Pentagon Shooting - the New Media Tack: One of the handguns that John
Patrick Bedell used to shoot two Pentagon police officers this month was
seized five years ago by a Tennessee police department that later traded
the weapon to a licensed gun distributor in Georgia, law enforcement
sources said Sunday. The Sturm, Ruger & Co. 9mm gun ended up with
Bedell, 36, not long before he opened fire at the Pentagon's Metro
entrance March 4, officials said. Law enforcement officials aren't sure
how Bedell got the weapon, but they were able to track it to a Las Vegas
gun show, where it was sold last year to a private individual. That
person, authorities said, sold the gun to a third person, and the trail
went cold there until police found it in Bedell's hands outside the
Pentagon... It is unclear how or when Bedell obtained the second weapon,
which law enforcement officials said was a Taurus 9mm handgun. Officials
traced that weapon back to a gun dealer in California who legally sold
the weapon to an individual before going out of business in the late
1980s. The gun then was sold into the secondary market and could have
changed hands countless times over the past two decades... Private sales
would have allowed Bedell to buy a weapon even though he was precluded
from ownership due to his history of mental illness. Bedell's family
said he had developed a paranoia about the government and had received
treatment for mental health problems. He had also frequently used
marijuana and had been arrested for drug possession... ("Private sales"
may or may not be lawful under existing law. Bedell was a California
resident and California has required private-party transfers of handguns
and most long guns to be processed through a dealer for many years. It
is a violation of federal law to purchase a handgun outside one's state
of residence, unless that transfer is processed through an FFL in the
purchaser's home state. California also requires those who move to that
state with handguns to register them with its Department of Justice.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/14/AR2010031401254.html
---
West Virginia to Outlaw Gun Stings: New York City has sent out
undercover investigators to catch gun dealers violating background check
laws. But West Virginia lawmakers want to make it a crime for
investigators to conduct such sting operations in West Virginia. The
Legislature passed a measure Saturday that targets anyone who tries to
entice a firearms dealer or private seller under circumstances that the
individual knows is unlawful. The bill addresses a tactic employed by
New York during stings conducted last year at seven guns shows in
Tennessee, Ohio and Nevada. The bill had also proposed allowing felons
and others otherwise barred from having guns to possess antique
firearms. But the House Judiciary Committee removed that provision, and
the Senate agreed to the change Saturday.
http://dailymail.com/News/statehouse/201003130617
Tax-Holiday Bill Goes to Governor: West Virginia lawmakers want to give
gun buyers an annual break from the state sales tax. The Legislature
sent the governor the necessary bill Saturday after it passed the Senate
25-9. It earlier won House approval 96-2. The bill sets the sales tax
holiday during the first weekend of each October. Supporters say it
should help businesses that sell firearms, particularly in border
counties. But Sen. Jesse Guills, R-Greenbrier, said it would make West
Virginia the butt of jokes. Other critics include the nonpartisan Tax
Foundation, which faulted Oklahoma lawmakers for a similar proposal
earlier this year. It frowns on temporary tax measures. State officials
estimate it would save consumers, and cost general revenue, around
$25,000 a year. (Oh, my God! I don't know if I will be able to deal with
it if Arizona becomes the butt of jokes. I'm not found of using tax
policy for social engineering and would rather see an end to the federal
excise tax on firearms and ammunition, another project proudly supported
by the NRA.)
http://dailymail.com/News/statehouse/201003130619
---
Some Alaska Council Members Cry Intimidation: Carrying a firearm into a
municipal building is legal, but is it wise to openly display a gun at a
heated public meeting? The presiding officer of the Borough Assembly
said openly displayed sidearms at a meeting on Feb. 25, when emotions
ran high, didn't bother him. But some assembly members said it concerns
them. Borough officials said no one complained to them about the
firearms, however... Officials with the three area municipalities said
firearms are allowed in most municipal buildings and at public meetings.
State law prohibits local governments from restricting gun rights any
more than the state's restrictions. But that doesn't mean openly
carrying a firearm to a stormy public meeting is an exercise in good
judgment, according to Assemblywoman Nadine Winters and Assemblymen Tim
Beck, Guy Sattley, Hank Bartos and Matt Want...
http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/6710335/article-Guns-in-Fairbanks--Should-you-bring-weapons-to-a-heated-public-debate-?instance=home_lead_story
---
Object of Oregon SWAT Callout Reclaims Firearms: A phone call from a
police negotiator that jolted David J. Pyles awake in the predawn hours
of Monday continues to jangle the nerves of observers monitoring the way
authorities took the Medford man into protective custody and seized his
firearms. Pyles came forward Thursday to reclaim his legally purchased
weapons, publicly identifying himself in an e-mail sent to Medford
police and forwarded to state legislators and selected media outlets. He
also said he has contacted the Oregon Firearms Federation for possible
legal assistance. Pyles directed questions to that group and said he
would make only limited statements until he had consulted with an
attorney. Kevin Starrett, director of the Canby-based lobbying
organization - which also has a foundation for protecting gun rights
through court cases - had been monitoring the incident that landed
Pyles in the hospital for a mental health evaluation and resulted in
five of his guns being held by police for "safekeeping." ...Police have
maintained that Pyles' surrender was voluntary, but Starrett noted that
an intimidating presence of officers with rifles and SWAT gear can force
people to agree to things they wouldn't normally do...
