Possession of a handgun in Baltimore could soon come with one year mandatory prison

I dont know if there will be a compromise on MD gun laws next year, or a protest this year.

But I do see a lot more pro-self defense commentary on the Baltimore City Facebook page.

hard to predict when/if city residents will finally have had enough of failed policies.

What about the State Pre-emption law? or do they want to punish the whole state for the evils of the city?

CrueChief said:

What about the State Pre-emption law? or do they want to punish the whole state for the evils of the city?

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Why would they bother to change their ways now, all of a sudden?

ShafTed said:

Why would they bother to change their ways now, all of a sudden?

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Only if they think they would lose their job.

CrueChief said:

What about the State Pre-emption law? or do they want to punish the whole state for the evils of the city?

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Pre-emption still allows localities to make prohibitied locations around schools, public buildings etc as put in this bill. They just can't make it 100% everywhere.


They looked it up and found what they could do ... and they're doing it

And more of the same old pablum from a Baltimore pol:

Mandatory gun sentencing won’t stem Baltimore’s bloodshed
https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2017/07/24/mandatory-gun-sentencing-wont-stem-baltimores-bloodshed/

...Over the past week, I have listened to mothers of victims, police officers, colleagues, community members, public health practitioners, activists, anti-violence advocates and academics. I have attempted to read up on the criminological research and explore similar case studies.

The evidence supporting mandatory gun sentences as a crime-fighting tool is murky.

In 1975, legislators in Massachusetts enacted the Bartley-Fox Law that imposed a one-year mandatory minimum sentence for gun possession along with additional sentence enhancements. Subsequent studies on its impact were mixed, with no clear indication that the law significantly reduced violent crimes.

On the whole, mandatory minimum sentences have not been proven to deter crime, but have had a catastrophic impact on individuals and communities...

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danb said:

where did you hear this?

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A protest was mentioned on WBAL this morning, but it was a tease and I missed the story. I hope to get it on the 7am news .

Bikebreath said:

A protest was mentioned on WBAL this morning, but it was a tease and I missed the story. I hope to get it on the 7am news .

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Didn't hear it. Maybe C4 will mention it.

Is living in Baltimore Good and Substantial

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/sun-investigates/bs-md-ci-gun-bill-20170720-story.html

Erica Kells, 27, received a 90-day sentence after she was arrested with an unloaded handgun in December outside a Boost Mobile store on Pennsylvania Avenue. Kells, who works at a carwash, says she carried a gun for her own safety. She acknowledges she hadn’t applied for a state permit to legally carry a handgun, but argues a year in jail would have been an unfair sentence in her case.

“It's crazy out here these days, she said of Baltimore’s violence. “I don’t trust other people.”

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Other first-time offenders have not been arrested again, The Sun’s review found. They include these cases that resulted in sentences of between 2 days and 90 days in jail include.:

A truck driver passing through Baltimore on Interstate 95 was pulled over for making an unsafe lane change and charged after telling officers he had a gun in the vehicle.
A 26-year-old manager at an optometrist’s office was arrested when police coming to his aid after a serious car accident found that he had a gun.
A 35-year-old father of two was arrested after running away when police approached him and other men standing near Oswego Mall in Park Heights.

Councilman Kristerfer Burnett, an opponent of the mandatory-sentencing measure, says otherwise law-abiding people in Baltimore are carrying guns to protect themselves.

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I realize "compromise" is a dirty word, but let me just reiterate there is a deal here ....

"Councilman Kristerfer Burnett, an opponent of the mandatory-sentencing measure, says otherwise law-abiding people in Baltimore are carrying guns to protect themselves."

I don't trust any of the rat politicians. They're saying the law would be unfair to those carrying for protection, but the rats are only concerned that all their "constituents" (voters), will be arrested.

You can watch the hearing hear http://charmtv.tv/watch-live

Gutted

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...-md-ci-gun-bill-committee-20170724-story.html

But what emerged from the committee late Tuesday was a fairly minor piece of legislation.

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Bill was gutted, it would add $1000 fine to the penalties already in state law. That's it.

Some people are carrying for self defense, without a permit, imagine that.

ras_oscar said:

Is someone going to run through the city with a map and draw a 100 yard circle around every building that claims religious or educational operations?

What if my neighbor opens a church in his basement and the circle overlaps the room where I keep my weapons? Sounds silly, but there are religions (Amish comes to mind) that don't maintain formal houses of worship. Services are held at member residences on a rotating basis. Are those houses now all religious structures? Continuously? Only when services are in session? Do I need to go door to door to my neighbors to determine their religious affiliation?

