US attorney-general censured over botched gun sting

And an Obama coverup

A congressional committee has voted to hold United States attorney-general Eric Holder in contempt of congress for not releasing critical documents which reviewed a failed gun trafficking investigation.

Over a two-year period US federal agents allowed more than 2,000 guns to cross the border into Mexico, in an operation known as "Fast and Furious".  The agents hoped to track the guns to a drug cartel but lost track of most of them.

A committee investigating the botched operation asked Mr Holder to release all relevant documents.  He released thousands of documents but said certain other documents were classified and it would be against the law to release them.

In a party-line decision, the committee voted 23 to 17 to have him held in contempt of congress.

Darrell Issa, a Republican congressman from California, said the operation contributed to the deaths of countless Mexican citizens.

"It has soured our relationship with our neighbour to the south," he said.  "It has created an ongoing safety problem here in the United States in which even the attorney-general has admitted more lives could be lost.  "The Department of Justice has fought this committee's investigation every step of the way."

The committee will now send its report to the floor of congress for a full vote on its adoption next week.

An official charged with contempt could be punished with a fine or jail, but the more likely result is weeks or months of controversy feeding into the presidential election campaign.

The vote came after an intervention from president Barack Obama, who invoked executive privilege to allow Mr Holder to withhold the documents.  It was Mr Obama's first use of executive privilege in response to a congressional investigation.

Republicans have used the situation to portray Mr Obama as a participant in a cover-up.  "Until now, everyone believed that the decisions regarding Fast and Furious were confined to the Department of Justice," said Michael Steel, a spokesman for House speaker John Boehner.

"The White House decision to invoke executive privilege implies that White House officials were either involved in the Fast and Furious operation or the cover-up that followed."

Trey Gowdy, a South Carolina Republican and former federal prosecutor, said it had been a sad but necessary day.  "The notion that you can withhold information and documents from Congress no matter whether you are the party in power or not in power is wrong," he said.  "Respect for the rule of law must mean something irrespective of the vicissitudes of political cycles."

Even before the vote, the White House criticised the panel.    "Instead of creating jobs or strengthening the middle-class, congressional Republicans are spending their time on a politically-motivated, taxpayer-funded election-year fishing expedition," White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer said.

Source




 
TX: Clerk shoots fleeing robber:  "The clerk said he was behind the counter at B&J Grocery in the 2800 block of Chihuahua Street about 1:45 p.m. Tuesday when a man walked into the store, bought some items and left without incident.  He told police the man returned to the store and brought an 18-pack of beer to the counter.  As the clerk was ringing up the purchase, the robber punched him in the face and opened the register. He ran away from the store with cash and the 18-pack, the clerk said.  The employee said he reached for a .38-caliber pistol and fired five rounds at the man, but was unsure if he hit him.  Police caught up with a man who matched the suspect's description and who had been shot in the abdomen and hip.  The suspect, Edward de Leon, 37, was taken to University Hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening."


FL: Owner of gold store shoots alleged robber:  "A man who police say robbed a business on Archer Road that buys gold got the worst of the deal Wednesday afternoon when the owner followed him outside and shot him in the leg.  About 15 minutes after the shooting, a man identified as Kouvaris Roberts, 23, showed up at North Florida Regional Medical Center dressed only in boxer shorts with a gunshot wound to his right thigh. The Gainesville Police Department was alerted, and officers arrived at the hospital to detain Roberts for the attempted robbery.   Police say Roberts demanded cash and gold from owner Timothy Howlett at gunpoint. Robbers left the store and Howlett followed, police said. At that point (Roberts) points his gun at (Howlett), and that’s when he shot,” said GPD spokeswoman Cpl. Angelina Valuri."


AR: Manager Pulls Gun on Alleged Teen Robber:  "A teen was arrested Tuesday night in Fort Smith after police say he attempted to rob Chaffee Liquor with a knife.  The store manager pulled a gun on the attempted aggravated robber then called police.  Cpl. Steven Dooly says the 16-year-old went into Chaffee Liquor on the corner of Massard and Zero Street around 8:20 p.m. Manager Jerry Hurlocker told police the teen walked to the counter with a folding lock blade knife and threatened him with it saying, ‘Give me all your f—ing money!’ according to the report. After a second threat, Hurlocker reached under a shelf and picked up his revolver. He then pointed it at the boy and told him to drop the knife, said Cpl. Dooly.  Police say the teen dropped the knife while Hurlocker called 911 and held the suspect at gunpoint until officers arrived"

Va: Pizza delivery driver shoots, wounds stun-gun wielding bandit:  "A pizza delivery driver shot and wounded a stun-gun wielding man who had tried to rob him early today, Richmond police said.  Police responded about 2:16 a.m. to a shooting in the 00 block of East Broad Street, officials said in a news release.  After officers arrived, they learned that the victim had been shot after he tried to rob the pizza delivery driver, who fired in self-defense. The driver, 33, was not injured.  Michael T. Caballero, 19, who police said had no fixed address, was charged with robbery and two counts of possession of drugs with intent to distribute.   Caballero was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said."


MD: Craigslist robbery goes awry as buyer, seller come armed:  "The couple in search of a car found the sedan they wanted for sale on Craigslist for $4,000. They arranged a meeting Monday night on a street in Bolton Hill lined with 19th-century rowhouses.  But Baltimore police said both the seller and the buyer took guns to the transaction. And when one of the men who posted the ad drew his weapon and demanded money from the prospective buyer, police said his female acquaintance pulled her own gun and fired into the air.  The gunman dropped his weapon on Bolton Street and the woman gave chase, "firing her weapon numerous times indiscriminately in the air," said city police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. No one was hit by gunfire, but police said they seized both guns and arrested the victim on weapons charges.  "We understand that this was a terrifying, frightening situation, but when you fire a gun into the air, you become part of the problem," Guglielmi said of the female victim in Monday's Bolton Hill attack. "The best thing to is to be a good witness and call the police."  The two men who tried to rob the couple escaped"  [She should have shot the SOB straight=off]


Bang! Was that “gun violence” or self-defense?:  "'Gun violence' hand-wringers love to propagandize multi-victim shooting sprees in schools, malls and other oxymoronic 'gun free zones' but they never seem to consider just how many lives might have been saved from 'gun violence' if an honest, armed citizen had been there to put the shooter down. What's lost in the whole 'gun violence' mania is that guns aren't violent; people are violent."


