VA: Jury clears accused murderer: "A Northampton County man charged with murder in a love-triangle slaying is a free man today after a jury found him not guilty of a string of felony counts. Trawn Stratton, 31, of Cheriton, charged with murder, breaking and entering and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony was acquitted of the killing of 48-year-old town resident Harold Moses after a three-day trial... As she started to go up the steps into the house, she said she heard a second gunshot. She found her living room in disarray and blood splattered about. Both men were lying on the floor, she said. She said she saw Stratton get up, kick Moses and then left. Forensic pathologist Dr. Elizabeth Kinnison said the blood all belonged to the defendant from the wound caused by a blow from a hockey stick wielded by Moses. The jury heard Stratton say, "He struck me across the eye with a cane. I pulled the gun out. The gun was in my waist. That's when I, BOOM," he said. He said the blow with the hockey stick to his face did not knock him to the floor."


AZ governor vetoes bill to let people carry guns into most gov't buildings without metal detectors: "Gov. Jan Brewer on Friday vetoed a bill that would have allowed people to carry guns into most government buildings that don't have armed guards or metal detectors in place. The bill was one of 14 that the Republican governor vetoed Friday as she completed action on items the GOP-led Legislature approved during its 2011 regular session. Brewer also signed 29 bills Friday. In all, she signed 357 bills and vetoed 29. Brewer said the gun bill's many provisions on various firearms topics lacked clarity, including where guns would have been prohibited and where they would have been allowed. Describing herself as a gun-rights backer, Brewer said she will work in coming months on "a clear and pragmatic solution to expand the application of our Second Amendment rights in Arizona."

Shot down: D.C. residents unable to register handguns

Nearly three years after the United States Supreme Court overturned the D.C. ban on hand guns, residents of the District can no longer register guns in the city.

A temporary, de facto ban is in place because the one man who could facilitate handgun ownership in the nation's capital has stopped taking registration orders.

Since the lifting of the handgun ban in June 2008, Charles Sykes has processed more than 1,000 handguns for District residents. Sykes tells WTOP he's stopped taking orders for now. "I've lost my lease," Sykes said in a phone interview. "I'll take care of the customers who already placed orders, but I don't want to take any more until I know where I will reopen."

Sykes is the sole proprietor of C S Exchange, the only licensed firearm dealer in the city that will transfer guns for individuals. Sykes doesn't sell the guns -- there are no gun stores in D.C. His company facilitates the transfer of guns from out of state stores into the District for a fee of $125 per gun.

Federal law prohibits individuals from buying a hand gun outside D.C. and then bringing it into the District. That transfer has to be done by someone with a Federal Firearms License.

Michelle Lane lives on Capitol Hill, and wanted a gun for protection and target practice. She bought two guns in Virginia: a Ruger LCR revolver and a Kahr K9 Elite 9mm. After buying them, she found out she couldn't have them shipped into the city. "It's not fair," she tells WTOP. "I followed the law. Criminals bring guns into the city. It's frustrating."

D.C. Councilmember Phil Mendelson, who helped write the District's new gun laws after the Supreme Court ruling, says the problem is not due to regulations. "We've known for a while that (Federal Firearms License) was a vulnerability, that there is only one FFL dealer in the District," Mendelson says. "That's not because of the law, that's because of the market."

Alan Gura, the attorney who argued and won the case before the Supreme Court, says this may mean going back to court. "This is a very serious problem," Gura said from his office in Old Town Alexandria. "It's something we are going to be taking a very close look at."

Lane's frustration may last a while, because it could be months before Sykes is able to re-open. He tells WTOP he hopes to have a new office location picked out in a week or two.

Even if Sykes were to find a new location, he is required to give the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 30 days advance notice of his move, and then the ATF has 60 days to review and approve the new location. The move would also have to be approved by the Metropolitan Police Department and the District's Office of Zoning.

Sykes has not given any notice, but says he'll ask ATF for an expedited review.

Mike Campbell, a spokesperson for ATF, says in an email Sykes has yet to inform the agency of his intent to move. "Mr. Sykes is free to request an expedited review/inspection of his application and his new business premises. However, he has certain responsibilities that he has to fulfill before we can do anything related to a location change. We have no record of a request for a change of address."

Approval of a new location for Sykes isn't the only road block delaying District residents from getting handguns. Zoning requirements on where gun dealers can locate are strict, making it difficult for Sykes or any potential gun dealer to find a suitable location.

Kevin Shepard owns Second Amendment Safety and Security, and has had a Federal Firearms License since 2008, but has not been able to find a location to open his business. He says the zoning requirements are too restrictive. "It's impacted my economic liberty," Sheppard says. "I'm trying to start a business and they're making it too difficult."

Zoning regulations require gun dealers to locate in either a commercial zone or industrial zone. Most of the District is either zoned for residential use or is federal land. There is also the added restriction of dealers not being able to open a shop within 300 feet of any home, church, school, library or playground.

Gura says that's not in keeping with the Supreme Court ruling. "The bottom line is the people who live in the Washington, D.C. are entitled to the right to keep and bear arms for self defense," he says. "The city cannot use its zoning laws to interfere with that right.

Source




Colt revolver becomes Arizona's official gun: "Jan Brewer, the Arizona governor, on Thursday signed a bill into law that makes the Colt Single Action Army Revolver the state’s firearm, making Arizona only the second in the nation to have such a designation. The Colt revolver, made popular in the 1800s, was a common weapon carried by the likes of Bat Masterson, Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok, according to “The Book of Colt Firearms”, by R. L. Wilson. Production first ran from 1872 through 1941 and then again from 1955."