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100312/NEWS/3120325
---
Self-Defense in the Golden State: The Associated Press reports that when
a rapist attacked a female jogger in Malibu [CA] last week, her only
defense was to jump off a cliff. She had just finished running when a
man attacked her from behind. Police say she may have struggled for as
long as 30 minutes, when she finally broke free and went over the cliff.
Fortunately, it wasn't completely vertical, and she was able to control
her descent enough so that she only suffered "some bumps and bruises,
but did not break any bones in the fall." ...She was fortunate that she
was able to continue struggling for half an hour, probably due to
superior aerobic capacity she developed by running. And her athleticism
undoubtedly enabled her to negotiate the cliff better than an
unconditioned person. Otherwise, she would have become another
(completed) rape-and possibly murder-victim... Unfortunately, the state
of California doesn't want their women to defend themselves, since in
most counties-especially along the coast-it is nearly impossible to
obtain a concealed carry license. But the Brady Campaign likes that:
They gave California their highest state rating in the 2009 Scorecard,
79 (out of 100). In Texas, where women have the right to defend
themselves, Brady gave us a score of 9...
http://www.examiner.com/x-2879-Austin-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m3d15-SelfDefense-California-style
On the Other Hand...: An off-duty police officer shot and killed a man
who attacked him at a Del Taco in Anaheim [CA] on Sunday afternoon,
police said. The officer, a 10-year veteran of the Gardena Police
Department, was with his young daughter at the Del Taco on Lincoln
Avenue and Rio Vista Street, said Sgt. Rick Martinez of the Anaheim
Police Department. The officer, whom Martinez declined to name, was in
plainclothes. As the officer walked out of the restaurant about 3:45
p.m., a 39-year-old man began to attack the off-duty officer "for some
unknown reason," Martinez said. He said the suspect hit the officer with
his hands and pummeled him into the corner of the restaurant. The
officer tried to push the man off, but the man continued to assault the
officer, Martinez said. The officer then pulled out a handgun and fired
at least one round at close range on the suspect, he said. The suspect
was hit in the abdomen. He later died. The officer suffered at least
one broken rib and possibly a broken jaw and nose, Martinez said...
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/03/offduty-police-officer-kills-attacker-in-anaheim.html
---
The Shy Is Falling!: Link is to a must-see photo of a Brady/Misguided
Mom and her son leafleting the original Starbucks location in Seattle.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3743287&id=6236054211&fbid=340025609211
---
Oops, Wrong House, Nevada Version: An off-duty Las Vegas police officer
shot a home invasion suspect in the leg at the officer's Henderson
residence Sunday afternoon... Henderson police think the suspect,
identified as 38-year-old Carlos Chacon, was fleeing an earlier home
invasion in the same neighborhood, department spokesman Keith Paul said.
Police said Chacon and another man, identified as 39-year-old Nelson
Abreus-Diaz, broke into a home on the 1300 block of Sun Pillars Avenue,
near Stephanie Street and Wigwam Parkway about 2:20 p.m. A man living at
the house was home and talking to a friend on the phone when the
break-in occurred. The man's friend called police, Paul said. When
officers arrived, the two suspects jumped out of a rear window and fled
on foot, Paul said. Abreus-Diaz was caught by police about 20 minutes
later on Stephanie Street. Chacon broke into a home on the 300 block of
Warm Front Street, which was owned by a Las Vegas police officer who was
off-duty, Paul said. The officer shot Chacon once in the leg. Chacon was
taken to a hospital. Paul said the two men were armed with handguns...
http://www.lvrj.com/news/off-duty-las-vegas-officer-shoots-armed-suspect-in-henderson-home-invasion-87627097.html
---
Oops, Wrong House, Virginia Version: An intruder was shot this morning
after forcing his way into a home in a Henrico County. Henrico police
say an adult male was shot in the lower torso around 5:30 a.m. in the
10300 block of Longdale Ave. The victim was transported to VCU Medical
Center with non-life-threatening injuries. According to police, an
elderly female homeowner reported that an intruder forced his way into
her home, physically attacked her and then physically attacked her adult
grandson, who was also present inside the home. The woman was knocked to
the floor and her grandson obtained a handgun and "fired one round into
the lower body of the assailant, causing him to drop to the floor," said
Henrico Lt. Jim Price. The woman suffered facial injuries and was
treated on the scene. The investigation is ongoing, but the attack does
not appear to be random, Price said. "It appears that the homeowner was
not aware of this individual and had never met him; however, [the
assailant] is apparently known to the adult grandson as an acquaintance,
someone he recently came across or met," Price said...
