The state Supreme Court has ruled that a law making it illegal for intoxicated people to carry firearms is constitutional. (A lower court had said it wasn't.) It was all tied back to the case of a guy passed out while threatening suicide. Because they found him with a gun, that was against the law. The defense had tried to argue the law was too broad, but the Missouri Supremes decided it was within the state's power.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Sorry, Missouri: It's still illegal for drunks to carry guns
Posted by James Hart on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 05:05 PM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
Friday, October 30, 2009
Mission: Improbable
Two 14-year-olds in Idaho are in trouble because they were playing "Mission: Impossible" after school, on school grounds, with air pistols -- and another kid, who didn't know about the "mission," accidentally got hit by a pellet in his leg.
Posted by James Hart on Friday, October 30, 2009 at 11:27 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Thursday, October 29, 2009
KCSD lets its security guards carry guns again
The school board took away the guns earlier this year -- and though they intended to ONLY do that to truancy officers working off school grounds, it affected all of the district's security staff because of a glitch in the language, Joe Robertson reports. It was a 5-3 vote on Wednesday to restore the guns. Some board members thought it was bad form to "normalize" guns in children's lives, but others said it was important to provide a safe place for students.
Posted by James Hart on Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 07:00 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Lil Wayne pleads guilty to gun rap
The rapper has pleaded guilty to attempted gun possession. It's likely that he's going to go to jail for one year.
Photo via AP
Posted by James Hart on Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 11:32 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Some gun shops are "bad guy magnets," study says
The ATF says that most guns used in crime tend to come from a handful of sellers. (In 1998, the bureau says, about 1.2 percent of licensed gun sellers sold about 57 percent of traced guns used in crime*.) The University of California-Davis decided to study those shops and see if they had anything in common. From their release:
“When compared to other licensed retailers, they are more likely to sell inexpensive handguns, to be pawnbrokers, to be located in central urban areas, and to be patronized by would-be gun buyers whose purchases are denied when they are found to be prohibited from owning guns.”
Catch that? These dealers were doing background checks, they just happened to catch more of the bad guys. The researchers wonder, though, if the sellers instead sell to a "straw buyer" who wouldn't get burned by a background check.
A PDF of the study is available here.
* Again, "traced" is the magic word -- I'm not sure what percentage of all guns used in crime were traced. All of them which were recovered? Only those in departments of a certain size?
Posted by James Hart on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 07:00 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Monday, October 12, 2009
Survey finds less support for gun control
According to Gallup, about 44 percent of those surveyed said they wanted stricter controls on gun ownership. When Gallup started asking this question back in 1990, about 78 percent of respondents supported tougher U.S. gun laws.
Posted by James Hart on Monday, October 12, 2009 at 09:50 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBack (0)
Friday, October 09, 2009
Mommy, why is the bear sleeping?
In Alaska, two hunters are accused of shooting a bear -- while a bunch of nature lovers were taking its picture. Technically, the guys got busted because they were shooting near a road, which is a no-no, but the authorities say it's sort of tacky to kill animals while the wildlife watchers were, uh, watching.
"The burden does fall on hunters to use their discretion, but not all hunters consider the negative publicity" from shooting an animal in public view.
Posted by James Hart on Friday, October 09, 2009 at 05:15 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Yes, I HAVE bought my ticket to the gun show
NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently sent undercover investigators, armed with hidden cameras, to a series of gun shows to demonstrate how the law is being broken there. (Those gun shows were NOT in the great state of New York, though. One annoyed reader argued that they broke the law, too, by participating in the deal.)
While gun shops have to run background checks on handgun buyers, "occasional sellers" -- the dudes selling their wares at various gun shows -- don't. They are, however, required to not sell if they have a reasonable suspicion that a buyer wouldn't pass a background check, were one to be conducted.
Well, Bloomberg's investigators TOLD the sellers that they wouldn't pass a background check. Snip:
Most sellers allowed the purchases anyway, responding in some cases by saying, "I couldn't pass one either," or "I don't care," according to the videos.
The NRA is calling the whole thing a publicity stunt.
Posted by James Hart on Thursday, October 08, 2009 at 10:31 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (32) | TrackBack (0)
UPDATE: Woman wants to bring gun to kiddo's soccer game
Remember Meleanie Hain? She's the Pennsylvania woman (and licensed gun owner) who fought a legal battle to carry a loaded handgun while attending her daughter's soccer game, which freaked out the normals. She got her permit back and sued the sheriff who took it away.
Unfortunately, Hain and her husband are dead following what police describe as a murder-suicide.
Posted by James Hart on Thursday, October 08, 2009 at 09:07 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBack (0)
Monday, October 05, 2009
More prison time for John Manard
Manard, you might recall, escaped from prison a few years ago, spurring a large manhunt. He'd been helped by a prison volunteer, Toby Young, who'd become romantically involved with him. She sneaked him out of Lansing in a dog crate. They were arrested days later, after they gone off for a rendezvous together.
The U.S. Attorney for Kansas says Manard has just been sentenced to another 10 years for possessing a firearm during a prison escape. He had "borrowed" several guns from Young's husband. The 10 years will be served consecutively with his other sentences. (Manard was originally in prison for a murder case.)
(And apropos of nothing, here's a piece about Manard writing a letter to KMBC, in which he proclaims: "Our love is a fairy-tale love the size of infinity.")
File photo is from Manard's sentencing in state court a few years ago.
Posted by James Hart on Monday, October 05, 2009 at 02:30 PM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Pistol-packing iPhone owner accused of "thinking differently"
An Ohio man went to an Apple phone to get his iPhone repaired and was apparently so frustrated that he threatened to shoot his iPhone -- even going so far as to show the gun to an Apple store employee, police say.