PA: Gun haters to exploit Giffords shooting at NRA convention: "Gun-control advocates plan to make the Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) shooting rampage the focus of their protest outside the National Rifle Association’s annual convention in Pittsburgh. ... Organized by the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence [sic], the protesters have taken out local newspaper ads and plan to have a billboard truck drive around the event with a message to the NRA’s CEO Wayne LaPierre, the AP reported."

UK: Police confiscate farmer’s shotguns: "'Tracy St Clair Pearce, 50, was confronted by four men carrying a chainsaw and a knife, who warned her they would kill her cattle at her farm in Colchester, Essex,' 'She called police late on Good Friday to report the threat, but was left gobsmacked [astounded] when officers took 35 minutes to get to her home, before telling her they would confiscate her shotguns"


Minn.: Gun bill before House: "A bill that would change the state's laws on gun permits and the right to use deadly force in cases of self-defense is getting a hearing before a House public safety committee. The committee plans to hear testimony on the bill Thursday. Among other things, the bill expands the state's laws on use of deadly force in self-defense situations. It creates a presumption that anyone who forcefully or stealthily enters a home intends to cause harm, so deadly force is allowed. Proponents say it allows law-abiding citizens to stand their ground. Those against the bill say it would allow deadly force even if the person is making a peaceable entry and is unarmed. The bill also would require that Minnesota recognize gun permits issued by other states."

One-third of U.S. households own guns: "Almost one-third of U.S. households report having any guns in the home -- the lowest level ever since the survey began in the 1970s, a survey indicates. The report by the Violence Policy Center is an analysis of data from the General Social Survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. The report says household gun ownership peaked in 1977, with 54 percent of households reported having any guns. However, by 2010 household gun ownership dropped to 32.3 percent of U.S. households reporting having any guns in the home -- the lowest level ever recorded by the General Social Survey. [As government expands, perhaps gun owners have grown wary of surveys]


8 tips on contacts with ‘open carry’ citizens: "As with concealed carry, there seems to be a lot of hypothetical rhetoric in regards to threat situations of 'what could happen?' versus 'what does history show us has happened?' Is there a heightened state of criminal activity associated with open carry versus concealed carry versus no carry (other than the obvious firearms violation for school zone or whatnot)? The answer appears to be 'not really.' Regardless of opinions or beliefs, there is not a spike in criminal activity associated with merely carrying a firearm. The same is true of concealed carry. It is always the intent of the person, not the firearm, that matters."

FL: Shooting ruled self-defense: "A Sunday afternoon shooting in Palm Bay has been ruled self-defense and it is the shooting victim who will face charges, police said today. John Smith, 43, was shot in the chest about 4:20 p.m. at a home in the 2500 block of S.W. Fleming Avenue, police spokeswoman Yvonne Martinez said. The shooter, David Martin, 38, was trying to protect himself from Smith, who forced his way into Martin's home to see his girlfriend."


Oklahoma governor signs bill that expands self-defense rights: "Business owners, managers and employees soon will be able to defend themselves when they have a reasonable fear they face death or great bodily harm. Gov. Mary Fallin on Monday signed into law House Bill 1439, which expands the right to use deadly force when in fear of imminent peril of death or great bodily harm. It takes effect Nov. 1. Rep. Steve Vaughan, the author of the measure, said he filed the bill partly because of a pharmacist who has been charged with first-degree murder after shooting a masked robber six times in May 2009 inside an Oklahoma City pharmacy. Vaughan said HB 1439 is patterned after Oklahoma’s Make My Day Law, which allows use of deadly force against someone who has unlawfully entered a dwelling. The homeowner is presumed to have a reasonable fear of being harmed."

GA: Woman brings a gun to a knife fight: "A domestic dispute at an Albany motel left two people wounded. Police say the boyfriend wouldn't let his girlfriend leave the motel. She says she shot him in self defense. Green tells police Curry got angry with her. He pulled out a knife and cut her chest just below her right breast and inside her right hand. Green said she got a handgun and shot Willie Curry in the right shoulder in self defense. She was able to get away. Officers did not arrest or charge anyone. Curry was treated and released from the hospital Friday night."


CO: Father-son fight spawns gunfire: "A family fight in Colorado Springs erupted in gunfire Tuesday night when a man shot at his son in what he said was self-defense, police said. Angry at his father, 29-year-old John Ziegler III grabbed a gun inside the home he shares with his parents and fired a single round into the dining room ceiling. His father then ran outside to his vehicle and got a second weapon, police said. As Ziegler III emerged from the front door, the father, believing his son intended to shoot him, fired a round at his son, missing. Ziegler III [son] was booked into El Paso County jail on a $2,000 bond, on suspicion of felony menacing and two misdemeanors related to the attack.

La.: Man opens fire, thwarts vehicle burglary: "Two young men trying to burglarize a truck in Chalmette got the worst of it when one got his arm rolled over by the getaway driver and the other was shot at by the owner of the vehicle, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy James Pohlmann said. Both men escaped in a gray Dodge following the 7 p.m. incident Wednesday night in the 2300 block Corinne Drive. The truck's owner, who came outside of his home with a handgun when he saw someone climbing into his vehicle, told deputies he thought he hit the driver of the getaway car when he fired twice after the driver allegedly pointed a gun at him, authorities said. The getaway car stopped and the suspect, described as a teenager, got into the vehicle with his arm dangling as if it was broken, authorities said. The car then sped away. No charged were filed against the vehicle owner because he appeared to have acted in self defense, Pohlmann said."


Mexico wants to sue U.S. gun makers: "CBS News has learned that the Mexican Government has retained an American law firm to explore filing civil charges against U.S. gun manufacturers and distributors over the flood of guns crossing the border into Mexico. Sources say Mexico's frustration with U.S. efforts to stop the flow of weapons has pushed them into this novel approach. The law firm is looking at charges that may include civil RICO. Christopher Renzulli of New York, who has represented U.S. gun makers for fifteen years, says he believes this would be a difficult case for the Mexican government to win. "The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act would bar that kind of lawsuit from the start. The law, passed in 2005 has resulted in several lawsuits against gun makers being dismissed."