Federal judge strikes down part of Chicago's gun law:  "Chicago's firearm ordinance took another blow Tuesday when a federal judge ruled that the section banning permits for people convicted of unlawful use of a weapon is vague and unconstitutional.  The city must now decide whether to appeal the ruling or rewrite the part of its gun ordinance that bars individuals convicted of even misdemeanor offenses from possessing a firearm in their home for self-defense.  The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Shawn Gowder, who claimed his constitutional right to bear arms was violated when he was denied a firearm permit two years ago because of a misdemeanor conviction for possessing a gun on a public street.  The lawsuit, backed by the National Rifle Association, is one of at least five cases pending against the city's gun ordinance"

NY: Security guard shoots man who had threatened him:  "One thing is not in dispute.  A security guard t the Gibbs Place Apartments shot his weapon twice Friday night, severely wounding a 32-year-old man.   Witnesses say Paul Ravenel charged the security guard with a knife earlier that night.  After he was disarmed he vowed to come back again with a gun.   Police were called, but an arrest never happened.  Reasons why are unclear.  What is clear is that Ravenel made good on his threat to return to the apartments on Chestnut Street in Rochester.   Rodgers says Ravenel returned to the scene carrying a black bag and reaching inside it.  He described how the man ignored the security guard’s directive to step back. Ravenel was shot twice as he raised the bag with his hand.  Inside the bag was a hammer.  Cruz-Romero has been charged with assault.  A grand jury will determine whether the case will move forward or whether this is a case of self-defense."


SC:  Deputies say Woman Shoots Ex-Husband In Self Defense:  "Laurens County deputies say a woman who admitted to shooting her ex-husband will not be charged in the shooting because they believe she acted in self defense.  Tammy Duvall told deputies she had a friend over at her house and was about to go outside when she heard a car door shut.  Duvall told deputies she grabbed a gun and shot several times when she noticed her ex-husband, Roderick Woodruff, charging towards her.  Deputies later found Woodruff injured at his home and took him to the hospital.  Roderick Woodruff will be charged with criminal domestic violence 1st offense.  Woodruff was charged in April with CDV 1st offense and kidnapping with the same woman."


MI: Gun-toting advocates protest charges against teen in Birmingham:  "Gun toting advocates filled the Birmingham commission chambers Monday night, displaying their firearms in holsters and strapped to their backs in protest of charges against a teen they say had the legal right to do the same in public. At issue is the April 13 arrest of Sean M. Combs, a Troy High School student, after he strolled Old Woodward Avenue in downtown Birmingham with a M-1 rifle strapped to his back. He faced three misdemeanor charges for brandishing a weapon, resisting and obstructing police, and disturbing the peace -- each punishable by up to 93 days in jail."


The basic requirements for self-defense:  "The best gun skills in the world wouldn’t do you a bit of good in a violent attack unless you had the time and mental preparation to bring your gun into action -- or take other evasive, defensive steps. Being aware of your surroundings at all times, and paying attention to your gut feelings and instincts, is just as important as the ability to hit what you shoot at -- and maybe more."

Why do Liberals and Progressives want you Disarmed?:  "Courts throughout these United States have consistently held that police have no legal duty to provide police protection to any individual citizen.  That being the case, then there must be some other reason why liberals and progressives want the American people disarmed. In my mind, the answer is a no brainier; they know the only way they can force their statist policies down the throats of the American people is through the power of government and their biggest fear is the people will eventually draw a line in the sand and resist.  Statists worship at the altar of government and believe individual liberty is subordinate to the power and dictates of the state. An armed populace scares the hell out of these people. That is why they constantly misrepresent and demonize the right to keep and bear arms."


Polls: Public opinion on George Zimmerman shifting:  "For weeks, the death of Trayvon Martin, the investigations it launched and the civil rights rallies it spurred were the most important news stories in the country, according to pollsters.   At least six news organizations or polling companies did surveys. What they documented, in general, was that people were fascinated and outraged by the Feb. 26 death of the unarmed 17-year-old and angry at the shooter, Neighborhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman.  And as time has passed and more evidence has been released, people’s feelings about Zimmerman have eased.  In late March, while people were still marching in the streets demanding his arrest, 33 percent of the country believed Zimmerman was guilty of murder, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports.  The same poll showed that fewer than half that number – 15 percent – believed Zimmerman had acted in self-defense.  Two months later, however, those numbers had flip-flopped. In a May 19-20 Rasmussen poll, 40 percent said they believed Zimmerman had acted in self-defense vs. 24 percent who called him a murderer."


Israeli driver attacked;  kills 2 Palestinians, wounds 1:  "An Israeli tow truck driver shot dead two Palestinians and wounded one Sunday during what police said was an attempted car robbery in the West Bank.  Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the Palestinian men ambushed the Israeli's vehicle and beat him over the head with chains and bars before the driver opened fire in self-defense. He said the driver is being treated for head wounds at an Israeli hospital, and a police investigation is continuing.
The Palestinian men have criminal records, according to Palestinian police.  The two men died from gunshot wounds to the head and chest, said Ziyad Abu Zahara, acting director of a hospital in Hebron in the southern West Bank. The incident occurred near the city."

