; distinguished from murder, which requires malicious intent.
I don’t know — it sounds like there was quite a bit of malice involved.
Anyway — Sam Byrd killed a man. With his fist. In front of a large crowd of cheering people animals. And he was found guilty of that crime.
His sentence? 8-years.
Probation.
Which means no jail time. Which means that this fucking thug piece of shit gets to walk the streets. Today. In our city.
What a horrendous travesty of justice.
How much money do you want to bet right now that this kid never makes it to the end of his 8-years of probation? How much do you want to bet that he ends up back in prison for something else before — oh, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say — before he turns 21?
He violently attacked and killed a man. And won’t have to serve a day in prison for it.
Again I ask, “What the hell is wrong with our justice system?’”
David Morales was unavailable for comment.
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There is nothing wrong with the justice system here in Texas! Any other county in the state and these two guys would be guest of TDCJ for a number of years.
But this took place in Austin and Travis County! Enough said.
fuck you
f you
Sigh. You’re right, BBB. Sometimes I forget that I’m stuck in the bizzaro-world of the People’s Republic of Austin sometimes.
Bunch of bleeding heart libs on the jury probably thought this kid could be “rehabilitated” into a productive member of society.
Only time will tell. Statistics and reality are against them and him, though.
After the deathrow cell phone scandal, things are going to get a lot harder for inmates.
I’m sorry but you have no right to say anyhing about this. Sammy is by no means a “thug piece of shit”, I WAS THERE and the innocent Mr. Morales (the victim) was pulling a gun, he was also the passenger in a car who had just hit a child and was attempting to leave(which is how Sammy and Kurtiss got involved). He was hit twice, there was no kicking or vicious beating. Just because he’s black doesn’t make him a killer, he was defending himself. He’s a good guy and has learned alot and steered away from his previous outlook on life in the JJAEP program(which I attend with him). So you should make sure you even know what your talking about before you speak.
i also attended JJAEP with Sammy Byrd, and he was a completly changed person. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time. He was just trying to help the young child that got hit by the car. He is now incarseratd, but only for kurfue violation.
hi. just curious. How did you know that Samuel Byrd was incarcerated for curfew violation?
u are a lying piece of shit david morales did not have a gun how bout u get ur facts right asshole
I’ve seen some of your other postings and I see you are inclined to see black people in a negative light. You have still yet to acknowledge the fact that Mr. Morales was drunk and had hit a child, also pulling a gun when they attemtped to stop him. No he did not deserve to die, but he wasn’t viciously beaten he was hit a total of TWO times. His death was purely accidental, he hit his head on the ground. I’ll tell you again Sammy isn’t a “punk ass thug”. Not all of us are wether you’d like to believe that or not. And for the record there was NO cheering, how dare you assume something like that when you were nowhere near the crime, us Booker T residents are not animals.
[Editor --- Sorry,but you have your facts all wrong. Mr. Morales was neither drunk nor --- more importantly, was he the man driving the car that hit that child (I'm still real curious was a 2-year old was doing wandering in a parking lot at night though, and there were no, as in NONE, injuries reported to the child. The one you say a car hit. Tough kid.
And there was no gun. Unless one of the thugs who was standing around when Mr. Morales was beat to death stole it. Kinda like your boy Colvin stole Mr. Morales wallet.
Many witnesses who were there --- and weren't Colvin and Byrd's boys just trying to have their backs --- said that Mr. Morales was trying to calm the crowd who was about to go all Rodney King riots on the guy in the car who was terrified at the unruly mob beating on his car. There was no gun. There was no knife.
And the only time I portray black people in a negative light is the same time that I portray anybody of any color in a negative light --- when they act like fucking idiot assholes (or, you know, when they beat a man to death.]
I WAS THERE
I doubt it. Your story does not match the litigated facts. The driver dropped off Morales. Apparently, the driver bumped into a two year old. The chances that he would be able to see a two year old are zero to none. His car is swamped by angry people and tries to slowly drive off. I would to. I’ve read too many stories of what happens to people who do stop under those conditions. Oh, by the way, I believe it is only hit and run of you know that you hit something. I’m not sure an angry crowd who is also drinking jumping all over your car, shouting mexican epithets is all that convincing. It would have been just as easy to get his license plate number since the boy had no injuries and since it is described as a “bump” there was no intelligent reason to suspect injuries. The guy may have been drinking, but the mother was at fault for allowing her two year old to go into the street.