Iowa Paper Recklessly Publishes Names Of All Handgun Permit Holders Endangering Countless Lives: "A disturbing article was printed yesterday in an Iowa newspaper that publishes the names of all of the concealed carry permit applicants in a particular county. As the Wisconsin legislature considers what kind of concealed carry law they will pass: A shall-issue permit system (government registration, mandatory permit, permit tax(fee), government mandated training class, etc) OR constitutional carry (right to carry concealed without a permit just like we currently open-carry without a permit), it is important to consider the implications of permit systems and government registration."

Another strange NJ prosecution: "Aljava Gaither, 19, was charged with murder and weapons offenses in the fatal shooting of Craig Fitzgerald, 24, at the intersection of Calhoun and Bernard streets on April 9, prosecutors said... Fitzgerald hit Gaither over the head with the club, causing him to fall, the prosecutor said before explaining that “Gaither pulled out a a revolver trying to protect himself and shot Fitzgerald in the leg.” He said the bullet broke Fitzgerald’s leg and caused him to fall onto Gaither. “Gaither fired three more shots into the victim’s chest, one hit the sternum, severing the aorta,” Scott said. The victim was taken to the hospital and died. “Fitzgerald, when he saw my client, went upstairs to his apartment, got a club and assaulted my client,” Schroth said. Schroth described Fitzgerald as being 6-foot, 300 pounds and his client as being 5-4, 125. “As you can see, my client has six staples in his forehead from the blow. Clearly there was a violent assault on my client.”


MI: Judge says Second Amendment protects man's right to possess stun guns: "When a Bay City party store worker wore a “stun gun” on the job for personal protection, he was charged with a crime. A Bay County judge ruled today, though, that the Michigan law prohibiting possession of stun guns is unconstitutional. In a written opinion, 18th Circuit Court Judge Joseph K. Sheeran dismissed the weapons charge facing 41-year-old Dean S. Yanna on the basis that the law violates Yanna’s Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Sheeran concluded that because state law bans, rather than regulates, stun guns and Tasers, it violates the Second Amendment." Yanna was wearing the electric device on his belt for protection while working the night shift in June 2010 at the party store on Bay City’s West Side."

OK: Gunfire exchanged during attempted robbery at convenience store: "Shots were exchanged between a would-be robber and another person during an armed robbery at a convenience store Wednesday, police said. Police are searching for the robber and they were unsure whether he was struck during the exchange of gunfire at Ryan's Convenience Store, 9848 E. 21st St. The robber entered the store and demanded money. Preliminary information indicates that someone inside the store pulled a gun and fired at the robber. The robber returned fire and fled, Ashley said. "We are not sure if he was hit, but there is a possibility he was hit," Ashley said. "We have notified all of the hospitals to be watching for someone with a gunshot wound." The was described as being black, about 6 feet 2 inches tall and 20 to 30 years old. He was wearing a blue hoodie and a black bandana covering his face."


OK: Man killed in Medicine Park bar shootout: "Charles Timothy Taylor, 52, was escorted by Park Tavern employees out of the bar, 196 E Lake Dr., about midnight because several patrons had complained about his behavior, Brown said. Taylor then pulled out a knife and tried to stab bar employees and other patrons. ... Taylor shot at the owner and at a small crowd that had gathered, and fired inside the bar .... The bar's owner returned fire, fatally shooting Taylor, Brown said. 'I can’t imagine any self-respecting DA that would charge the bar owner for ventilating the perp.'"

WI: Tow operator won't be charged: "A tow truck driver who shot two men suspected of robbing him will not face charges for carrying a concealed weapon, the Milwaukee County district attorney's office announced Tuesday. The 28-year-old tow truck driver was called to the 9300 block of W. Silver Spring Drive on the city's northwest side to tow a car around 12:30 p.m. Friday when two men robbed him at knife point, police said. After handing over money, the driver struggled with the assailants, who cut him with a knife. The driver then took out a gun and shot both of the men, 18 and 22. The shooting victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Lovern said the district attorney expects to issue charges against the robbery suspects Wednesday. But the driver will not be charged with a misdemeanor because he acted "lawfully in self-defense," Lovern said. That's although Wisconsin, Illinois and the District of Columbia are the only places in the nation where it's illegal to carry a concealed weapon, according to the National Rifle Association."


Neb: Copper thief shot: "The shooting happened around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday at one of Wesley Hall’s properties near 32nd Street and Poppleton Avenue. Investigators said, when Hall encountered the man, a fight broke out, and the 41-year-old was shot in the leg. Paramedics took the man to the hospital in serious condition, but authorities said he’s expected to recover. Hall said he didn't want to hurt the man, but he felt he didn't have a choice. “I said, ‘Freeze! Don't move!’ And he came lurching at me,” Hall said. “I know in my heart this guy would have taken my gun, killed me and tried to pawn it or something and would have thought nothing of it,” Hall said. Hall calls the shooting self-defense and hopes this sends a message to the criminals. Officers gave Hall a ticket because his gun is not registered in Nebraska -- just in California. It will be up to the county attorney to decide on possible charges for both Hall and the man who was shot."


FL: Suspect shot in botched robbery: "Investigators said two masked men walked into the cafe, pointed a gun at the security guard and ordered everyone to get onto the ground. According to deputies, the guard confronted one of the men and scuffled ensued. At one point, the armed gunman fired at the security guard, but deputies said the guard sought cover and was uninjured. Deputies said the guard returned fire and shot one of the gunmen. Minutes later, Orange County deputies received a call about a shooting victim who was dropped off at a motel near the intersection of Clarcona-Ocoee Road and Orange Blossom Trail. The man, believed to be a suspect in the cafe shooting, was transported to a hospital where he died."