The gunwalkers



And it was all done by Mr. Nobody

SC: Two shot in attempted robbery:  "Two people were shot Thursday afternoon during what appears to be an attempted robbery inside a residence at Mt. Zion Apartments on Church Street.   “The man was expecting one visitor, who brought two other guys along with him,” Maj. Carlos Raines, Florence Police Department, said. “Soon after they got there, they pulled out guns and went to rob him. There was a struggle, and in the process, one of the suspects was shot.”  At some point during the struggle, the suspects regained possession of the gun and shot the intended robbery victim. The three men then ran from the apartment, Raines said.   Police said the suspect who was wounded was at an area hospital being treated. Both men who were injured are expected to recover."


MI: Afraid for his life,  man pulled gun, killed acquaintance:  "Adham Farha went outside to smoke a cigarette.  Minutes later, as children waited at the school bus stop across the street, the quiet neighborhood was shattered by gunshots. Farha had jumped out of his Nissan Armada, parked in the driveway of his home and — as the children watched — fired numerous shots inside, killing Michael Rajchel, who was sitting in the front passenger seat.  Farha told police it was self-defense. The two men had gotten inside Farha's SUV to talk. When Rajchel reached for the gun tucked inside his waist band, Farha did not hesitate to fire.  “While Mike was leaning backward (in the passenger seat) he stated that, ‘This is your last day to live,’” McCormick wrote in the police report. “Farha stated he did not know how many times he shot Mike but that he feared for his life.”  Multiple witnesses alleged Rajchel was involved in fraudulent activities involving selling and reselling cars, the report revealed.  Rajchel died in the passenger seat of the car. He was 28.  Washtenaw County Chief Deputy Assistant Prosecutor Steve Hiller said at the time that there was not enough evidence to show Farha didn’t act in self-defense."


OH: Grand jury refuses to indict man in recent killing:  "A man who proclaimed his innocence in the shooting of another man during a drug deal was released from jail a free man Thursday.  The Allen County grand jury declined to indict 18-year-old Deshawn Porter. He was charged with murder in the shooting death of 19-year-old Isiah Smith, of Columbus, on May 20. “Based on the evidence we were able to present through witnesses to the grand jury no indictment could be returned at this time,” Prosecutor Juergen Waldick said.  The investigation remains ongoing and it's possible Porter could be recharged should more evidence surface. Investigators believe he is responsible for Smith's death, Waldick said.  At an earlier hearing, it was revealed Smith died during a drug deal in which he pulled a gun on Porter and 35-year-old Santario Simpson. Simpson grabbed the gun and Smith to try to get the gun away from him, a detective said."


Slow, predictable hearing on “Fast and Furious”:  "The show trial of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder on a citation of 'contempt of Congress' for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena is scheduled to climax on June 20. That's when the investigating Oversight Committee has called for a vote on whether to move forward with a criminal contempt citation. Holder may be guilty but, the hearing is a show trial because no one realistically expects a criminal prosecution or conviction."

OK: Suspect Shot After  Trying To Steal Tip Jar:  "According to a police report, a man and his friend were playing pool at Chester's Pool Hall near N.W. 50th Street and N. May Avenue on June 10. The man saw two people walk up to a counter, steal a tip jar filled with cash, and walk toward the exit.  The witness told the manager what he'd seen, and the manager went outside to confront the men. The manager and one of the suspects physically struggled over the tip jar. When a second person came out to help the manager, the suspect told his friend to shoot them.  Witnesses said the other suspect, identified as 18-year-old Jesus Perez, pulled out a gun and opened fire. The manager then pulled out his own gun and started shooting.  Both Perez and the manager were hit by gunfire, but neither was seriously hurt. The other suspect threw down the tip jar when the manager pulled out a gun, but witnesses said he then went to grab the gun Perez had dropped.   Before the second suspect could reach the gun, police arrived. Officers arrested Perez and a 16-year-old suspect. They were booked into jail on a complaint of robbery with a firearm."


TX:  Man shoots intruder during apparent robbery:  "A Haltom City homeowner shot and killed an intruder who beat and tried to rob him and his girlfriend over the weekend.  Police were dispatched about 6 p.m. Sunday in response to a burglary call at a home in the 5300 block of Mallory Drive.  The suspect, identified as 23-year-old Jerome Mitchell of Fort Worth, entered the home and struck the two victims with a blunt object, the homeowner told police.  The homeowner, who was not identified, grabbed a gun and shot the intruder in self-defense, he said.  Mitchell later died from his injuries.  The case will be referred to a grand jury for review, according to Haltom City police."


ID: Firearm-friendly towns in Idaho lure gun makers:  "Detroit is known for cars, Los Angeles for its stars, now small towns in Idaho are trying to become gun towns. But it’s not exactly a return to the Wild West: The goal is to get people working again. 'It’s gonna create some jobs,' says David Brown, mayor of Potlatch, Idaho. 'We can stay here, our kids can stay here and live and work.'"

WA:  Homeowner cleared after fatal shooting:  "A Newman Lake homeowner did nothing wrong when he shot his girlfriend’s ex to death after the irate man showed up at his house with loaded guns last month, according to prosecutors.  Spokane County prosecutors said Tuesday that no criminal charges will be filed against Doug Snarski, 55, for the homicide of Sean Parsons on May 13.  Parsons, 43, was armed with a shotgun, handgun and an ammunition-stocked belt when he entered Snarski’s home early that morning and said he planned to kill everyone.  Snarski called 911 and left the phone on as the confrontation with Parsons ensued. Dispatchers heard the gunfire that killed Parsons.  “There’s no surviving this. You’re dead,” Parsons told Snarski, according to a recording of the call released Tuesday. “There’s nothing you can do.”  The recording begins with Snarski yelling at Parsons to leave after Parsons apparently fired a shotgun.  About 2 1/2 minutes into the call, three gunshots rang out. “I told you you were making a mistake!” Snarski yelled at Parsons.  Snarski said he fired at Parsons as soon as he reached the top of the stairs."




