KWTX.com – March 30, 2007:

A Fort Worth man who killed his wife’s lover after finding them together has escaped murder charges from a grand jury.

Instead, the Tarrant County grand jury indicted Darrell Roberson’s wife, Tracy Roberson, accusing her of causing the shooting by claiming she was being raped.

The 35-year-old wife is charged with manslaughter in the death of Devin LaSalle.

Police say Roberson invited LaSalle to her home in December with a text message that said “I need to feel your warm embrace!”

If convicted after Wednesday’s indictment, Mrs. Roberson faces two to 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors say Darrell Roberson arrived home and found his wife clad in only a robe and underwear with LaSalle outside in a pickup truck.

They allege Mrs. Roberson told her 38-year-old husband she was being raped, so he fired four shots as LaSalle tried driving away.

One bullet struck LaSalle in the head.

Some legal experts say they’ve never quite heard a case quite like this.

Texas Wesleyan School of Law associate professor Jason Gillmer says a husband “is entitled to defend his wife and his family against aggravated assault.”



  1. jbellies says:

    “Prosecutors say Darrell Roberson arrived home and found his wife clad in only a robe and underwear with LaSalle outside in a pickup truck. They allege Mrs. Roberson told her 38-year-old husband she was being raped …”

    Is this another stupid gun story, or is it about telekinesis and teleportation? Or did the deceased have an unusually long and flexible member? The time must be approaching midnight on some lonely island in the Aleutians.

  2. Andy says:

    This why there is no justice in the courts anymore.

  3. PMitchell says:

    The moral to that story is

    Dont screw another mans wife in Texas its not only wrong it can get you dead

    Dont mess with Texas

    we will kill you

  4. TJGeezer says:

    Actually it was all just a terrible misunderstanding. The poor guy was just trying to deliver a pizza. The real creek-jumper was long gone out the back door.

  5. Billabong says:

    Don’t go to Court if you want justice.The guy that did the shooting got justice!

  6. Misanthropic Scott says:

    I guess it is true that in Texas, “He needed killin'” is still a valid legal defense.

    When I first read this, I thought the sex was in progress, which, if rape, would give legal grounds for defense. I believe you’re allowed to use force to defend yourself or family.

    However, this guy was already outside in the truck. I’d charge both husband and wife in this one.

  7. Steve S says:

    Its the classic Texas defense.
    Judge: Why did you kill this man.
    Defendant: Your honor, he needed killin.
    Judge: Well there ya go, case dismissed!

  8. Gary Marks says:

    Texas Wesleyan School of Law associate professor Jason Gillmer says a husband “is entitled to defend his wife and his family against aggravated assault.”

    Firing four shots as the perpetrator is driving away doesn’t quit fit within the standard definition of “defending his wife and family.”

  9. BubbaRay says:

    Its the classic Texas defense.
    Judge: Why did you kill this man.
    Defendant: Your honor, he needed killin.
    Judge: Well there ya go, case dismissed!

    Don’t laugh, this actually still works out in west Texas, even today. No telling what a jury (maybe not a judge) will do, whether it’s Texas or California (OJ).

    This is why my wife and I are still married after 36 years — we’ve both seen too many CSIs. 🙂

  10. Kent Goldings says:

    In some parts of the world, the woman’s family would have just beat her to death. But we’re better than they are .

  11. BubbaRay says:

    CSI Pecos — Episode 4

    Wife: my cheatin’ husband is dead ! That sorry, no good so and so !!

    CSI1: Well, Joe Bob, how do you think that dude managed to shoot hisself six times and then get his neck inside that noose?

    CSI2: Don’t know, Billy Ray, but it shore looks like suicide to me !! Let’s turn it over to the courts and git us a cold one….

  12. Gary Marks says:

    BubbaRay, that reminds me of the deposed leader who, in the final moments of his regime, committed suicide by shooting himself 47 times in the back 😉

  13. Craig says:

    Call me crazy but this seems fine with me. If someone I loved told me they were raped and pointed out the perp, I’ll kill him in a second with no remorse. She is at fault in my book.

  14. Odyssey67 says:

    @ Craig: Agreed. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day, and in this case even backwards-ass Texas got it right. The dude shouldn’t get off scott-free, but due consideration for the circumstances warrants some leniency. His wife on the other hand … any spouse who would do something like that is scum in the first place. With a killing involved, IMO she should be put away for a reeal long time.

  15. Angel H. Wong says:

    And that’s why gay sex is better.

  16. Simple says:

    Since when is rape a capitol offence?

    Since when is the individual-citizen the Law, the Courts, and the Executioner?

  17. Beacon says:

    #17 Wong

    And that’s why gay sex is better.

    Thanks for clearing that up. Gay sex is better than getting shot by your lovers husband.

    Gee, I’d rather die quick then from a lingering painful viral illness. Then again, I wouldn’t have an affair.

  18. natefrog says:

    Don’t mess with Texas. . .It’s not nice to pick on retards!