What to do if you have to use your gun in self-defense: "You should first be certain that the threat is removed before you lower your guard. Then, call 911 and say that there has been a shooting. Describe the immediate need for ambulance and police (and fire department if applicable). Tell the 911 operator where you are, how many people are wounded etc. Do not have your gun in your hand when police arrive unless you absolutely must hold someone at gun point. In either case, make sure that you describe yourself and your clothing."

IN: Drug dealer acted in self-defense: "The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office never sought an indictment against Terrell Williams for the Nov. 16, 2009, fatal shooting of Roosevelt Morris, but a federal grand jury indicted him on drug charges related to the incident, and Monday he agreed to plead guilty. Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2010. It found Williams had obtained some cocaine in Indianapolis and arranged to distribute it to three people in Evansville, but one of them tried to rob Williams of the crack, and Williams shot him with a handgun. The Evansville Police Department identified that person as Morris, who died of a chest wound a short time later at St. Mary's Medical Center. On Dec. 5, 2009, Williams was arrested during a traffic stop in Indianapolis. In May, the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office declined to seek a grand jury indictment against Williams because it was believed he had a legitimate self-defense claim. The case was turned over to the FBI's local Violent Crimes Task Force to see if Williams could be charged with any federal crimes."


No charges for school safety agent who fired at thieves in Brooklyn gun battle: "A school safety agent who grabbed a gun from a wounded cop and fired at thieves in Brooklyn will not be charged, authorities said Monday. Eugene Pitts, 50, of Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, is not licensed to carry a gun and has been under law enforcement scrutiny for his role in the dramatic gun battle inside a Bedford-Stuyvesant auto shop on Saturday night. The Brooklyn district attorney's office said Monday that Pitts was in the clear. Pitts was hanging out inside the shop with friends Saturday when four or five robbers ordered everyone onto the ground, police sources said. After Presley passed out, Pitts grabbed the cop's Glock and chased the thieves, shooting at them after they fired on him, law enforcement sources said. Two of the thieves were shot, hospitalized and charged with attempted murder and robbery."


OR: A gun permit — and a medical marijuana card: "Cynthia Willis calls up and down the firing range to be sure everyone knows she is shooting, squares up in a two-handed stance with her Walther P-22 automatic pistol and fires off a clip in rapid succession. Willis is not only packing a concealed handgun permit in her wallet, she also has a medical marijuana card. That combination has led the local sheriff to try to take her gun permit away."


ME: Panel okays bill to let guns in State House: "A bill that would allow guns in the Maine State House has been narrowly endorsed by a legislative committee, even as efforts continue to bolster security in the Capitol. The proposal sponsored by Representative Dale Crafts, Republican of Lisbon, would allow concealed-weapon permit holders to bring guns into the State House, the state office building that is connected by tunnel and nearby parking areas. Maine Today Media said the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted 7-4 Friday to recommend the bill, setting the stage for floor debate."

Brady Campaign's "Tasteless, Despicable" Anti-Gun Ad

By NRA

We have reported many times on the Brady Campaign’s rush to exploit tragedy for political gain. Since its inception as the National Council to Control Handguns over 30 years ago, the group has premised its entire agenda on this kind of exploitation for political gain, and on the notion that having more gun control laws and, therefore, fewer guns, means that crime must necessarily decrease.

Since the senseless January 8 attack on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her innocent staff and constituents, anti-Second Amendment groups have been working overtime to exploit the tragedy to resurrect their political agendas. The Brady Campaign’s most recent, tasteless ploy may represent a new low.

The group has coined the term “assault clip” to describe magazines that are capable of holding more than 10 rounds. They are claiming that these “assault clips” lead to more crime and should therefore be banned. This is nothing more than a rehash of the magazine bans they’ve been supporting for nearly two decades, but they promote it with a despicable twist.

The group’s new ad shows a young male shooter on a range, shooting a pistol at silhouette targets first depicting a young girl, then a series of other innocent citizens.

The imagery is meant to support the Brady assertion that, “large capacity ammunition magazines are designed to enable shooting mass numbers of people quickly and efficiently without reloading.” But in truth, the ad insults not just the intelligence of viewers, but also the good name of the millions of honest Americans who own such firearms and magazines.

Today, Americans own more semi-automatic rifles than ever before, and more self-defense handguns with standard magazines that hold more than 10 rounds than ever before. Yet despite gun ban groups' predictions, the nation's violent crime rate is at a 35-year low.

Source




OK: Angry intruder shot: "Investigators said Raymond Stauffer, 38, called 911 from his home in the 300 block of East Fairchild and told a dispatcher that he has just shot someone. Wilkinson was found lying on living room floor, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Stauffer told police that Wilkinson was upset with him regarding comments he allegedly made about Wilkinson’s wife, according to a police news release. Wilkinson called Stauffer at his home earlier in the night and told Stauffer he was going to come over and kick in his door, police said. Stauffer said he grabbed a handgun after hearing several loud knocks at his front door at about 11 p.m., according to the news release. Stauffer said he opened the door because he could not see outside, and Wilkinson forced his way in the home.
According to the release, Stauffer said Wilkinson tried to grab his gun, and that is when Stauffer fired his weapon, killing Wilkinson. Mr. Stauffer has not been arrested"


DC Circuit court revives suit challenging firearms laws: "A federal appeals court in Washington today ruled in favor of a Canadian man and a gun advocacy organization in reviving a suit that challenges the constitutionality of firearm regulations that ban non-residents from purchasing guns in the United States."