TRIPLE-BARRELLED shotgun from 1891:  Now the gun - built by Edinburgh gun makers John Dickson & Son - has a new owner, having just been sold in London for £43,000.   The lightweight weapon, which weighs just 7lb, is fitted with a leather case and a gold Dickson label.  It was made for Scottish aristocrat John Adrian Louis Hope, who became the first Governor General of Australia in July 1900.  But with its three-barrelled ejector and three triggers, the 16-gauge gun was so complicated that no more were ever made.  'The gun maker, which still exists in Edinburgh, looked back in their records and found this was the only single 16-bore, round action side by side by side ejector ever made. 'The mechanism was too complex to make more, but it still works fantastically well today and is capable of shooting three game birds with its three barrels.'


MI: Gun-toting advocates protest charges against teen in Birmingham:  "Gun toting advocates filled the Birmingham commission chambers Monday night, displaying their firearms in holsters and strapped to their backs in protest of charges against a teen they say had the legal right to do the same in public.At issue is the April 13 arrest of Sean M. Combs, a Troy High School student, after he strolled Old Woodward Avenue in downtown Birmingham with a M-1 rifle strapped to his back.  He faced three misdemeanor charges for brandishing a weapon, resisting and obstructing police, and disturbing the peace — each punishable by up to 93 days in jail.   In April, Birmingham Police Chief Don Studt acknowledged the constitutionality of Combs' decision to carry his gun, but said "this guy was creating a disturbance and he wouldn't cooperate."


FBI: Violent crime rates in the US drop, approach historic lows:  "Violent crime rates in the U.S. are reaching historic lows, according to new FBI data released Monday. Instances of murder declined overall by 1.9 percent from 2010 figures, while rape, robbery and aggravated assault declined by 4 percent nationwide, according to records from more than 14,000 law-enforcement agencies around the country, FBI spokesman Bill Carter told msnbc.com." [The big increase in gun ownership in recent years wouldn't have anything to do with it, would it?]

The Leftist creed






NY:  Man pulls out shotgun for self protection:  "While he doesn't want to reveal his identity, a Guilderland homeowner wanted to send a message about self protection in the home, after an intruder reportedly pounded and yelled outside his door.  He wished he'd never opened the door just after four in the morning Sunday, to a man pounding and demanding money.  Albany County sheriff Craig Apple says 20-year-old Cody Lassonde, an active duty Marine from Altamont, was intoxicated when he pushed his way into the home on Veeder Road. The wife inside called 911. The husband grabbed this 12-gauge shotgun, a Remington 870 used for hunting.   "At that point, I felt my only means of protection. I'm not going to get into some hand to hand combat with somebody," he said.  The homeowner said they managed to get Lassonde out of the house and locked the door, standing on one side with the shotgun poised, as Lassonde banged and shouted to get back in.  That's when deputies arrived, wrestling Lassonde to the ground and tasing him for the arrest, saying the Marine blew a point one seven after the incident."


MI: Robber with plastic gun shot dead:  "Joubran was working behind the counter at Jules Market on Flint's east side March 21, 2011, when he said two men came in and announced a hold up.  In a flash from Joubran's .38-caliber pistol, 19-year-old Don Mitts was dead as the other robber fled from the store.  “Nothing goes through you head,” Joubran said of firing the fatal shot. “Maybe because you don’t know what’s going to happen; I don’t think you really think about it.” Despite having no available surveillance footage of the shooting, Flint police Sgt. Jeff Collins said the case was fairly straightforward.  “He was still clenching the money and the gun when he was on the floor,” Joubran said. Authorities ruled that Joubran was justified using lethal force during the shooting"


MO: No charges for shooting road rager:  "No charges will be filed against a 65-year-old grandfather who shot a motorcyclist in a road rage incident last month.  St. Charles County prosecutor Jack Banas said that under Missouri's so-called castle doctrine law, the grandfather was justified in using potentially deadly force because the motorcyclist reached into the grandfather's car and punched him.  The motorcyclist was shot in the upper left chest and is recovering, authorities said.   When the male motorcyclist approached the grandfather's car on foot, the grandfather took his semiautomatic .380-caliber handgun out of his glove box and placed it in his lap, Banas said. They continued arguing, and the grandfather said the motorcyclist spit at him and he may have spit back. After that, the motorcyclist punched the grandfather in the face, and the grandfather then fired one shot at the motorcyclist"

FL:  Robbery suspect shot and killed by victim: "A man who tried to rob a couple returning home early Sunday morning was shot and killed, PBSO said.   The couple, who live in the 5100 block of Palm Hill Drive, were walking to their apartment  about 2:12 a.m. when a man with a gun approached them, police said. The unidentified man ordered the couple into their apartment and followed them. As he searched their things, the man with the gun and the male victim began to fight.  The male victim grabbed the gun and shot the suspected robber, police said. The suspect ran from the apartment and collapsed on the walkway nearby, police said.  The suspect was pronounced dead by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.  The names of the dead man and the couple were not released Sunday morning."


