legislation requiring that people who are caught with a loaded handgun be locked up f

[Schipperke]

I think he means the other Shannon!

She's drifting out to sea.

 

[tmd99]

This is the "you better not be mistaken about the convoluted gun laws in Maryland" statute to snag people who otherwise believe they are complying with the law and sending them to prison for a year. This is where judge's need discretion the most.

 

[Jim12]

This is the "you better not be mistaken about the convoluted gun laws in Maryland" statute to snag people who otherwise believe they are complying with the law and sending them to prison for a year. This is where judge's need discretion the most.

This. An extension of FSA2013's attempt to do the same: Scare people away from exercising their rights, for fear that they might do something wrong and inadvertently become a criminal. And if that's not enough to stop them, make the red tape and fees prohibitive.

People shouldn't have to be a lawyer or have one on speed dial in order to exercise their rights. If the law requires it, the law is wrong and needs to be repealed or struck down.

 

[Rack&Roll]

Has anyone invited John Lott, Shannon Alford, Alan Gottlieb, and others who handle legislative issues 24/7 around the country and have access to relevant facts and figures at their fingertips, to testify on this and all the other legislation the MGA has before it, to pepper the record with real facts and make the arguments that are being made in other jurisdictions?

Edit: fixed the "Shannon"

Dr. John Lott has told our reps here he will not testify unless he is officially appearing on behalf of the "lead Republican".

 

[Rack&Roll]

Shannon Alford, MD NRA liaison, testifies all the time. She passed our picketing the other day but declined to talk with us. I accept and understand her need to keep her distance from "insurgents".

The NRA is officially non-partisan.

 

[Blacksmith101]

Mandatory jail sentences for gun crimes already exist that is why they are the first charges dropped in the plea bargain.

A better law would be no gun violations by previously convicted felons may be plea bargained away.

 

[Jim12]

Dr. John Lott has told our reps here he will not testify unless he is officially appearing on behalf of the "lead Republican".

He has his own good reasons for that, I imagine. Sounds like he's willing, if asked. He's not a MD resident, to my knowledge, nor just somebody off the street. Have the "lead Republicans' " offices talked with him?

I take it that he meant Senate Minority Leader, Sen. J.B. Jennings(R) and House Minority Leader, Rep. Nicholaus Kipke(R). Or does he want the Committees' minority leaders to ask?

 

[EL1227]

Yeppers ...

This is the "you better not be mistaken about the convoluted gun laws in Maryland" statute to snag people who otherwise believe they are complying with the law and sending them to prison for a year. This is where judge's need discretion the most.

This. An extension of FSA2013's attempt to do the same: Scare people away from exercising their rights, for fear that they might do something wrong and inadvertently become a criminal. And if that's not enough to stop them, make the red tape and fees prohibitive.

People shouldn't have to be a lawyer or have one on speed dial in order to exercise their rights. If the law requires it, the law is wrong and needs to be repealed or struck down.

We're not quite as bad as NY or NJ, but if this one gets passed, we will be.

PA corrections officer charged after carrying gun in N.J.

 

[Rack&Roll]

He has his own good reasons for that, I imagine. Sounds like he's willing, if asked. He's not a MD resident, to my knowledge, nor just somebody off the street. Have the "lead Republicans' " offices talked with him?

I take it that he meant Senate Minority Leader, Sen. J.B. Jennings(R) and House Minority Leader, Rep. Nicholaus Kipke(R). Or does he want the Committees' minority leaders to ask?

Can't answer that. If I can find the post of the person that contacted him I will repost.

 

[Raineman]

Mandatory jail sentences for gun crimes already exist that is why they are the first charges dropped in the plea bargain.

A better law would be no gun violations by previously convicted felons may be plea bargained away.

Sure would be nice to have those dropped charges numbers on hand, wouldn't it? How much you wanna' bet they already have their own set of numbers mysteriously hidden and not backed with evidence?

 

[pcfixer]

Carrying an illegal gun is currently "treated no differently than a first-time DUI offense in Maryland," Davis said. "The gun-carrying bad guys know it, and that's why they don't think twice."

So why are laws so easy illegal gun carry?

 

[Mr H]

We're still talking about Maryland, right?

Idunno...

I just heard that Mike Miller says this is unnecessary, as there are already laws on the books that address the problem.

Let me see what the White Rabbit has to say on the matter.

