More join in fight against Chicago handgun restrictions

A Provo, Utah firing-range equipment making company is the latest to join a lawsuit against a ban on handgun shops and shooting ranges in the city of Chicago. The lawsuit followed an ordinance last month that people can only have a guns indoors, with training and registration. But they'll have to get their training elsewhere.

Chicago ponders new gun rules to replace total gun ban

As promised, Chicago leaders have announced a series of proposed gun restrictions, just days after the U.S. Supreme Court appeared to K.O. the city's blanket ban on gun possession. Among the proposals:

Mayor Richard Daley unveiled a gun control ordinance today that would require gun owners to register their weapons with the city, get training and keep all but one firearm locked up.

So, is this a reasonable proposal to promote public safety? Is it a handgun ban by another name?

Supreme Court rules against Chicago handgun ban

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against Chicago's ban on handguns, spelling out a national right to keep and own firearms. (The court had struck down the handgun ban in Washington, D.C., but that's a federal area -- it wasn't clear if that earlier ruling applied everywhere.) The Tribune says that Chicago leaders were expecting to lose the case, but they're going to pass new restrictions within days. The city won't ban gun ownership, but they will make it very, very hard as a practical matter.

Here's a PDF of the ruling. The vote was 5-4.

Ruling coming soon on Chicago gun ban

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule next week on Chicago's handgun ban, and it looks like there's a good chance the law will be thrown out. But city leaders are already thinking of ways to "rebuild the wall," the Associated Press reports. That's what Washington, D.C., did. The Supremes famously tossed the D.C. handgun ban and affirmed the right to individual gun ownership. So District officials passed rules requiring training and tests if a person wants to keep a gun.

The whole piece, by Don Babwin, is worth reading. It was interesting to see how advocates and opponents point to individual Chicago cases to support their sides. Gun-rights folks talk about the Korean War vet who killed a burglar who'd shot at him. And the ban supporters remind everyone of the suburban guy who allegedly shot a man whose dog had urinated on the guy's lawn.

Raymore gun law to take effect Monday

Raymore's new gun ordinance will take effect on Monday, Fox 4 reports. The new rules will let the mayor and councilmembers carry guns during meetings. And they'll let anyone with a concealed-carry permit bring a gun into a city building, though not during council meetings. The station reports there's a petition drive to get the rule reversed.

Topeka weighs ban on guns in public

The Topeka City Council is considering a ban on carry guns openly in public, the AP reports. The city used to have a rule like that, but they accidentally repealed it in 2007. If they do pass this measure, people with concealed-carry permits would not be affected.

Mo. white supremacist gets 6-plus years

Robert Joos, a white supremacist from McDonald County, has been sentenced to six years, six months on federal weapons charges, Kathee Baird reports at her Crime Scene blog. Joos was on the periphery of an investigation targeting two white supremacists who used to live in Kansas City. He was NOT charged in the case involving Dan and Dennis Mahon, who are accused of a letter bomb that injured a city official in Arizona.

Mission Impossible: Getting a gun permit in D.C.

Several months ago, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out the handgun ban in Washington, D.C., a ruling that gun-rights advocates considered a landmark. But the city has since passed laws that -- while technically allowing gun ownership -- make it a real pain for people to get a gun legally, the Wall Street Journal reports. City officials say that was the whole point. Naturally, there's a lawsuit.

Man goes to prison for shooting at pumpkins

The Wisconsin man, who is a previously convicted felon and, thus, can't carry a firearm, was sentenced to one year..

Raymore passes concealed-carry item

Last night, the Raymore City Council passed a measure that will let councilmembers carry concealed weapons during meetings, by a vote of 7-1. The public could carry concealed in parks and at City Hall, though not during meetings, because that's forbidden under state law. The item still needs the mayor's signature. He vetoed the measure last time, but supporters have enough votes now to override him, Don Bradley reports.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Keith G in PV!

Man convicted of shooting himself in groin

In Breckenridge, Colo., a man was convicted of illegal discharge of a firearm after he reportedly shot himself in the groin. The man said he was defending himself during a robbery, but a jury didn't believe him, the AP reports.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!

Why wasn't this guy locked up?

Tony Rizzo has a good story this morning about Traune Williams, who -- in the space of a year -- got caught with a gun and drug paraphernalia five times. Williams is a felon and on probation, so he shouldn't have been carrying a gun, period. But Williams' records weren't updated correctly, so officers didn't know.

In the earliest of those cases from 2008, Williams pleaded guilty but was placed on probation despite the fact that he had racked up three more arrests between that arrest and his sentencing date.

Luckily, a detective put it all together, and Williams has been sentenced to five years and 10 months.

Pittsburg teen accused of killing pal

In Pittsburg, Kan., police have arrested a 16-year-old who allegedly shot and killed his friend, age 17. Authorities say the 16-year-old had apparently stolen a handgun and removed the clip. Only the teens didn't realize one bullet was still in the chamber, and the one boy died while they were playing with the weapon, the police say.

Another shot at concealed carry in Raymore

In January, Raymore almost passed a measure that would let city councilmembers carry concealed weapons during meetings. The supporters didn't have enough votes to override the mayor then, but it looks like they do now, Don Bradley wrote Saturday. The new version would also ask the state to let average citizens carry concealed during meetings, too, if they have permits.

