Canada: Gun thugs offer "amnesty": "The amnesty gives Powell River residents who have unwanted, unregistered or illegal firearms, which have not been used in a criminal offence, the opportunity to turn them into their local police force without being charged. Powell River RCMP Constable Carl McIntosh said if people have guns they want to turn in, police will go to their homes to pick them up. 'During the amnesty period, police will not be charging anyone,' he said. 'We're encouraging people who have unregistered firearms to let us know. They can do the same thing with ammunition.' Solicitor General John Les described the amnesty as another tool in the fight against gun violence. 'Removing guns from circulation will enhance public safety and reduce the risk of these weapons falling into the hands of criminals,' he said. Police would like all unregistered guns to be turned in, even imitation and pellet weapons. Other dangerous weapons such as registered firearms, pepper spray and knives will also be accepted under the amnesty."



MD: Grand jury -- no indictment for abused woman: "After hearing from the admitted shooter herself, a Baltimore County grand jury declined yesterday to indict a Randallstown woman who killed her estranged husband in April after, she said, he showed up unexpectedly at her home and threatened her with an ax handle. The 23 jurors deliberated for less than a half-hour before deciding not to charge Karen L. Foxx, 35, with a crime in the death of her husband, Herman E. Bullock, 45. In an extremely unusual turn of events, the grand jurors heard about 90 minutes of closed-door testimony from Foxx, and were given the chance to question her about the shooting and her husband's history of abusing her before making their decision. ... Foxx, an office secretary, had sought court orders to keep her estranged husband away, filed criminal assault charges against him, changed her phone number and bought a gun to protect herself."