GA: Intruder shot at  business after pulling gun on owner:  "A 55-year-old Athens man was in critical condition Sunday after he was shot by the owner of a Westside check-cashing business who fired in self-defense when the man pulled a gun, Athens-Clarke police said.
Donald Collins was under police guard Sunday afternoon in the intensive care unit of Athens Regional Medical Center, where was treated for gunshot wounds to his face and head, police said.   Collins was shot Saturday morning by the 75-year-old owner of Classic Cash, 2141 W. Broad St., police said. While preparing to open the business shortly before 9 a.m., the owner opened a side door to let in an employee when he noticed a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt run across the parking lot, police said. The owner got his licensed handgun and opened the door to find out what the man was up to, police said, as Collins ran into a storage room attached to the business.  The business owner alerted Collins that he was armed and called for him to show himself. When Collins came out pointing a pistol at him, the businessman fired his gun three times, striking Collins twice"


FL: Business owner thwarts robbery attempt, suspect shot dead:  "Pasco County Sheriff deputies are investigating an attempted robbery at Justice Coin in New Port Richey Sunday.  Wayne Justice, the store owner, was stabbed when the suspect entered his store.  Once the suspect stabbed Justice, he pulled a gun and shot the suspect, Jacob Stanborn, 25, in the chest.  Stanborn died in front of the store from the gun shot wound.  Justice's injuries were not life threatening. Deputies reported that Stanborn and Justice knew each other through the store.  No charges are expected in the case."

CA: Black Gang Member Arrested In Pharmacy Robbery:  "On Thursday, an armed suspect walked into Stockton Pharmacy demanding money.   Jermaine Smith, 31, allegedly walked into the pharmacy, in the 3300 block of E. Main Street, and told everyone to drop to the ground while attempting to rob the store by demanded money from an employee.  The employee grabbed a gun and shot at Smith; at which point, he fled the area in a vehicle.  Stockton police responded to a call regarding a shot African-American male matching Smith’s description in North Stockton. He was arrested and treated overnight at an area hospital.  Smith, a Stockton resident, is a known gang member and currently on parole for robbery.  He was booked into San Joaquin County Jail for robbery, weapon charges and violating his parole."


TX: Woman bests black intruder with paintball gun:  "A Galveston woman used a paintball gun to detain an intruder long enough Friday for police to arrest him, according to the Galveston County Daily News.  When officers arrived about 10:30 a.m., they heard the sound of the paint ball impacts and found the man inside covered with yellow paint, the Daily News reported.  Elvis Alexander, 53, was charged with burglary of a habitation with intent to commit theft, said Lt. Michael Gray, a Galveston police spokesman.  According to online records, Alexander remained Saturday in the Galveston County Jail on $40,000 bond.  He was accused of taking coins and Ramen noodles from inside the house in the 1100 block of 36th Street, according to the Daily News"


AK:  Jury acquits 3 men charged with first-degree murder:  "An Anchorage jury found three men not guilty in the shooting death of another man in a busy South Anchorage mall parking lot in 2009.   Dawud Johnson, Ajamu McCoy and Jerry Lynn Taylor Jr. were charged with first-degree murder and evidence tampering in the death of Joe Alfred Young Jr. Lawyers for the three men argued their clients shot Young, 23, in self-defense.  Prosecutors said the shooting was over a stolen necklace. With his dying words, Young told police a man named "Cole" had him killed.  Detectives later said Young had snatched a flashy medallion from the neck of a record producer and drug dealer named Naron "Cole" Celestine.  The shooting was retribution for the theft, police said.  Defense attorneys for Johnson, McCoy and Taylor said that Young ambushed the trio and they shot back to protect themselves.  Celestine is serving a 15-year federal sentence for conspiring to distribute cocaine.


GA: Self defense shooting ends badly:  "After the service concluded, Henderson got into a fight with some others just outside the church. William Miller, DeKalb County public safety director, said, "This group assaulted him. He managed to get to his car after escaping them. He got a gun. He fired. Don't know if he was trying to fire in self defense. And then someone else got a gun, shot and killed him."  Henderson exchanged gunfire with Deimetrius Heard, 28. Henderson was shot four times while Heard took two bullets. Both men died."

Republicans clash with AG on Fast and Furious

 Attorney General Eric Holder clashed Thursday with congressional Republicans seeking more information about a flawed gun-trafficking investigation in Arizona.

Lawmakers at a House Judiciary Committee hearing asked Holder what he knew in advance of public disclosure of a so-called gun-walking tactic in early 2011. As part of Operation Fast and Furious, agents were told to forego immediate arrests of suspected straw purchasers of guns and instead try to track the guns to higher-ups in gun-smuggling rings. Such a tactic is normally barred under Justice Department policy.

Agents lost track of hundreds of guns which flowed south to Mexico, where many were recovered at crime scenes. Two such guns were found in the U.S. at the scene of the killing of border agent Brian Terry.

Holder told the committee he became aware of the gun-walking tactic at the same time as the public and that he found out "about the same time" that guns found at the scene of Terry's death were part of Operation Fast and Furious.

Holder has faced off repeatedly with Issa and other Republicans in recent months over his handling of the aborted firearms investigation. Issa's committee has prepared a contempt citation against Holder but not voted on it yet, applying pressure for more documents on Operation Fast and Furious.

Holder said the Justice Department has cooperated fully with congressional investigators and turned over 7,600 pages of material to Congress about the operation.

"Look, I don't want to hear about the 7,600," snapped Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that is investigating the operation, Issa has been Holder's frequent sparring partner during recent gun-walking hearings.

Issa said Thursday that wiretap applications in Operation Fast and Furious indicate that a number of key individuals at the Justice Department were responsible for the use of the gun-walking tactic.

"I've read them," replied Holder, adding that he disagreed with Issa's conclusions. The material on the wiretaps is sealed in a federal court, but Issa said the committee obtained the applications from whistleblowers cooperating with his investigation.

Gun-walking has long been barred by Justice Department policy, but was used in the Arizona operation in an effort to dismantle entire arms-trafficking networks and reach kingpins who had long eluded prosecution. Previous law enforcement strategy had focused on prosecuting low-level illicit arms buyers at the bottom of the chain, but that allowed thousands of weapons to reach Mexico. The gun-walking tactic was first used in two similar operations during the George W. Bush administration.

Committee chairman Lamar Smith of Texas asked for the identity of the highest-level official in the Obama administration who knew gun-walking was taking place. Holder replied that the operation began in law enforcement offices in Arizona and that he was not at all certain beyond that.

