Heller Continues To Draw Attention: ...The case has gained national
notice as more than 300 members of Congress, 46 states, two former U.S.
attorneys general and two former U.S. solicitors general have filed more
than 70 briefs against or in support of the ban.
"Our team read and reread over 50 briefs that were filed both on behalf
of the respondents and on behalf of [the District] from around the
country," interim D.C. Attorney General Peter J. Nickles said. "This is
a case that has drawn national - international - attention." The
District yesterday filed its last brief in the case - a three-pronged
argument that says the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution applies
to militias and not individuals. The brief also argues that the gun ban
does not infringe on the Second Amendment because states are allowed to
enact firearm regulations, and that the ban is a reasonable restriction
permitted under the Constitution. (The District of Columbia is not a state.)
http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080306/METRO/816055572/1004/metro
http://washingtontimes.com/article/20080305/METRO/214387394/1004/METRO
Related Commentary:
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/KenBlackwell/2008/03/06/judging_gun_rights_are_they_inalienable
http://washingtontimes.com/article/20080305/COMMENTARY/901842032/1012/COMMENTARY
---
Ballistic Imaging Database Questioned: A government study requested by
the Justice Department recommends against the creation of a national gun
database to solve crimes by collecting images of ballistic markings from
all new weapons sold in the United States. The study, released yesterday
by the National Research Council, cites "practical limitations of
current technology for generating and comparing images" and said that
database searches "would likely produce too many candidate 'matches' to
be helpful." ..."There would be significant limitations in the
usefulness of such a database," the study said. The assumption
underlying forensic firearms identification, that every gun leaves
microscopic marks on bullets and cartridge cases that are unique to each
weapon, has not been scientifically demonstrated, the study said. "Most
importantly, there is a huge existing supply of weapons and ammunition
that would not be entered into the database," the report said. "In
addition, revolvers do not eject cartridge cases at crime scenes as do
other handguns."
http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080306/NATION/929884653/1002
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/tna-raa030508.php
---
The Canadians Are Coming!: You'll recall that, a while ago, the
President of the United States of America, George W. Bush, signed an
agreement with Canadian leaders to permit each country to send troops to
the other's aid in an emergency. In short, the President authorized
foreign soldiers to cross our border and push us around, exactly the
same way various uniformed thugs did in New Orleans after Hurricane
Katrina provided them with an excuse. The alert JPFO issued on this
subject asked a rhetorical question: how would you like those foreign
troops to come around smashing down your door to relieve you of the
weapons that you - along with every man, woman, and responsible child in
the world - have an unalienable individual, civil, Constitutional, and
human right to obtain, own, and carry, openly or concealed, any time,
any place, without asking anybody's permission? Only we didn't say
"foreign troops". We said, "gun-hating Canadian troops" - and we heard
about that, loud and clear...
http://www.jpfo.org/smith/smith-canadians.htm
---
West Virginia Governor To Sign Castle-Doctrine Bill: When the National
Rifle Association comes calling at the West Virginia Capitol with
legislation in mind, it helps that the nation's leading hunting and
Second Amendment advocate has an ally in the Governor's Mansion. Such is
the case with the NRA's chief legislative goal this year - the so-called
"castle doctrine" bill. Gov. Joe Manchin is a lifetime NRA member and
intends to sign the measure, which garnered nearly unanimous support in
the Legislature, provided there are no legal foul-ups in the bill.
http://www.register-herald.com/local/local_story_065220729.html
---
Virginia Senate Fails To Override Vetoes Of RKBA Bills: Senators came up
short Wednesday in an attempt to override Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's vetoes
of bills that could have resulted in more concealed weapons in cars and
restaurants. The Senate voted 25-15 to override Kaine's veto of a bill
that would have allowed people who don't have a concealed weapons permit
to transport a gun in a locked glove box or other interior compartment
of a vehicle. Senators voted 22-18 to override the veto of a bill to
allow permit holders to carry concealed weapons into restaurants and
bars as long as they didn't drink alcohol. A two-thirds vote of both
chambers - 27 votes in the 40-seat Senate and 67 in the 100-member House
of Delegates - is required to override a veto.
http://www.wmal.com/Article.asp?id=608224&spid=
Related Article:
http://www.winchesterstar.com/article_details.php?ArticleID=5095
---
More Virginians Carrying: A year ago, it would have been unthinkable. A
chapter of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus has taken up residence
at Virginia Tech. Membership after just one month: 110. Before Seung-Hui
Cho killed 32 people, the idea of condoning guns on campus "never had a
chance," said Ken Stanton, a doctoral student and leader of the new
chapter. "Campuses are traditionally liberal environments," Stanton
said, "but politics go out the window when it comes to self-protection."
http://hamptonroads.com/2008/03/caught-arms-race-virginians-pack-more-guns
---
Oklahoma Could Lower CCW Age: A bill that would lower the age at which
people can carry concealed weapons from 21 to 18 is headed to the state
House for consideration. "In my district when you turn 18, you already
have 16 years of experience with a gun," said Rep. Jerry Ellis, who
added that he was exaggerating to make his point. Ellis, from
southeastern Oklahoma, is the author of House Bill 2232, which was
approved 15-1 on Monday by the House Judiciary and Public Safety
Committee. The bill was requested by the Oklahoma Rifle Association, the
state affiliate of the National Rifle Association, said Ellis,
D-Valliant. Charles Smith of Yukon, executive director of the state
association, said the reason for passing the bill is simple. "If people
can vote and serve in the military at age 18, they should be able to
carry a concealed gun," he said.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080305_1_A9_spanc82287
---
Georgia Christians Back Expanded CCW: The Georgia Christian Coalition is
getting behind a state bill to expand gun-carry laws into company
parking lots and churches. State Rep. Tim Bearden is sponsoring the bill
with the support of the National Rifle Association. It is being opposed
by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce as a violation of private property
rights. The bill is currently in a House-Senate conference committee.