What if the circle from a block over goes to the center of the road? Does that mean I can travel south over that road but not north?

What if my neighbor starts an internet training academy to teach astrology online? Is his house now an educational facility?

I wonder if the people that write these laws even bother to talk to judges, who have to sort these questions out and interpret them in the real world?

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I saw a blurb from the original announcement of this and the mayor was talking about the different types of buildings with the 100 yard zone around them and mentioned how many churches there were in the city. Just from the way she was talking it seemed like the end goal was to have this effective for the entire city.

Chaos Erupts At City Hall Hearing For Proposed Gun Bill

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Did it??? 2 arrested??? Anyone know who?

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2017/07/25/baltimore-gun-bill-hearing/

adit said:

Did it??? 2 arrested??? Anyone know who?

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2017/07/25/baltimore-gun-bill-hearing/

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Baltimore has a public database where you can see recent arrests based on day, crime an a bunch of other information. I can't remember right now but quick google should find it.

Rab1515 said:

Baltimore has a public database where you can see recent arrests based on day, crime an a bunch of other information. I can't remember right now but quick google should find it.

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Here is the group that let the protest.
https://baltimorebloc.tumblr.com

2A Maryland said:

JULY 14, 2017The Baltimore City Council unveiled a draft copy of a new gun bill which would apply to Baltimore City ONLY. If the bill passes, persons convicted of possessing a handgun in Baltimore City, without a permit to wear and carry a handgun, will be subject to a mandatory 1 year prison sentence AND and $1,000 fine. (The court would not be permitted to suspend any part of the penalty nor could it give probation before judgement. Persons convicted would not be eligible for parole. As written, the proposed bill could violate Maryland's preemption statute.

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Yes, it's too bad the only people liberals want to make eligible for capital punishment is gun owners who just want a right to defend themselves.

So here we have their way of thinking. If you don't have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, then they can impale you on a stake just outside the waterfront area. If you want to defend yourself, get a permit.

Only, guess what? You can't get a permit!

My wife's family live in Washington, D.C., and based on yesterday's news, it now appears one will be able to carry concealed in the District before one can in Maryland. It would be laughable if it weren't so tragic. And my wife, who loves yard work, chats frequently with our neighbors here in Montgomery County. And in the course of their chats, they just openly blabber away about how those who voted for Trump are idiots and low grade morons, and then how what we need in this state is tougher gun control.

It doesn't matter that they have no idea what our gun laws are now. The fact that someone can walk into a store and buy a shotgun or rifle is simply abhorrent! (Never mind handguns. To them, civilians with handguns are a menace.) That these people never even slow down to gauge how you feel about Trump, Obamacare, Hillary or handguns is itself amazing. Getting a CCW permit in Massachusetts is even probable in that state.

Perhaps it's time for us to go to these town halls on the gun issue and begin pushing for the disarming of cops. In Baltimore, the need for civilians and cops are about the same. If citizens who are being murdered left and right don't need guns, we should at least ask the question of whether cops need them. What kind of message are we sending to our citizens if we deny them weapons but then turn around and arm our cops? Perhaps if our cops and the security details that protect those in power were to give up their weapons, the criminal element might see that we're serious about offering them the love and concern that they missed out on growing up. It's called "Leading By Example," and is a popular and long-held social tenant held by liberals. Remember Fearless Fosdick from Lil' Abner years ago? He was an underpaid, overworked and not too intelligent detective that had his own strip within a strip. He violently disarmed those who fought back against crime so that the crooks would feel loved and accepted. The doctor who concocted this theory ("Dr. Dolittlegood") one day was mugged and beat down Fosdick's door to get his gun. Fortunately he was stopped by Fosdick.

Fosdick might have stuck by this new resolution had not some crooks tried to steal his steak dinner -- the one his faithful, but homely, girlfriend cooked him each week.



No matter how many holes he was
shot with, Fearless Fosdick, who
looked suspiciously like Dick Tracy,
always assured his readers they "were
merely flesh wounds!"


..

danb said:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/sun-investigates/bs-md-ci-gun-bill-20170720-story.html





I realize "compromise" is a dirty word, but let me just reiterate there is a deal here ....

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Not a bad article, but didn't go far enough

The article talks about 60% of 605 convictions resulted in reduced senteces; more than 100 were not first offense; a judge giving reduced sentence to self admitted drug dealer; and a judge stating that they don't create plea deals.

The way I see it is that we have a huge problem that is not going to go away and there is no easy solution. My two cents, use the exiting laws to go after criminals with guns. If I am a criminal and I know that I will just get a slap when I get caught with a gun, I will keep my gun. If we can't deter criminals, killings will continue.