Morales came up and tried to calm the crowd and for his effort got beat to death. He never pulled a gun. He had no gun. How dare you lie about it.
Oh, and if you are going to sign using a street gang name, don’t lecture anyone about not being an animal.
Piru- You are completely wrong!!!! David was the most kind man anyone would be lucky enough to be friends with- I’ve known him well over ten years and he has never acted in or been violent at all!!! He does not walk around thugging the streets with a gun. He was always around to help anyone any time you needed help, and that is what happened then, he saw his co-worker getting beat down and jumped out to help save his life and got killed by idiots that have nothing better to do with their time then to kill innocent people. They get to walk scott free???? Bullshit!!! They should all serve time in prison- regardless of who threw the blow that ended his life- they were all a part of it.
I never said Mr. Morales was a bad man, I don’t know him so I won’t assume. But you ARE wrong in assuming that they are “idiots that have nothing better to do with their time then to kill innocent people.” They don’t walk around jumping and killing people, I’ll say it again, he was hit a total of TWO times. How can you tell me the facts, were you there? No, I don’t think you were, I doubt you would even walk through that neighborhood. You think you know facts because what? You read the newspaper? I was there, I live in the Booker T apartments. I’m not saying they should get off scott free but I do not belive they should be going to prison. Believe what you’d like, I’ve been talking to “my boy” Colvin and it was not a ruthless, vicious beating like you potray it. Also I can’t believe you don’t put a negative light on black people with statements like all “getting all Rodney King riots”, you have your facts wrong.
Why would representing Piru make me an animal? There my family, they raised me. I’ll admit I’ve done some bad things in their name, but you wouldn’t understand why. Just keep my affiliations out of your mouth, as it has nothing to do with the conversation.
I WAS THERE and the innocent Mr. Morales (the victim) was pulling a gun,
He didn’t pull a gun because he had no gun, you lying POS.
Why would representing Piru make me an animal?
Because it is a criminal street gang and as you stated you committed criminal acts in order to promote, further, or assist the gang. You’re nothing but predators.
Just keep my affiliations out of your mouth, as it has nothing to do with the conversation.
You brought it up by signing with your gang. Pussy.
you stupid bitch you dont know what you talking about so i would keep my mouth closed if i were you!
Wow using the same word over and over4 sure is effective, but yet again you show your lack of knowledge in well.. everything from the case to pirus mindset. Sure I’m a predator, but so are you. It just comes down to who needs something more.
Lying, murdering, stealing, dope selling, raping, robbery = piru mindset.
Thanks, pussy.
LOL AND LOOK AT ME NOW IM VERY WELL OFF SIR.
This is crazy! Then should not have been let off this easy. Its like saying if i kill someonme and say it was self defense, would i get 10 years of probation. Just becuase i start crying like a baby. its to let to cry. You commted the crime so pay the time! isint that the way the law is suppose to work. The judge and jury would have to live with their decision. plus they were probably paid off. May the lord help you!
Why are you associating the Austin Juneteenth celebration with violence? Like the Austin American-Statesman Newspaper, you owe Juneteenth supporters an apology for falsely associating the Austin Juneteenth Celebration with violence.
This unfortunate incident of violence had nothing to do with the Austin Juneteenth Celebration or any crowds following the close of the event. The driver of the car that struck the child and the people involved following were all either residents or associated with people from the apartment complex. The apartment complex was several blocks from the site of the Juneteenth event.
I spoke with the editor of the American-Statesman Newspaper to request an apology and retraction from the statement in the newspaper “hitting a child with his car during the aftermath of the city’s Juneteenth celebration” and the improper headline “Trial begins in post-Juneteenth celebration attack.” Falsely associating Juneteenth with violence, especially with such an inflammatory headline, when no one involved had anything to do with the Juneteenth event, is a great disservice to everyone American who celebrates J uneteenth.