I don't think anybody in Washington knew about those tactics," said the attorney general.

The Justice Department's inspector general is looking into who knew.

"How many people in Mexico have been killed as a result of the U.S." engaging in the gun-walking tactic? asked Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas.

"I don't know, but I think there would be some," replied Holder. The attorney general pointed to a broader picture: That 68,000 guns recovered by Mexican authorities in the past five years have been traced back to the United States. Operation Fast and Furious involved about 2,000 guns in total, and agents lost track of about 1,400 of those.

Source





TN Governor Signs Trio of Anti-Crime Bills:  "Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed a trio of anti-crime measures into law during a Wednesday, June 6, visit to Bartlett.  The laws include an increase in mandatory jail time for repeat domestic violence offenders and a second law upping sentences for convicted felons with guns that include some specific circumstances for longer sentences.  The third law makes aggravated assault, robbery and aggravated burglary a higher class of felony with a longer sentence when committed by groups of three or more people. The law is aimed at gang violence.  The felons with guns bill that passed in the Tennessee Legislature earlier this year is the second in as many years to become law."

CA: Suspected intruder shot while coming through child’s window:  "A man suspected of trying to break into a home on the 300 block of Berkshire Ln. in Stockton on Sunday was shot by the homeowner while trying to enter the house.Stockton police reports indicate the homeowner was awoken around 3:00 a.m. by strange noises at the property. Upon investigating, he saw 23-year-old Yobenrico Well coming in through his child's bedroom window. Fearing for the safety of his family, the homeowner shot Well who fled on foot, according to police reports."


AL: Man, 72, shoots intruder:  "The man told investigators that he was awakened by a 27-year-year old man pounding on his back door at 2 a.m. The younger man knocked him to the ground and forced his way inside when he opened the door, said Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit commander Capt. Loyd Baker. The suspect ran back into the yard when he realized another person was inside the home, Baker said. The resident retrieved a gun and fired a shot at the suspect."


TX: A warning shot is a crime?   "In this strange occurrence, the homeowner woke in the night to hear burglars on his property. The burglars were attempting to break through his fence. While his wife remained in the house, he went out of his house and yelled at them to leave. He then fired a “warning shot” into the ground. The burglars fled.  The case became convoluted when a neighbor called the police. The neighbor heard the shot and was concerned. When the police arrived, the homeowner met them and explained what had occurred. The homeowner was then arrested for firing his weapon.   Self-defense laws provide the parameters under which the use of a gun may be allowed. The Texas Penal Code states:  “A person is justified in using force against another when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the force is immediately necessary to protect the actor against the other’s use or attempted use of unlawful force.”   The Mesquite Police Dept issued a statement in this case. They reported that they did not believe the homeowner should have felt threatened by the burglar’s actions."

NRA-Backed Law Spells Out When Indianans May Open Fire on Police:  "Every time police Sergeant Joseph Hubbard stops a speeder or serves a search warrant, he says he worries suspects assume they can open fire -- without breaking the law.  Hubbard, a 17-year veteran of the police department in Jeffersonville, Indiana, says his apprehension stems from a state law approved this year that allows residents to use deadly force in response to the "unlawful intrusion" by a "public servant" to protect themselves and others, or their property.  Indiana is the first U.S. state to specifically allow force against officers.  The National Rifle Association pushed for the law, saying an unfavorable court decision made the need clear and that it would allow homeowners to defend themselves during a violent, unjustified attack."  [The police have their own bad behavior to thank for this]




Lingerie for hot shots: The 'Flashbang' bra with a hand gun holster:  "A bra fitted with a gun holster is on sale thanks to an ingenious design by a law enforcement supplier from Oklahoma.  The Flashbang bra is attached with a thermoplastic shell that is able to store one of more than 20 hand gun styles already on the market.  Lisa Looper, owner of Looper Law Enforcement which is a company that produces 'concealed carry gear', came up with the design to give her the ability to defend herself 'at a moment's notice'.  It offers a modern-day take on traditional female self-defense systems such as the garter belt holster made popular in American Old Western films of the early Forties.  Mrs Looper, a mother of two, told ABC: 'I really never intended to create a holster line, that was never something that I wanted to do. I just did this for myself but as I was talking to other women, they were like "oh my gosh, this is great, I have the same problem.'"

Zimmerman back in jail, attorney seeks new hearing:  "George Zimmerman's attorney says he expects to file a motion Monday seeking a new bond hearing for Trayvon Martin's shooter, who surrendered to authorities in central Florida after a judge revoked his bond.  Wearing a button-down checkered shirt, blue jeans and sneakers, a handcuffed Zimmerman was escorted by two deputy sheriffs from a white minivan into the Seminole County jail Sunday afternoon. He did not answer shouted questions from reporters as he was led inside the jail to be booked, photographed and processed."


Court to hear precedent-setting 'castle' case:  "In a case that could alter Ohio’s self-defense laws, a Colerain Township man will try Tuesday to overturn his conviction for being in a friend’s car while threatening another man with a gun.  Woodrow Edwards III, 29, was in a blue Ford Explorer Sept. 29 in Lockland. That’s when, he testified, he saw a man he didn’t know approach the passenger side door and lift the handle trying to get in.   Edwards, who has a valid Ohio permit to carry a concealed gun, was on the phone and became startled. He lifted his .40-caliber handgun partially from the holster on his right hip to get the man’s attention. The man, Eric Taylor, backed off but testified at trial that Edwards pointed the gun at him.  Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Melissa Powers convicted Edwards of aggravated menacing, a crime carrying maximum jail time of 180 days. He didn’t go to jail. Instead, the judge fined him $100 and ordered him to stay away from Taylor."

Proposal: Classify BB Guns as Weapons

(Fall River, Massachusetts)

Despite the protest of a parent group, a School Committee subcommittee will not be making any changes to the district’s policies on student discipline.