MI: History teacher arraigned on weapons charges: "A Michigan history teacher was arraigned on charges he had a handgun and live ammunition in his car, MyFoxDetroit.com reports. Raymond Schepansky, 52, was charged Saturday with carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a weapon on school property and felony firearm. Schepansky, an Army veteran who has been teaching for 13 years, was arrested near Plymouth, Canton and Salem High Schools after he allegedly made threats against fellow staff members, according to the station. The threats alarmed school administrators, who then canceled classes last week for more than 6,000 students at the Plymouth Canton high schools."

The Gang That Won’t Shoot Straight

Hollywood and Washington are rife with elites opposed to the right to bear arms for folks in flyover country “who cling to guns or religion,” as their champion in the White House described us.

Some notable exceptions include Tom Selleck, who supports the Second Amendment. He stars in the Jesse Stone film series. Selleck snuffing bad guys—what’s not to like? Jesse’s advice: “In a fight—front sight.”

In the premiere episode, Jesse’s weakness, besides drinking too much, is for a liberal city attorney who sounds like the only bar exam she passed was for mixing martinis. She looks at a photo of a shortstop diving to catch a line drive, and asks, “That would be baseball?” But the clincher is when she asks Jesse if he’s ever killed anyone. His affirmative answer prompts her to ask why he couldn’t just shoot to wound. She gets Jesse’s “Shooting for Dummies” lecture: “He had a machete.”

It may have been his appearance on Rosie O’Donnell’s TV show in 1999 that prepared Selleck to play opposite an anti-gun twit so well. He was on the show to plug his latest movie, but O’Donnell ambushed him about his association with the NRA and big, bad guns.

First of all, no straight woman I know would sit next to Tom Selleck and deliberately annoy him. Secondly, I don’t know any woman who rails against the Second Amendment while employing armed guards to protect her home and her children.

O’Donnell is included among Handgun Control, Inc. members George Lucas, Jerry Seinfeld, Harrison Ford and Ed Asner, according to Robert Ito, writing for Los Angeles Magazine (Aug. 1999, p. 30). Ted Szajer, co-owner of L.A. Guns “and arms dealer to some of Hollywood’s most famous shooters,” told Ito: “I’ve had many [celebrities] in my store buying guns from me that have been very vocally anti-gun in the past.”

“A quick scan of police reports,” according to Ito, “turns up Christian Slater, Al Pacino, Harry Connick, Jr. (concealed weapons charges), Martin Lawrence and James Caan.”

Sharon Stone, according to Ito, “got the LAPD to make a highly publicized house call to dispose of her cache of firearms.” If a woman in Texas did that, the cops would take her in for a mental health evaluation. In Texas, if you ask women if they enjoy shooting, they don’t hyperventilate or call the cops. You’re more likely to hear about the handgun/ rifle/shotgun range on their property and their conceal/carry license.

Hollywood elites, who fly in private jets, ride in chauffeured limos, own numerous palatial estates, hire armed guards, carry guns and tell the rest of us to go green and turn our Glocks into plowshares, support congressional elites like Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who hasn’t met a gun control law she doesn’t love. According to a leading expert on guns and violence, John R. Stott:

* Among celebrities who hold concealed-handgun permits are Bill Cosby, Cybil Shepherd, U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein, Howard Stern, Donald Trump, William F. Buckley, Jr., and Chairman Arthur O. Sulzberger of The New York Times. (More Guns Less Crime, John R. Lott, Jr. p. 15.)

* When asked by the media “how it looks for a senator to be packing heat,” Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell answered, “You'd be surprised how many senators have guns.” (More Guns Less Crime, p. 15.)

During her testimony before U.S. Senate hearings on terrorism held in Washington, D.C. on April 27, 1995, Feinstein said: “I know the urge to arm yourself because that’s what I did. I was trained in firearms. I’d walk to the hospital when my husband was sick. I carried a concealed weapon. I made the determination that if somebody was going to try to take me out, I was going to take them with me.”

Feinstein was one of 16 Democrats in 2006 who voted against legislation that prohibited confiscation of guns during an emergency or major disaster, which is what happened during Hurricane Katrina when New Orleans officials “pursued a policy of seizing lawfully-possessed firearms from law-abiding residents.”

Feinstein was highly critical of the Supreme Court’s 2008 ruling in Heller v. District of Columbia upholding the right of an individual to keep and bear arms as secured by the Second Amendment. According to The Democrat Daily, a progressive Web site. Feinstein said: “I guess I didn’t really think that they would do this. I think it opens this nation to a dramatic lack of safety. … And I happen to believe that [the] Second Amendment does relate to the keeping of a militia. And I happen to believe that this is now going to open the door to litigation against every gun safety law that states have passed – assault weapons bans, trigger locks, and all the rest of it.”

According to a Zogby poll taken after the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and 19 others in Tucson, Ariz., “60 percent of those surveyed said the shootings should not lead to stronger gun control laws, and 71% doubt stricter laws will be enacted.”

As usual, Feinstein disagrees and said she “was exploring the idea of reviving a law to limit the size of ammunition clips,” according to Lott’s Web site, Jan. 16, 2011. On Feb. 1, Feinstein asked “the President to tighten restrictions on semi-automatic rifles,” according to the NRA.

That brings us to H.R. 822, “The National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011, co-sponsored by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) and Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.). It would enable millions of conceal/carry permit holders to exercise their right to self-defense while traveling outside their home states. The bill has 163 co-sponsors in the House.

A survey taken by the National Association of Chiefs of Police (NACOP) in 2006 “shows that the nation’s top law enforcement officers believe that average citizens can be trusted to responsibly own firearms; that criminals ignore gun control laws; and that concealed carry laws reduce crime.”