Jeff Cox, the councilman who proposed the change, says he wants to avoid a case like the city hall shooting in Kirkwood, Mo., where six people were killed by a man upset with the city. Two of his victims were police officers -- one outside the building, another inside. Wikipedia has an overview of that case here.

Ariz. to allow concealed-carry without permits

The governor just signed the law, so it'll take effect in a few months. Two other states, Alaska and Vermont, already have similar rules. There are two caveats. One, people carrying concealed must tell police if they're asked. Also, police can temporarily take a concealed weapon from a person, even during traffic stops, the Arizona Republic reports. No gun-safety classes will be required.

Families of Ward Parkway victims sue

From Tony Rizzo: Lawsuits stemming from the 2007 fatal shootings at the Ward Parkway Shopping Center were reinstated Tuesday by the Missouri Court of Appeals.

The suits, filed by the parents of Luke Nilges and Leslie Noble Ballew, allege that The Bullet Hole in Johnson County negligently sold ammunition magazines to David Logsdon, who made the purchase with a stolen credit card.

(Briefs in the case can be found here and here.)

More concealed weapons in Mo. Capitol?

Missouri legislators are considering a bill that would let their aides and employees carry concealed weapons in the statehouse if they have permits. Legislators are already allowed to do so, Jason Noble and David Klepper write this morning. Kansas, meanwhile, doesn't allow anybody to carry concealed in its Capitol.

UPDATE: The legislature is considering other changes, including lowering the age for a concealed-carry permit to 21 from 23. And there's a measure that would extend the Castle Doctrine to people who rent their homes. You can view the CCW-in-the-statehouse measure here.

Militia planned to kill police, feds allege

UPDATED: The government alleges that nine people connected to an extreme Christian militia had discussed killing a police officer, then attacking the officer's funeral to kill more police. From the AP:

"It is believed by the Hutaree that this engagement would then serve as a catalyst for a more wide-spread uprising against the government," the indictment charges.

Here's a copy of the indictment, viewable as a PDF. The authorities moved now because the group was allegedly planning a reconnaissance mission in April. The government describes the group's enemies as including, not just the feds, but state and local police, who were viewed as "foot soldiers." Federal employments were on the wrong side. As was, well, anybody who didn't agree with their views, the indictment alleges.

Here's the group's Web site. The Detroit Free Press' Browser blog also found the group's YouTube channel. The Freep has a good overview of the case here. They got this quote from one suspect's ex-wife.

She said he went from teaching people how to use handguns to talking about the end of the world.

“I just couldn’t go along with what he believed in. He started to take it too far,” Donna Stone said.

These guys really loved nicknames. The indictment lists "Captain Hutaree," "Joe Stonewall," "Azzurlin," "Pale Horse" and others as aliases.

New debate over Kan. concealed-carry

In Kansas, a new bill would change the rules for carrying a concealed weapon in college and government buildings. It's been prohibited, but if the bill passes, it would be allowed unless the buildings had "adequate security" -- namely, a metal detector at every entrance, plus personnel to run them. Opponents, even those who normally support CCW, say it's a bad idea because so many cities and schools are going through a budget crunch. Supporters say that people licensed to carry concealed aren't a threat.

Should Gilbert Arenas do jail time?

Arenas, a player for the Washington Wizards, got into trouble after he reportedly brought four guns into the locker room -- for what his lawyers call a prank, though prosecutors say it was for a confrontation with a teammate. The prosecutors want him to do three months, and the defense, naturally, would like him to do none. A judge will decide Friday.

And OH MY WORD DID YOU SEE THAT GUN? Are those TIGER STRIPES? It looks like it was made from a skinned pimp.

(AP Photo/U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia)

Moron plays Russian roulette during wedding toast

A Russian man, for fun, put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger during a wedding toast, news.com.au reports. He was fine because he'd taken all of the bullets out of the gun -- or he THOUGHT he had, at least. The second speaker, who decided to keep the Russian roulette going, was less fortunate.

Man accidentally shot at gun show

Safety first! As in, make sure the safety's on ...

Moron shot by his own booby trap, police say

A Seattle man reportedly shot himself in the leg when he climbed into his Honda Accord and accidentally activated the booby trap he had set up, the Post-Intelligencer reports. (He had a .38 Smith & Wesson, cocked and loaded, hidden under his steering wheel, they claim. To reiterate, he was allegedly willing to kill someone over his Honda Accord.) Police originally thought it was robbery, but the guy is accused of lying because he's a felon and can't have guns.

Should Mo. lower age for concealed weapons?

Missouri legislators are considering a bill that would lower the minimum age for getting a concealed-carry permit to 21. Right now, it's 23 -- one of, if not THE, oldest in the country. The measure is still in the House, where it needs another vote before it heads to the state Senate.

Topeka considers ban on open-carry

In Topeka, the city government is considering a ban on carrying loaded guns openly in public, a measure supported by the police chief. The city used to have much more restrictive rules, the Cap-Journal reports, but those were "accidentally" stopped in 2007, when the city adopted the Uniform Public Offense Code. The chief still supports concealed-carry.