Christians began recognizing the threat for mayhem in the pews after an
armed rampage in Colorado recently. After killing two people at a
Christian training center in Arvada, Colo., 24-year-old Matthew Murray
went to Colorado Springs intending more murder and mayhem.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=58125
---
Indiana City Council Rejects Weapons Ban: The City Council killed an
ordinance Tuesday night aimed at prohibiting citizens from carrying
weapons into city buildings, despite an eloquent attempt by one
councilman to persuade council members to jump to his side. "I'm not
fooling myself. Opposition is strong to this," 2nd-Ward Councilman Marc
Espar said. "There are arguments that it will deny the citizens their
2nd-amendment rights and would make buildings less safe. "I'm not an
advocate of any of those arguments." Espar wrote the ordinance - which
failed 7-2, with only him and 5th-Ward Councilman Willie Milsap voting
in favor - more than a month ago with Milsap's support.
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=10623&TM=55798.73
---
Florida Official Wants Retired Officers To Carry: Before Monday's
shooting rampage at a Wendy's restaurant in suburban West Palm Beach,
County Commissioner Bob Kanjian began inquiring into why more retired
police officers from out of state aren't carrying guns. After seeing the
restaurant in shambles from gunfire, Kanjian, the son of a retired
police officer, says he's convinced that county funds should be used to
help ex-officers from out of state get the necessary background checks
so they can pack a weapon wherever they go.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpcopguns0305pnmar05,0,4521172.story
---
Federal Agent Will Not Faces Charges In Negligent Shooting: The Customs
and Border Protection pilot who shot a contract worker at an office will
not face criminal charges, a Tucson police report said...The criminal
investigation, conducted by Tucson police, revealed that the pilot was
showing a new personal gun, a Colt .45-caliber pistol, to a co-worker
when it discharged Feb. 18 at the headquarters of Customs and Border
Protection's Air and Marine branch near East Golf Links and South Swan
roads. The pilot, in his account to police, said he pulled back the
slide to check the chamber but didn't see a round inside. He didn't
remove the magazine before checking the chamber, the police report said.
The pilot said he let the action go forward, then depressed the trigger
to "decock" the pistol, according to the report. The hammer slipped and
the gun discharged, sending a bullet through a map stuck to the pilot's
cubicle, through the west wall of the open work area and into the
building's briefing room, the report said.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/78681.php
---
Idaho Gun Shop Challenges BATFE In Court: A Twin Falls gun shop stripped
of its license by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms had
repeated chances to fix problems but failed to, a bureau inspector
testified Tuesday in federal court. "It was just a lack of internal
controls - things were just overlooked," John Hansen told U.S. District
Judge Edward Lodge. But the owners of Red's Trading Post tell a
different story - that any violations were inadvertent and
unintentional, and that simple human imperfection virtually guarantees a
minor error in paperwork now and then...Of 970 sales records reviewed,
roughly 150 had errors, Hansen said. But most of those errors were where
would-be gun purchasers put a "Y" or an "N" to indicate yes or no
answers to a required questionnaire, Hansen acknowledged on
cross-examination. Writing out the full words "yes" or "no" is required
under federal rules, he said...
http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/314371.html
---
Pelvis Shot Failure?: A Sioux Falls man accused of trying to burglarize
Larry's I-29 Truck Plaza near Tea was shot in the buttocks by the
business owner early Wednesday morning. According to Lincoln County
Sheriff Dennis Johnson, the plaza's owner was working in a back office
at about 1:15 a.m. when he heard a noise coming from somewhere in the
building. Carrying a loaded handgun, the owner went to investigate and
when he opened the door to his office, another door beside it opened and
"he finds himself face to face with the intruder wearing a mask and
holding a prybar," Johnson said. The owner fired one round at the
intruder, later identified by authorities as Austin L. Yesda, 22, of
Sioux Falls. The bullet hit Yesda in his backside and he fled the
building. (It's not clear the caliber of the bullet and there's room to
debate whether a shot to the buttocks really qualifies as a pelvis shot.
Then there's the issue of how the burglar was shot in the buttocks in a
face-to-face confrontation.)
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080305/UPDATES/80305022/-1/nation
---
From AzCDL:
Two CCW reform bills will be heard in the Senate Committee of the Whole
(COW) on Thursday, March 6, 2008.
http://tinyurl.com/2r6dgn .
Information on these bills and other legislation that AzCDL is tracking
can be found at:
http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html .
SB 1070 is an AzCDL requested bill that proposes changes to ARS 13-3112
regarding the process for obtaining a concealed weapons (CCW) permit.
The proposed legislation makes it easier for lawful gun owners who have
satisfactorily completed training to obtain a permit, or renew an
expired one. It also assists those wishing to obtain a permit by
removing the statutory barrier requiring instructors to create a
training organization, and expands the pool of available instructors to
automatically include certain NRA certified instructors passing the
required background investigation.
SB 1106 is Senator Chuck Gray's bill that provides for an optional
lifetime CCW permit while capping permit fees at $99.
Please take the time to send a polite note to your Senator urging them
to vote for the passage of SB 1070 and SB 1106. You can find your
Senator here:
http://www.azleg.gov/alisStaticPages/HowToContactMember.asp .
Stay tuned! As relevant legislation is introduced and progresses, we
will keep you up to date via these Alerts:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AZCDL_Alerts/
These alerts are a project of the Arizona Citizens Defense League
(AzCDL), an all volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots
organization. Join today!
AzCDL - Protecting Your Freedom
http://www.azcdl.org/html/join_us_.html
Copyright � 2008 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights
reserved.
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