If integrity, public safety, and the Constitution mattered, Feinstein would be chief sponsor of a Senate version of H.R. 822.

Source




OH: Pet store robbery turns into shootout: "Police were called to the Neptune Corner Pet Store on E. 71st Street around 8 p.m. Saturday after two men attempted to rob the store at gunpoint. The store owner told police that the two men entered the store with guns already drawn. But he didn't give in easily. The owner of the store was able to get to his own gun. Both the owner and the suspects fired rounds at eachother. After the shootout, the suspects fled the store in an unknown direction. The store owner was not injured and was unable to say whether or not the suspects were injured in the incident. The two suspects wore masks over their faces during the robbery. The store owner could only say that they were black men."


SAF Sues Over Massachusetts Gun Ban For Legal Alien Residents: "The Second Amendment Foundation today filed a federal lawsuit challenging a law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that denies legal resident aliens the licenses required to possess a handgun in the home for self-defense, or purchase any kind of firearm. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Joining SAF in this lawsuit are Commonwealth Second Amendment, a Massachusetts grassroots organization, and two British citizens who reside in the commonwealth. They are represented by attorney Joseph M. Hickson III of Springfield. Defendants are Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert C. Haas, Northboro Police Chief Mark k. Leahy and Jason A. Guida, director of the Firearms Records Bureau in Chelsea. The lawsuit alleges that Christopher M. Fletcher of Cambridge and Eoin M. Pryal of Northboro – both legal resident aliens – have been specifically denied the ability to obtain a Firearms Identification Card or a License to Carry of any kind."

WI: Robbery victim shoots suspects: "Two men who tried to rob a tow truck driver at knifepoint were wounded Friday afternoon when the driver pulled out a gun and shot the two on Milwaukee's northwest side, police said. The suspects are ages 18 and 22. They suffered wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening. The 28-year-old male driver was about to tow a car in the 9300 block of W. Silver Spring Drive when the two tried to rob him at about 12:30 p.m., police said. After handing over money the driver began struggling with the robbers and suffered a minor cut. He then pulled out a gun and shot the two, police said."


WA: Store employee shoots, kills suspected burglar in Seattle: "An employee of an outdoor power equipment business in the Georgetown neighborhood shot and killed a suspected burglar Thursday night during a break-in, according to Seattle police. A paper sign that simply read "Closed today" fluttered in the shattered doorway of Sharp's Outdoor Power Equipment in Georgetown on Friday, where an employee fatally shot a suspected burglar in the head and held a second man at gunpoint during a break-in Thursday night. The King County Medical Examiner's Office identified James Philip Stapleton as the 46-year-old man who was shot and died near the front of the business at 5931 Fourth Ave. S. Stapleton was carrying a chain saw when he was confronted by the store employee and shot about 11:20 p.m. Thursday, said Seattle police Sgt. Sean Whitcomb. The 59-year-old store employee detained the second suspected intruder, a 49-year-old man, until police arrived. The employee who shot Stapleton was interviewed and released by police"


TX: Jury declines to indict man for murder in drug-related double killing: "A Dallas County jury declined Friday to indict a man charged with capital murder in a drug-related double killing witnessed by dozens of people Feb. 16 near East Mockingbird Lane and Greenville Avenue. Jason Greer Frappier was arrested along with Christian Emanuel Avalos after a shooting in the Burger Street parking lot that left Chadwick Daniel Ryan, 27, of Arlington and Robert Manuel Allen, 29, of Dallas dead. Police said the men were conducting a drug deal, and Frappier was shot in the arm during the incident. Defense attorney Bill Wirskye said Frappier was defending himself during a robbery. “It was a clear case of self-defense,” he said."


VA: Liquor den shooting self-defense: "A Hampton man was acquitted Thursday of killing a man during an early-morning argument at a shot house last summer. Oris Wiggins, 39, of Sunbriar Way, was found not guilty of murder and use of a firearm in a felony in the death of Timothy Terelle Brand, 33. Brand was slain just after 6 a.m. on Aug. 8, 2010 at the shot house — a home at which liquor is sold and served illegally — on 45th Street. Wiggins' attorney, Shawn W. Overbey, argued that the shooting was a justified act of self-defense. "It's easy for a Monday morning quarterback to say we would have done things differently, but my client had a split-second to make a decision," Overbey said. During the trial, Overbey said he put a police detective, Mark Wagner, on the stand. The detective testified that when he interviewed people who were at the crime scene, a female witness told him: "Basically, it was like 'Quick Draw McGraw' — who was going to shoot who first."

The founders' intention fulfilled!

The world's largest army is America’s hunters!

A blogger added up the deer license sales in just a handful of states and arrived at a striking conclusion:

* There were over 600,000 hunters this season in the state of Wisconsin

* Allow me to restate that number.

* Over the last several months, Wisconsin's hunters became the eighth largest army in the world.

* More men under arms than in Iran .

* More than in France and Germany combined.

* These men deployed to the woods of a single American state to hunt with firearms, and no one was killed.

* That number pales in comparison to the 750,000 who hunted the woods of Pennsylvania and Michigan's 700,000 hunters, all of whom have now Returned home.

* Toss in a quarter million hunters in West Virginia and it literally establishes the fact that the hunters of those four states alone would comprise the largest Army in the world.

* The point?

* America is well positioned to deal with foreign invasion with this kind of home-grown firepower.

* Hunting -- it's not just a way to fill the freezer. It's a matter of both personal freedom and contribution to national security.

Source





NY: Homeowner shoots intruder who killed his dog: "A gunman and two other suspects forced their way inside a two-story, yellow-colored home on Adams Street in East Islip around 2 a.m. Once inside the home, the suspect armed with a .22 caliber rifle shot the family’s pit bull. A man who lives in the home, grabbed a shotgun and returned fire, police said."