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/intruder_shot_in_henrico_county_home/330328/
---
Oops, Wrong Market: Another robbery that went from bad to worse, police
say, after a clerk pulled out a gun and shot a would-be robber. This is
the second shooting like this in just the past few days in the same part
of town [South Toledo OH], but this time the suspect is dead. The
suspect was wearing a woman's wig and brandished a gun before demanding
money from the clerk at Bengal's Food Mart on Airport Highway, Sgt. Tim
Noble said. This all happened around 10 a.m. They figure he was hoping
to leave with his pockets lined with cash. Instead, he was wheeled out
of Bengal's Food Mart on a coroner's stretcher. It was a deadly end to
what neighbors call a brazen robbery attempt...
http://www.foxtoledo.com/dpp/news/local/wupw-toledo-tpd-robber-shot-killed-by-clerk-031410-ba
http://www.examiner.com/x-18149-SelfDefense-Examiner~y2010m3d14-Grocery-store-robber-fatally-shot-by-armed-clerk
---
"Million-Dollar Luger" Sells for Half-Price: The corporate-takeover
shark played by Michael Douglas in the movie "Wall Street" brandished a
replica and bragged about it as "the rarest gun in the world." An
Indonesian billionaire paid $1 million for the real thing, and it became
known as "the million-dollar Luger." That was in the late 1980s, when
the Douglas line "greed is good" captured the spirit of the times. On
Sunday, under very different economic circumstances, the coveted
.45-caliber Luger found a new owner for half that price at a public
auction in Anaheim. The gavel came down at $430,000 from an anonymous
bidder. With the 15% buyer's premium, the 103-year-old weapon fetched
$494,500... The 9-millimeter Luger was the standard firearm used by the
Germans during World Wars I and II, according to the auctioneer. The
Germans made the .45-caliber for the American market and tried
unsuccessfully to sell it to the U.S. military in 1907. Only three were
made and two survived. The other is in a Louisiana museum... (Actually,
the German Navy initially used the Luger pistol in its original
bottlenecked .30-caliber chambering and it was the army that prompted
blowing out the case to its full 9mm diameter. Bottleneck cases were
used initially for more reliable feeding. Obviously, in US Army testing,
the .45-caliber Luger was beaten by the predecessors of what went on to
become the Model of 1911.)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-luger15-2010mar15,0,7573316.story
---
Venezuela Murder Rate Has Soared under Chavez: The Venezuelan
Observatory of Violence (OVV), whose data is widely followed in the
absence of official statistics, said the South American nation has one
of the highest crime rates on the continent, with 54 homicides per
100,000 citizens in 2009. That rate is only surpassed in Latin America
by El Salvador where 70 in every 100,000 citizens were murdered last
year, the OVV said, citing official statistics from that country. Crime
repeatedly comes first on Venezuelans' list of worries. It has also
begun to drag on Chavez's traditionally high approval ratings as well as
scare tourists who come to Venezuela... Chavez says he is doing his best
to combat crime, which he blames on wealth inequalities caused by former
governments. He accuses foes of exaggerating the problem to foment fear,
and has recently hiked pay for police officers, as well as launching a
new national force... (No mention is made whether Chavez has restricted
access to firearm permits, which were routinely available to law-abiding
citizens under the prior government. As to the new police force, I am
confident in saying that it was created in order to have a force with
loyalty to Chavez, not the nation's constitution.)
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62A44A20100311
---
Tangentially Related: An early chance for the Obama administration to
reshape the nation's judiciary - and counter gains made in the federal
courts by conservatives - appears close to slipping away, due to a
combination of White House inattention and Republican opposition. During
President Obama's first year, judicial nominations trickled out of the
White House at a far slower pace than in President George W. Bush's
first year. Bush announced 11 nominees for federal appeals courts in the
fourth month of his tenure. Obama didn't nominate his 11th appeals court
judge until November, his 10th month in office. Moreover, Obama nominees
are being confirmed at a much slower rate than those of his predecessor,
largely because of the gridlocked Senate...
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-obama-judges15-2010mar15,0,118526.story
The Senate Judiciary Committee has cause to consider finding Attorney
General Eric H. Holder Jr. in contempt of Congress. During his
confirmation process last year, Mr. Holder withheld a tremendously
important legal brief from the committee. Combined with a series of
other occasions on which the attorney general has stonewalled
congressional queries, this new revelation reflects so badly on Mr.
Holder's ethics that it puts in doubt his fitness for office... This
puts more negative light on Mr. Holder's three-month-long refusal to
disclose the names and cases of Justice Department attorneys who
previously worked on detainee cases. This stonewall only crumbled after
The Washington Times and other news outlets unearthed the names. This
gives the impression that Mr. Holder was trying to block department
attorneys from criticism and, worse, cover up his own lack of candor
during his confirmation hearings...
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/15/holding-holder-in-contempt/
Getting people to pay for news online at this point would be "like
trying to force butterflies back into their cocoons," a new consumer
survey suggests. That was one of several bleak headlines in the Project
for Excellence in Journalism's annual assessment of the state of the
news industry, released Sunday. The project's report contained an
extensive look at habits of the estimated six in 10 Americans who say
they get at least some news online during a typical day. On average,
each person spends three minutes and four seconds per visit to a news
site... (If this survey is heeded, that will bode well for the future of
these mailings.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/15/AR2010031500849.html
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
The tactics and skills to use a firearm
in self-defense don't come naturally
with the right to keep and bear arms.
http://www.spw-duf.info