It is irresponsible for a newspaper to use language that continues to incite false beliefs about Juneteenth Celebrations and violence. A public apology is in order.
boo on all of you for acting like whores. If Kurtisss isn’t in jail it means he didnt do it, duh. Whens the last time someone got out of something like this without being a celebrity or something. ya’ll just mad he got out. hi haters [:
who ever this is kurtiss loves you for looking at all the facts of the situation and thank you for your comment
Hmmm!! Kurtiss was at Nathaniel Sanders’ funeral. Enough said!!
agree. Kurtiss is a innocent man. He always has been and always will be. He’s always been someone that helps not hurts. Hes a lover.So what if hes skilled in boxing.That doesn’t make him a killer nor a bad person.It was not a racisist thing either.
-Kara.
FIRST OFF NO ONE ON HERE HAS THE RIGHT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT SAMMY OR KURTISS UNLESS YU KNOW THEM. OTHERWISE KEEP YOUR DAMN MOUTH CLOSE. YOU SAYING ALL OF THIS STUFF WHEN YOU DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. I MEAN IT WAS JUNETEENTH AND ALOT OF THINGS WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN. ALL OF YU LOW DOWN LOW LIFE PPL ON HERE SAYING THAT THEY SHOULD BE LOCKED UP BUT YOU HAVE NO REASON BEHIND IT. I UNDERSTAND THEY KILLED A MAN BUT NOT LIKE IT WAS ON PURPOSE. YU PPL DOIN ALL THIS TALKIN BUT YOU NOT THINKIN ABOUT IF THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY OR YOUR OWN CHILD YOUR JUST THINKIN ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND THE CONSEQUENCES THEY RECIEVED BEHIND. TRY TAKIN A WALK IN KURTISS OR SAMMY SHOES. ALL THESE EXCUSES YOU PPL USING BC KURTISS IS A LICENSED BOXER AINT GONE WORK. ONCE YU LOW DOWN PPL FOUND THAT OUT YU AUTOMATICALLY THINK HE KILLED THE MAN ON PURPOSE. LIKE I SAID YALL NEED TO TALK WHAT YALL KNOW. I BET MY LIFE THAT HALF OF YALL WASNT EVEN THERE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND PROBABLY NEVER EVEN ATTENDED A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION. I CAN CARE LESS IF YU GET MAD AFTER READING THIS. I KNOW YALL THINKIN IM TAKIN SIDES WITH THEM WHICH I AM…YU DONT LIKE IT OH WELL! && WHO EVER THAT BITCH OR NIGGA WAS WHO SAID SAMMY GONE DIE BEFORE HIS SENTENCE IS UP I HOPE YU CHOKE AND ROLL OVER AND DIE!
bitch how bout you just the fuck up because you sounded real dumb
I’m sure Kurtiss & Sam read this attentively, I know I would. I boxed Kurtiss in 06 and apart from the fact that he’s supposed to want to rip my head off, he was a good sport. He mentioned he went to college to pursue some business degree, but decided to take some time off. Yes, I must admit I was slightly relieved that I wouldn’t ever be facing him again having it that Ann Wolfe pads his bricks with Everlast leather, but all in all, I hoped he would be guiltless.
Two comments above make a lot of sense. One, I’m almost 100% sure Kurtiss was given the correct sentencing as neither his skin color or socioeconomic standing would ever be reason enough to rid him of such a crime if guilty. Everyone knows this.
The second comment, that people always have an ulterior motive behind what they say and do is also 100% true, but of the Judges being fair I am certain.
As for Morales’s family, I extend my condolences. Life has never been fair nor will it ever be. Blacks have suffered as much as Mexicans, Jews and as much as any other race. Even if Kurtiss and Sam live their entire lives in an American prison, fairness will never be achieved. Death cannot be undone or corrected. History has taught us this. Once again, I am certain a free ticket was not granted.
As for striking of a human in any shape or form, that is in fact barbarian. It should be kept as a sport. Trust me, Kurtiss and Sam will never be able to get a job as good as they could have with this taint in their record. Their lives will be even more difficult. The two crutches aforementioned (skin & standing) were immense challenges in themselves.
To top my sermon, I hope Kurtiss develops his boxing career well and trains more as his losses in the ’07 LBC have humiliated me. Now I have to say I lost to some guy who lost in the next round. Simply unacceptable. Perhaps one day whether in boxing or whatever professional career he chooses, he helps others, especially the family of Morales.