The Policy Manual subcommittee met Wednesday night in response to concerns raised by the group Keep Our Kids Safe that the district’s discipline policies were not strong enough.

Concerns were raised after a series of incidents during the course of the school year in which students were found to have brought BB guns to school, including two cases at the Alfred Letourneau Elementary School. Once of the Letourneau situations included the student firing the gun and striking two other students in the hallway.

Group founder Rachel McGarty had sought to increase the minimum suspension from one to five days for students found to be in possession of a weapon. The School Department’s elementary school disciplinary guidelines state that any student found in possession of a weapon is eligible to be suspended from one to nine days or face expulsion. McGarty was also seeking for a policy change that would classify BB guns as weapons.

Subcommittee Chairman Richard Pavao said the reclassification of BB guns was not accepted because state law does not include BB guns as weapons. He said the change to the suspension policy was rejected because the subcommittee felt school principals should have discretion.

OK

TN: One Person Dead After Attempted Robbery:  "Metro police are looking for the person involved in an attempted armed robbery in the Madison area that left one person dead.  Police said the incident happened around nine p.m. Saturday night at the Mission Madison Apartments at 501 Heritage Drive. A man walking to his car was approached by two people who then tried rob him. One of the robbers had a gun but so did the victim who shot and killed one of the robbers. The other would-be robber ran off.  Officials said they hope to release a description of the robber that is still at large soon."


FL: Man Shot Dead After Home Invasion:  "A man was shot and killed after he apparently tried to break into a home, police said.  Miramar Police said they believe a man tried to break into a home along the 6100 block of SW 27th Street in Miramar but was shot and killed by a visitor.  "My cousin came home while I was at McDonalds. A guy came behind him with a gun, told him to get on the ground, put him on the floor telling him he was killing them and everything,” said Keon Mobley, one of two brothers who lives in the duplex.  When Mobley came back, the robber was at the door and told him to get on the ground, too, police said.  The robber was then shot by a family member inside the house and was found dead on the floor, police said.  "I start running, straight down the block, he shot like six times,” Mobley said. “As soon as he got back to the door my cousin shot him like I don’t know how many times but it was gruesome.”


NC: Man killed in body shop shooting:  "Authorities say Glenn Gemale Artis, 32, went to H&H Customs, at 4405 Cumberland Road in Fayetteville, around 11:50 a.m. and began arguing with the owner, Freddie Waymon Hudson, 38.  Debbie Tanna, spokeswoman for the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, said Artis and Hudson had an ongoing dispute, but she said she didn't know what sparked it.  "The victim came to the suspect's work today and brandished a handgun. The suspect brandished his handgun and returned fire. There were shots fired," Tanna said.  Artis was wounded, and he was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, where he died, she said.  Detectives were interviewing Hudson Friday, but no charges had been filed against him."




No sympathy for robbers who died:  " Someone wanted Fred Morton [Mr Luscious lips above] to die.  At least twice in the fall of 2006, the 17-year-old was a target for bullets in Camden. In the first incident, Morton and a friend, Lavar Dunlap, 27, were shot at after robbing a drug house. Days later, the two were sitting in a car on a Whitman Park street when a vehicle pulled up and a gunman opened fire.  Dunlap died, but Morton — a young man drawn to the fast cash of Camden’s streets — drove away unscathed.  And then it happened. On Nov. 16, just 12 days after Dunlap’s death, city workers found Morton’s body beneath a tree in Van Hook Park along Carl Miller Boulevard. He had been strangled and his throat was slit.  The killing was intentional and likely planned, authorities say. And more than five years later, it’s still unsolved.  The investigation into Morton’s death faced an early hurdle: Many people had a motive to kill Morton, who was involved with guns, drugs and stickups.  Ackerman said adding difficulty to the case is the fact that many people interviewed don’t have a lot of sympathy for a teen who they see as getting the street justice he deserved."

NV:  Man suffers bullet wound when stopping burglary attempt:  "A Las Vegas man used a handgun to prevent his apartment from being robbed, but he suffered a bullet wound to his left hand in the process, according to Metro Police.  Officials said the suspect was breaking into the apartment on Tamarus Street, near East Pebble Road, around 10 a.m. when the owner pulled out his gun. The two wrestled for the gun when the shot was fired, according to officials.  The suspect fled the scene on foot, according to reports, outrunning the police."


Florida judge revokes bond for Trayvon Martin killer:  "A Florida judge on Friday revoked bail for George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with second-degree murder in the killing of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, and ordered him to surrender within 48 hours.  The bail revocation came after prosecutors accused Zimmerman of withholding one of his two valid passports and said his wife did not tell the court about money donated for his legal defense.  Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. granted the prosecution motion to revoke the $150,000 bond Zimmerman put up in April to get out of jail while awaiting trial.  Zimmerman, 28, was given 48 hours to surrender to the Seminole County Sheriff.  Zimmerman's lawyer, Mark O'Mara, told Reuters after the hearing that he would request another bond hearing for Zimmerman after he complies with the order to surrender."


Communist logic:  "A report issued by the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China has included U.S. gun ownership among a list of  human rights violations, Law Enforcement Examiner Jim Kouri reported yesterday.  "The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2011" was published last Friday on the PRC’s Consulate General in New York website.  “The United States prioritizes the right to keep and bear arms over the protection of citizens' lives and personal security and exercises lax firearm possession control, causing rampant gun ownership,” the report claims. “The U.S. people hold between 35 percent and 50 percent of the world' s civilian-owned guns, with every 100 people having 90 guns [and] 47 percent of American adults reported that they had a gun.”  The conclusion that gun bans will result in enhanced protection of lives and personal security flies in the face of both the American and Chinese experience."