Posted by James Hart on Saturday, October 03, 2009 at 06:45 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Penn Valley student planned to sell gun for book money -- then he shot himself
From Christine Vendel: A Penn Valley Community College student accidentally shot himself in the leg in the school parking lot Wednesday. The 18-year-old man told police he took the gun to the campus because he planned to sell it to get money to buy books for his classes. He said he was not going to sell it on school property, but he was “messing” with it while sitting in his car and it discharged, hitting him in the left leg.
Posted by James Hart on Thursday, October 01, 2009 at 12:04 PM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Are the Supremes going to make another big gun ruling?
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case on Chicago's ban on most handguns. Last year, the court struck down D.C.'s gun ban and ruled that individuals have a right to carry a gun for self-defense. But there's some question how that applies to states and cities. Some could argue that last year's decision only applies at the federal level, since D.C. is a federal enclave, the Washington Post reports.
Hat Tip: Many thanks, Rhonda!
Posted by James Hart on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 10:31 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (32) | TrackBack (0)
Monday, September 28, 2009
Report: U.S. sees record demand for bullets
In a typical year, we buy about 7 billion rounds -- over the last year, that's climbed to 9 billion, The AP reports. Experts say it's because gun owners are still afraid the Obama administration is going to propose new restrictions, though nothing like that has happened yet.
Posted by James Hart on Monday, September 28, 2009 at 05:45 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBack (0)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Suit challenges MO law against handling guns while drunk, high
Tony Rizzo pointed out this case to me. Later this month, the Missouri Supreme Court will consider whether the state statute prohibiting intoxicated people from possessing a loaded gun is constitutional. (In this case, a Missouri man passed out on morphine pills after threatening suicide over his wife leaving him. Police found him asleep with a gun.)
However, he argued that Missouri's law was too broad -- that people could be found guilty of possession simply if they came home drunk and there was a loaded gun somewhere in the house. A lower court dismissed the charge against him, but the state is appealing.
Posted by James Hart on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 06:45 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Plaxico Burress gets 2 years in prison
For bringing a gun into a New York City nightclub. (The gun, tucked into his sweatpants, slipped and went off, hitting the football player in the leg.)
AP Photo/ Steven Hirsch, Pool
Hat Tip: Many thanks, JUNGLE JIM!
Posted by James Hart on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at 10:55 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBack (0)
Saturday, September 19, 2009
"Show and tell" goes horribly, horribly wrong
Unfortunately for Harrison, 27, the other man was an undercover police officer. After a brief chase, Harrison was arrested. Federal prosecutors charged him Friday with being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carries a minimum 15-year prison sentence.
Posted by James Hart on Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 06:14 PM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Man used shotgun to get guests to leave, TN police allege
Posted by James Hart on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 03:01 PM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
The absolute worst place to hide a loaded gun
A North Carolina man is accused of storing loaded guns in his kids' toy box. He's facing a charge of child abuse.
Posted by James Hart on Wednesday, September 09, 2009 at 05:30 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Friday, September 04, 2009
Mississippi football player tackles gun waving student on school bus
The Associated Press
| Bob Cronkleton
Posted by James Hart on Friday, September 04, 2009 at 04:44 PM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Monday, August 24, 2009
Is Plaxico Burress getting a raw deal?
Another local blogger, Nick Sloan, makes an interesting point here: Burress, who accidentally shot himself in the leg at a New York nightclub, is getting two years -- far more than Donte Stallworth or Michael Vick, whose crimes were arguably worse or had a more severe impact. (More about the shooting and sentencing here.)
Posted by James Hart on Monday, August 24, 2009 at 10:31 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (37) | TrackBack (0)
Friday, August 21, 2009
UPDATE: Boy, 9, badly hurt in accidental shooting
Just to correct something: The boy who was hurt is 9, not 10, like we said the other day. He's still in bad shape. Fox 4 caught up with the father of the boy who fired the gun. He's a youth pastor, who says he had run to the store so he could buy ice for their football team's cooler. He said he'd talked to the kids about guns, but didn't lock the closet door where it was kept. Today, BTW, is the injured kid's birthday.
Posted by James Hart on Friday, August 21, 2009 at 11:42 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Monday, August 10, 2009
Is microstamping going to work in California?
A while back, California passed a law that said, if you want to sell new models of semiautomatics in our state, they have to have microstamping technology. Which is a technique where the gun's make, model and serial number are stamped onto every shell casing that's used by that gun. (The theory being, it'll be easier to track down bad guys who leave shells at crime scenes.)
California is the first state to make this a requirement, and most gun manufacturers aren't sure if they'll be able to meet that standard. Meaning, they'll just keep selling old models of handguns there and won't let their new stuff go on sale there.
Posted by James Hart on Monday, August 10, 2009 at 01:09 PM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBack (0)
Thursday, August 06, 2009
2-year-old accidentally shoots other 2-year-old, TX officials say
The good news is that everybody will live.
Hat Tip: Many thanks, Keith G in PV!
Posted by James Hart on Thursday, August 06, 2009 at 08:36 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
More people apply for concealed-carry permits, USA Today reports
The story isn't that ground-breaking, though it does include a shout-out to Missouri and Clay County:
Statewide, the Missouri State Highway Patrol has processed 18,878 background checks so far this year for the permits, the most since the agency began keeping statistics in 2005, Lt. John Hotz says. It processed 18,466 checks during all of last year.
Posted by James Hart on Tuesday, August 04, 2009 at 10:45 AM in Gun raps | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