Grassroots gun rights groups gain momentum: "Considering that there are an estimated 80 million gun owners in the United States, it should be no surprise that local organizations devoted to protecting and promoting gun rights -- especially in the wake of the 2008 Heller ruling and the 2010 McDonald decision by the U.S. Supreme Court -- have been springing up, growing in numbers and gaining political clout"


OH: Bill for concealed guns in bars advances in state Senate: "Despite strong objections from law enforcement, a Senate committee approved a bill yesterday that would allow Ohioans to carry concealed weapons into bars and restaurants - provided they don't drink. The Senate is expected to act quickly on the legislation, voting as early as today, according to Senate Judiciary Chairman Timothy J. Grendell, R-Chesterland. A Senate spokesman downplayed the possibility of an immediate vote, however. Before the committee voted 7-2 to approve Senate Bill 17, opponents warned legislators that the proposal to loosen Ohio's gun law would lead to more violence, and they questioned how waiters and bartenders would be able to enforce the drinking ban." The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster, is similar to a measure that failed in the General Assembly last year. But it's expected to pass this year after last fall's election of strong Republican majorities in the Senate and House."

Gun Owners' Guide to the 2012 Election

This week, the picture is finally complete. First, the Obama White House decided to leap headfirst into the gun control debate. Then came the response from Congress, which is far more interested in investigating the "Fast and Furious" scandal, in which federal agents allowed thousands of guns to be "walked" into Mexico and furnished to drug cartels. And now the final piece: President Barack Obama has filed his papers to run for re-election.

That in a nutshell is all gun owners need to know about the 2012 presidential election. After two years of avoiding the gun control debate (and violating his own campaign promises to push for additional restrictions), Obama finally is showing his true colors on this important issue.

Let's not forget that this is the same candidate who once espoused a total ban on handguns and more recently supported a nationwide ban on right-to-carry laws. And if he couldn't get that done, he said he would support increasing the taxes on guns and ammunition by 500 percent. Now he is trying to be measured about his gun control objectives, using vague and gauzy rhetoric that his handlers hope will be difficult to hang around his neck.

But can there be any doubt that during a second term, Obama would unleash the full power of the presidency toward destroying our Second Amendment rights? He already has appointed two Supreme Court justices who are now on record opposing the opinions that confirm that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms. And those opinions both came down on the thinnest possible margin, 5-4. If even one justice retires or otherwise departs from the court, Obama will have a clear path to install another opponent of our freedoms and tip the balance against us.

Meanwhile, unbelievably, even while the White House pursues new restrictions on our rights, the bureaucratic apparatus of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has been allowing known smugglers to arm drug cartels in Mexico. By encouraging honest gun dealers to consummate the sales of thousands of guns to shady characters and then allowing the smugglers to move the guns into Mexico unimpeded, one of our own federal law enforcement agencies has been fueling cartel violence in Mexico.

These shocking revelations have been brought forward by courageous whistle-blowers in ATF field offices, and the official reaction has been to divert attention and stonewall all inquiries. But the diversion tactics haven't worked; even mainstream media outlets are catching on to this appalling scandal.

But the stonewalling continues. Congressional investigators gave the ATF until March 30 to turn over the documents they requested. But the deadline flew by, ignored in flagrant bureaucratic defiance. Now the heat is really on because the ATF defied the one committee that can do something about it.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has issued a subpoena for the documents it is seeking. Officials at the ATF will have to furnish the requested documents and appear in person to answer questions or risk their own incarceration. How bitterly ironic is that? These are the guys who are supposed to be enforcing our laws, not being jailed for their contempt of them.

Some observers of this scandal believe that these documents will confirm the darkest suspicions over "Fast and Furious" -- that the illicit gun smuggling was allowed and encouraged in order to drive up the number of guns recovered in Mexico that could be traced back to U.S. gun stores. Anyone interested in driving up those numbers could have only one reason: to justify new restrictions on our Second Amendment rights.

Finally, this past week saw the official filing of papers for the Obama re-election campaign. Decidedly de-emphasized by the White House, this moment nonetheless marks a turning point in the administration. Now the accounting begins.

The Obama machine is detecting a profound buyer's remorse in the ranks of its original supporters -- and who could blame them? This president campaigned to end the war in Iraq, but now he's started a new one in Libya. He campaigned to close down Guantanamo, but now he's cleared the way for accused terrorists there to face military tribunals. He campaigned to push for more gun control but didn't bother until it was evident that his administration instead was defying international law and arming drug cartels. About the only thing this president promised and did force through was a massive nationalization of health care, but now he's handing out waivers to political cronies so they don't have to comply.

Despite all this, Obama could easily win re-election as it stands today. And he will be spending the next year and a half working feverishly to guarantee this result. It may well be that the best strategy to defeat him is to ask his supporters whether they have gotten what they bargained for.

Source





Alabama woman found not guilty of killing husband: "An Alabama woman has been found not guilty of murder in the shooting death of her husband, who was buried in their backyard in 2006. Sandra Hocutt told jurors that she shot her husband, Danny Hocutt, in self-defense. The 60-year-old Hocutt says her husband locked her inside their house for a few days, beating her, choking her and firing a gun at her. Hocutt said after her husband received an unfortunate diagnosis at the doctor, he began drinking heavily, using cocaine and he always carried a gun. She said he locked her inside the home, which had bars over the windows and doors and switched off power and phone service to their home. Finally, she said, she shot him once as he lay in bed. The couple had been married only three months." [Not so sure about this one. It was her 7th marriage]


FL: One dead, two others shot during robbery attempt: "Two people trying to rob a house late Tuesday night were shot by one of the home's occupants, who was in fear for his life, authorities said. One of the robbers — 19-year-old Anson B. Felton of Clearwater — died. Another suspect was found wounded at a local hospital. During the struggle, the resident who fired at his attackers accidentally shot one of his roommates, authorities said. That person was treated at a local hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating because the incident happened just outside Clearwater city limits. Detectives don't believe the robbery was a random incident and are investigating any connections between the intruders and the residents.