GA: Man thwarts robbery with his gun:  "Valdis Marion Anthony, 35, had entered his vehicle after making a purchase at Circle K, 2999 Washington Road, when an unknown man opened his passenger door and pointed a gun in his face saying “give up your money.”
Anthony told officers he drew his handgun on the suspect, who then fled.  A witness pointed deputies behind the store after she saw a man with a gun running in that direction.  Deputies discovered Desean Barry Morris, 21, of New Ellenton, S.C., hiding behind a nearby Fred’s store.  Morris was booked into the Richmond County jail on charges of felony criminal attempt and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime."


Texas store clerk shoots armed robber in the back:  "A crook picked the wrong store to rob at the intersection of Greenway Drive and Eldridge Road on Tuesday night.  Eddie and a coworker were inside the Corner Grocery when a gunman stuck a gun to the head of a third worker outside and forced him back into the store. As soon as the gunman saw the register open, Eddie says he came after him.  That’s when the clerks decided to fight back.  "I hold him and then my worker guy, he grabbed the gun and [the suspect]  tried to run," said Eddie. "He shot him in the back."  Eddie still believes they did the right thing.  "If we let him go, he would shot one of us," Eddie said. "We know that."  Neither clerk is expected to be charged."


NM: Attorney says shooter at store  acted in self-defense:   "Santa Fe police didn't charge local artist Mateo Romero in connection with last week's shooting outside a north-side convenience store, his attorney said Thursday, because he was acting in self-defense after a panhandling couple tried to rob him. Romero pulled up next to gas pumps at Allsup's, 305 N. Guadalupe St., to fill up his Chevy Camaro at about 6:20 p.m. He opened the car's trunk, where he had a zippered plastic bank bag containing cash, to get money to pre-pay for his gas.   A homeless woman saw him get the money out and approached him at the back of his car and asked if he could spare some money.  The homeless man, who Santa Fe police Sgt. Andrea Dobyns said has not cooperated with the subsequent investigation, then threatened to rob Romero, according to Cron. Cron described Romero's single gunshot into the ground as a warning shot and said a "fragment" of the bullet ricocheted up and hit a bystander using a nearby pay phone."


NY man shoots father but found not guilty:  "He never denied shooting his father, but Matthew Taranto said he did it in self defense. And Thursday, more than a month-and-a-half after the bench trial wrapped up, Judge Judith A. Rositer found Taranto not guilty of the crime.  The 29-year-old admitted to shooting his father, Sal, in November of 2010 in their Trumansburg basement. But the defense had claimed that Taranto, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome and OCD, feared for his life after his father threatened him with a knife and gun."

CA:  Jewelry store robbery suspect dies after being shot:  "Police say a jewelry store owner shot a robbery suspect inside his store and the suspect later died. The attempted robbery happened at the Gold N Treasures jewelry store, located at 2550 San Ramon Valley Boulevard.  It sounds like the robbers were caught off guard and found themselves looking down the barrel of a gun. One thing that they might not have known is that a lot of jewelry store owners have guns of their own.  There were four suspects and witnesses saw at least three of them running across San Ramon Valley Boulevard. One of them collapsed in the middle of the crosswalk, apparently after being shot by the jewelry store owner. Police said he died at the hospital. Now detectives are searching for the three suspects who may have gotten away in a white, four-door, 1990s model sedan."


CA:  Store Owner Arrested After Shooting Shoplifter:  "A Lodi liquor store owner is under arrest, and the alleged shoplifter he shot was treated at the hospital and released.   Officers arrested the store owner, Gurminder “Gary” Parmar, and booked him into jail for assault with a deadly weapon.  Cops were called to Tokay Liquors in Lodi just before 10 p.m. Tuesday by a customer who said a robbery suspect was running away.  While investigating, they learned after the suspect took a 12 pack of bottled beer and was leaving the store.  The suspect was found a short time later three blocks from the store, with a gunshot wound to his shoulder and the beer. He was identified as 21-year-old Christopher Driggers.  A friend of Parmar’s, who also owns several liquor stores in Stockton, said Parmar saw Driggers reach for his back pocket.  "He tried to pull something from the pocket and he got scared he might have some gun in the pocket," said Sukhdit Singh.  "He's an awesome guy, I never had any problems with him, I never even seen him raise his voice to anyone in here," said Kelley who believed Parmar fired in self-defense."


CO:  Bin Laden hunter acquitted in Colorado gun case:  "A Colorado man who went to Pakistan to try to kill Osama bin Laden has been acquitted on a charge of owning a handgun as a convicted felon.  The Greeley Tribune reports a jury spent about an hour deliberating on Wednesday before acquitting Gary Faulkner, who was convicted of attempted theft in 1988.  Faulkner was arrested on the gun charge after firing at three alleged intruders. His attorney argued he fired in self-defense.   Prosecutors say Faulkner didn't have to fire because he had already chased the men out of his home.  Colorado law allows felons to own a gun for self-defense."


OH:  Jury finds gunman acted in self-defense:  "A jury acquitted Dontez Parks, who has a concealed handgun license, on Wednesday finding he acted in self-defense when he shot another man who he believed he was trying to enter his van to harm him and his two children.  In this case, Parks had an ongoing problem with Henry, who was the boyfriend of his former girlfriend, a woman with whom Parks had a child. Testimony revealed the 25-year-old Henry was quick to join discussions between Parks and his ex-girlfriend. Henry, who is a much bigger man with a muscular build, had threatened him in the past, Parks testified.  She argued Henry approached Parks' van that evening, which was pinned between cars in the drive-thru of a gas station. She said he had no way to retreat, which is required, if possible, under the self-defense law.  Parks testified Henry approached the van in a threatening way and tried to rip open the door on the passenger side. Parks said he warned Henry at least twice to get away from him.  Henry then approached the driver's door, which Parks said Henry tried to open. At that point, Parks kicked open the door and fired a shot to stop the threat."