    (Thanks to tshirthell for that one)

  19. Chris says:

    It may not be “right” or whatever, but as someone who has been in a relationship in which my wife (ex now, of course) was unfaithful… I’ll just enjoy my bias and say, “I’m damn glad he got off!” …and it serves her ass right if she goes to prison.

  20. Greg Allen says:

    There is no excuse for murder and the guy should not get off.

    BUT the wife certainly has some moral — if not legal — culpability in this.

  21. Mr. Fusion says:

    If this isn’t an April Fool’s joke, I’ll bite.

    Regardless of the offense, the law does not allow you to use more force then that which is reasonably necessary to defend yourself or another person from harm. The “visitor” was leaving the scene and thus not a danger to anyone. As for the “rape”, we’ll never know now if it was or not, the accused / victim can’t defend himself.

    Anyone that can justify his killing by suggesting “hee needed killin’” is as moronic as their esteemed President who uses the same logic.

  22. SN says:

    23. You didn’t read the facts clearly enough. The wife called her husband and told him to come home, knowing full and well that her boyfriends would be there. It was a set up. Then when he did show up, she told him she was just raped. Once again, a set up. The wife obviously wanted to get rid of both her boyfriend and her husband at the same time. The boyfriend dead and the husband in prison, thus, the set up.

    It’s a scam worthy of a Rockford Files episode, except it had enough holes that even Jim didn’t even have to figure it out.

  23. Gary Marks says:

    #24 says… “23. You didn’t read the facts clearly enough. The wife called her husband and told him to come home, knowing full and well that her boyfriends would be there.

    Where does it say that in the article? I’m apparently unable to read the facts clearly enough as well. Are you drawing from an outside source that you forgot to link? (it’s not in the linked KWTX article)

  24. Mr. Fusion says:

    #24,
    Even if it was a set-up doesn’t excuse the husband shooting the guy. Charge the wife sure. Make it first degree murder too if she really set this up.

    The idea that the wife’s actions should absolve the husband’s subsequent actions don’t wash any more then that old line about we have to get the terrorists over there before they come over here.

    This is one of the downsides of the Grand Jury system. A prosecutor should pursue charges if the evidence warrants it, not because of what happens in secret.

    #25,
    thank you for bringing up that point.

  25. Ascii King says:

    It’s not really a question of right and wrong. If the husband was so distraught over the information that he was out of his mind, then we can understand how he might chase and shoot the guy. If I found out someone raped one of my loved ones and the guy was standing right there, he wouldn’t be safe from me either.

    I’m not saying the husband is innocent of any wrongdoing, but it’s certainly understandable.

    When I hear stories like this, I always think of those places that are trying to increase the number of convictions in rape cases. It’s so easy to fake a rape.

  26. Angel H. Wong says:

    #19

    It still amazes me how there are still ignorant people who think AIDS is a gay disease.

    Usually it’s the same gay bashers that end up caught with their pants down and their (lubed) asses high up in the air.

  27. Mr. Fusion says:

    #28, King

    Good points. I want to think most reported rapes are legitimate although obviously there are some that aren’t.

    #29,

    Are you going to name names?
    LOL

  28. BubbaRay says:

    #20, That’s right!

    Don’t mess with Texas. . .It’s not nice to pick on retards!

    Don’t come to Texas, most of us retards have gun racks in our pickups.

    Dang, I can’t believe I took that bait…. Time to go fishin’ here in Texas. Fishin’ pole, shotgun, dynamite, shucks, we don’t care. Got to feed the antagonists somehow…. 🙂

    Astronomers exempt.

  29. Happy, Texas says:

    natefrog and tshirthell both have their heads up a dank smelly place…any way, decide what you would do if you came home to someone whom you love more than life itself, say your wife or maybe your 14-year-old daughter, and there is a man there who your loved one claims raped her. In the time it took to get the gun the “rapist” is out the door and getting into his car. You are not going to be willing to just let him drive off…you will open fire. This is not a case of “He needed killin'” (and BS on that being common here in Texas), but a case of someone who is told (by his loved one) that his loved one was violently attacked and he reacted. He was lied to and that resulted in the death of an individual…a low life individual but still a person.

  30. Happy, Texas says:

    Natefrog and tshirthell both have their heads up a dank smelly place…anyway, decide what you would do if you came home to someone whom you love more than life itself, say your wife or maybe your 14-year-old daughter, and there is a man there who your loved one claims raped her. In the time it took to get the gun the “rapist” is out the door and getting into his car. You are not going to be willing to just let him drive off…you will open fire. This is not a case of “He needed killin'” (and BS on that being common here in Texas), but a case of someone who is told (by his loved one) that his loved one was violently attacked and he reacted. He was lied to and that resulted in the death of an individual…a low life individual but still a person.

    Amazing how a website can throw out only a portion of the information, put a little spin on it, and a bunch of unthinking sheep will automatically pass judgment.


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