PA: State's self-defense bill advances in House vote: "The state House overwhelmingly has approved a bill expanding people's right to defend themselves and their families, a measure that opponents say will put lives at risk and create a Wild West mentality in Pennsylvania. The legislation, passed Monday by a 164-37 vote and sent to the Senate, removes the obligation to first seek a reasonable attempt to get away before using lethal force in self-defense. "Now there will be no duty to retreat. You can defend yourself," said the bill's sponsor, Scott Perry, R-York. The legislation is intended as protection against criminal and civil penalties for people who fire guns to defend themselves and their families from imminent threats.


CA: Do as I say, not as I do: "Assembly Chief Sergeant-at-Arms Ronald Pane has given four legislators permission to carry concealed weapons in the state Capitol, according to two senior Senate staff members who have been informed of the decision. State law prohibits carrying loaded firearms and deadly weapons in public buildings, except under limited conditions. A 2010 bill by Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani, D-Livingston, tightened the law, requiring that most holders of concealed weapons permits or other gun licenses get permission from the sergeants-at-arms of the state Assembly or the state Senate in order to bring their gun in the Capitol or legislative office buildings."

Mayoral Team Richard Daley & Rahm Emanuel Oppose Right-to-Carry: "In an unsurprising move, two of Chicago’s most prominent, and most anti-gun, politicians joined forces with a coalition of gun ban groups to oppose Right-to-Carry in Illinois. Illinois is one of only two remaining states that deny citizens the ability to carry firearms for self-defense. Mayor Richard Daley (D) and mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel (D-whose most recent job was President Obama’s chief of staff) resorted to the usual blather to demonstrate their opposition to qualified, law-abiding Illinoisans being able to protect themselves and their loved ones. (Daley opined in his statement, “This bill must be defeated. Allowing concealed handguns in Illinois can turn the simplest everyday activities into dangerous situations.”)"


When seconds count, it is better to be armed: "'When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.' People often hear this statement thrown about and automatically believe that it is a derogatory statement against our police officers. That line of thought could not be further from the truth. The fact is, it has absolutely nothing to do with the police, but everything to do with the limitations of physics."


Cuccinelli says guns in churches are okay if they’re for self-defense: "Virginians may carry weapons for personal protection into places of worship while religious services are being conducted, according to a new legal opinion by Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R). Virginia law bars carrying weapons in churches and other worship houses while a religious meeting is being held unless a person has “good and sufficient reason.” In an opinion written Friday and posted on Cuccinelli’s Web site Monday, Cuccinelli indicates that the “right of self-defense lies at the heart of the right to keep and bear arms.” Therefore, he concludes that “carrying a weapon for personal protection constitutes a good and sufficient reason under the statute.” However, Cuccinelli indicates that places of worship can choose to restrict or bar weapons if they wish"

AZ road rager shot, killed: "Gilbert police say they've released a man who fatally shot another driver after a roadside confrontation. Mitchell Fickes was pronounced dead at a hospital after the Saturday evening shooting. The 56-year-old had apparently gotten out of his truck with a gun and was approaching a pickup driven by a 23-year-old man when that man got out and opened fire. Police said Sunday it appeared the unidentified 23-year-old acted in self-defense and he was released after questioning. The Maricopa County Attorney will review the case."


IL: Will gun-owner identities stay secret?: "It’s highly likely that the identity of Illinois gun owners will continue to be protected from public disclosure. Legislation passed in the state House of Representatives Friday circumvents the efforts of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who is fighting to make the names and expiration dates of all state-issued firearm owner identification cards available through the state’s Freedom of Information Act. Attorney General Madigan contends that citizens deserved to know who owns guns in their communities while gun rights advocates said the measure would lead to increased crime."


The truth about school shootings: "The truth about school shootings: they happen. Not often. But when they do, they are horrific. What could be more of a nightmare than kissing your child goodbye in the morning, leaving him or her in the care of others and never seeing your loved one alive again? Here’s what I don’t get. If your child died at school because their care-givers failed to protect them from a foreseeable accident, you’d blame the teachers, administrators and school system. You might even blame yourself for putting your child in that school. But if a child is shot at school, it’s society’s fault for giving him access to a gun. Where’s the sense in that?"

OH: Man shoots intruder, both arrested: "Cleveland police Sgt. Sammy Morris said 31-year-old Jason Andrews, of Cleveland, didn’t have permission when he went into 44-year-old Samuel Wilson’s house. The two men started arguing about money and that’s when Wilson pulled out a gun, police said. According to the Cleveland Police Department, Wilson shot Andrews in the head and stomach. Police said Andrews fled through the house and out a window. Officers found him about 2 miles away and he was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center to be treated for his injuries. Police also learned that Andrews’ vehicle had been driving was stolen during an robbery and arrested him for aggravated burglary and receiving stolen property. Wilson was arrested for felonious assault. The incident remains under investigation." [A strange arrest]


Arizona legislature OKs guns on campus: "Arizona's legislature passed a bill Thursday to allow guns on the streets and sidewalks of public college campuses. The latest attempt to expand gun owners’ rights in Arizona – by allowing them to carry their weapons on public college campuses – is now up to Gov. Jan Brewer. On Thursday, Senate Bill 1467, which had already cleared the Senate, passed in the House 33 to 24. The bill was narrowed from its original version, which would have allowed guns in campus buildings as well."