As for trying to stop them from driving off after bumping a child with the car, I am sure the people did not take down the license plate number as more than likely the police would simply ignore the claim. It seems like a case where the community tried taking the law into their own hands since their government has failed to protect them. Like always, it was a failure with fatal consequences. We must continuously try to embrace the law even if it continues to fail us. Order is a must.
The person who signs off using a street gang name (of which I know nothing about), I am sure is a teen, more than likely a friend of Sam, who has been wrongfully influenced by his peers. Heck it happens all the time, just look at all the cults, religions, political parties, racial organizations (KKK), who truly believe the stories they are told. Such is life, deal with it.
Good luck to Kurtiss, Sam, and especially David’s family. Hasta luego.
P.S. Hateful comments always have something personal tied into it. I wonder how the author is affected by this as he displays a personal hate toward such criminal acts. Perhaps he was related to Morales?
yjyj
Everybody has and or is entired to there own opinion about the case. If Mr. Morales wouldn’t be trying to help a friend that didn’t help him but fleed the seen he would probably still be here today. So people tragedy is another main strength. Talk is cheap so you can have whatever opinion about Kurtiss and Sam that you would like but the only one that can judge them is God. Yeah Texas Criminal justice system is corrupt but the citizens allow it to be. If you weren’t there and it seems to me that most of the people making comments weren’t so keep your f***ing mouth close. In the end they all had didn’t punishment. Sometimes life gives use choices and the one will take depends on our next move or rather we will move. To all: Hopefully they make something of there second chance.
I box here in Austin and have seen Kurtiss a few times around the gyms. He made a bad choice back then but he has turned his life around ever since.
Also, I agree with the Texas Legal System being BS. I’m getting charged with Assault when I was defending myself on my own property against someone who had (with 3 other people) beaten me unconscious.
This is KURTISS COLVIN and im here to say that if you were not their please do not comment God is dealing with me in his own way, let me live my life, but to all the haters, ive got out of jail and turned my life over to god and plan on sticking with it, im 3rd in the country in boxing and i just turned pro please hate on me some more i beg you because it only means im doing something good in Gods eyes. GOD BLESS AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Fuck off! This is a blog that discusses issues. If you don’t want to read about what people are saying, don’t come here.
Fuck you Kurtiss
When you get the MW belt, I hope the first thing you say is “Fuck the Haters” on the mic.
People should be judged on what they become in the future, not who they were in the past.
That’s a real stupid comment. Our past behavior is the best predictor of how we will act.
Well Kurtiss — I can’t wait until you meet your maker. You can’t hide from the truth when you do. Best of luck — your need it!
100% supportive of you and whats to come!!!! The writer of this article, May God bless you and all of your negative followers.
Kurtiss, you a punk ass bitch. I hope all your sponsors read this shit. Street justice is a bitch homey.
NIGGA FUCK YOU .. 4RM HIS FAM … I KNEW MR.Morales & KURTISS IS MY KINFOLK … SO I GOT HURT TWICE BY DIS … I UNDERSTAND DA PAIN ON BOTH PARTIES … AND IF YOU DONT KNOW KURTISS OR MR. MORALES DONT SAY SHIT
R.I.P MR. MORALES YOU ARE MISSED AND STILL VERY LOVED !
Shit!
Keep your mouth near. Keep it very very near. Do not allow your mouth to travel to a distant land. Keep your mouth close.
fuk all haters man thats my fukin big brother and whatever happened was well deserved. god only takes who is ready for. kurtiss does not need this shit and he is a man of god and no one here kan speak of wat they dont know. put ur self in his shoes wat would u do
1) I would have not stood there and watch an animal beat a man to his death.
2) I would admit to being an accessory to manslaughter, and testify against the murderer.
3) I would tell my friends that what I have been handed as a sentence is fair, and that all negative karma heading my way was earned.
That’s what I would have done, being a man of God.
A man of God doesn’t watch someone get beaten to death and rob their body.
Also, you need to get off the computer until you pass the fifth grade in terms of English.
-† .[Sad]. †
This some bullshit yall dont reallyh kno wat happened or wat morales had on him if u was me youd do it too..he was gone get me first.
Fuck off, loser!
Sam you and your chanaca are done puto
Just got to know Sammy and I love him…he is a good person.