 

[Mr H]

Answer me something, folks...

All day I've been hearing about "illegal guns"... on the street, being carried, in vehicles...

I've heard of firearms being 'illegally possessed', or 'carried/transported illegally', but just what guns are these people talking about?!!

 

[Mr H]

Eggzactly. Thanks.

I need to think of Watts as in low wattage, as in dim, so as to remember.

I call her Shannon Lo-Watts, so you're ok with that

 

[Raineman]

She's drifting out to sea.

I see what you did there

 

[Blacksmith101]

Answer me something, folks...

All day I've been hearing about "illegal guns"... on the street, being carried, in vehicles...

I've heard of firearms being 'illegally possessed', or 'carried/transported illegally', but just what guns are these people talking about?!!

"illegal guns" generally fall into two categories:

Either they came across the boarder without the proper documentation.

Or they have been convicted of committing a felony and have thus become "prohibited".

There is also a very small number who become "prohibited" because they have been involuntarily committed to a mental hospital.

 

[Jim12]

Sure would be nice to have those dropped charges numbers on hand, wouldn't it? How much you wanna' bet they already have their own set of numbers mysteriously hidden and not backed with evidence?

There have been several threads here that followed specific violent crimes involving firearms, their investigation, proceedings, and disposition. IIRC, in a number of them, people researched and posted the perps' MD Case Search history, which showed prior firearms-related charges that were dropped, and early release allowing them to commit the current offense while they should have been in jail from the prior one! Seems to happen with some frequency.

If there's no down-side to using a gun in the commission of a felony, what's going to stop them the next time? Too much like Russian roulette -- with others' lives.

 

[RoadDawg]

I am just throwing this out there: Would it be a horrible no good thing if they combined this with SB0184 to make MD shall issue?

It is hard to know why people are getting 30 days or not prosecuted. Maybe quite a few are intimidated by the process. If we made it easier for law abiding people to get permits, and combined it with a stiffer penalty for actual crime, seems like a win-win.

Knowing what this legislature does as a regular course of conduct would cause me to say NO.

They would only hear your half of the deal that gives away rights. The part which they would be required to give would NEVER make it out of committee.

Case in point: FSA 2013.

 

[RoadDawg]

There have been several threads here that followed specific violent crimes involving firearms, their investigation, proceedings, and disposition. IIRC, in a number of them, people researched and posted the perps' MD Case Search history, which showed prior firearms-related charges that were dropped, and early release allowing them to commit the current offense while they should have been in jail from the prior one! Seems to happen with some frequency.

If there's no down-side to using a gun in the commission of a felony, what's going to stop them the next time? Too much like Russian roulette -- with others' lives.

That's the problem... There IS a downside... But it rarely gets used... FOR FELONS. You see, felons are ALREADY subject to long incarceration for possessing a "illegal gun" (defined as any gun which is against the law to possess, OR any gun which is possessed by the person in an illegal manner). The felon is ALREADY PROHIBITED. But, you the ordinary citizen are NOT YET A PROHIBITED PERSON. The goal is to increase the number of prohibited persons in the state. Thereby decreasing the number of legally possessed guns and gun owners in the state.

Thinking they would trade CCW permits for that law is like believing Lucy will ever allow Charlie Brown to actually kick that football.

 

[Jim12]

That's the problem... There IS a downside... But it rarely gets used... FOR FELONS. You see, felons are ALREADY subject to long incarceration for possessing a "illegal gun" (defined as any gun which is against the law to possess, OR any gun which is possessed by the person in an illegal manner). The felon is ALREADY PROHIBITED. But, you the ordinary citizen are NOT YET A PROHIBITED PERSON. The goal is to increase the number of prohibited persons in the state. Thereby decreasing the number of legally possessed guns and gun owners in the state.

Thinking they would trade CCW permits for that law is like believing Lucy will ever allow Charlie Brown to actually kick that football.

And that goes to the complexity, lack of widespread understanding, and convolution of MD's gun laws -- intentionally so, to ensnare innocent citizens and turn them into unintentional criminals -- or pay a fortune to defend themselves in court.

Gun laws must be simple enough to be understood by simple people. Like voting laws or any other laws affecting people's rights. It shouldn't require a law degree or a lawyer on speed dial, one or both of which our ruling members of MGA enjoy, in order to exercise one's rights.