Just In Case: If you should fail to receive a mailing on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of this coming week, it will be due to interruption of my internet access for a cable-splicing project. --- US Supports DC In Heller: Quick read: Gov't says, yes, it's an individual right. BUT we join with DC in asking Court to reverse the DC Circuit, because it applied strict scrutiny to the DC law. It should only have applied an intermediate standard. That is, the legal position of the US is that DC Circuit was wrong, a complete ban on handguns is NOT per se unconstitutional, it all depends on how good a reason DC can prove for it...As I read this, the (Bush) Dept of Justice is asking that the Court hold it to be an individual right, but not strike the DC gun law, instead sending it back down to the trial court to take evidence on everything from how much the District needs the law to whether people can defend themselves without pistols and just what the DC trigger lock law means. THEN maybe it can begin another four year trek to the Supremes. That is, the DoJ REJECTS the DC Circuit position that an absolute, flat, ban on handguns violates the Second Amendment, and contends that it might just be justified, it all depends on the evidence. (From David Hardy) http://armsandthelaw.com/archives/07-290tsacUnitedStates.pdf Related Article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/12/AR2008011200030.html Six Things Americans Should Know About The Second Amendment (From Jews for the Preservation of Firearm Ownership): http://www.jpfo.org/filegen-n-z/six-about-2nd.htm On The Other Hand, Some Jews Don't Get It: The American Jewish Committee filed an amicus brief with the United States Supreme Court today, asserting that the District of Columbia's strict gun control laws do not offend the Constitution. The case, D.C. v. Heller, will be the first gun control case before the Supreme Court in sixty eight years. http://www.ajc.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=ijITI2PHKoG&b=849241&ct=4927437 Eighteen DA's Chime In: Prosecutors from across the country, afraid that an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling could erode state gun laws, on Friday asked the high court to uphold a ban on unlicensed handguns. The district attorneys, from 18 jurisdictions, weighed in on case in which justices will decide whether the Constitution's Second Amendment bars a conviction under tough Washington, D.C. handgun laws. The prosecutors say a ruling against the ban could impair law enforcement and jeopardize public safety. The case stems from the conviction of Dick Heller, a 65-year-old security guard who had a permit to carry a handgun at work but was denied a license to keep one at his home in what had been a high crime neighborhood. He kept one anyway... The prosecutors submitted the papers as a friend-of-the-court brief, filed by parties who are not part of the case but who have an interest in its outcome. The district attorneys, who represent a total of more than 25 million people, come from jurisdictions that include New York, San Francisco, Boston, Dallas, Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, San Diego, Oakland and Atlanta. (This is the first I've heard that Heller was appealing a conviction.) http://www.topix.net/content/ap/2008/01/district-attorneys-nationwide-ask-supreme-court-to-keep-gun-ban --- Another View Of The "Veterans Disarmament Act": Quietly and without fanfare or advanced notice, the incredibly dangerous anti-rights gun law drafted by the Brady group and its allies, HR 2640, has been rewritten by attorneys coordinated by the NRA...It makes sense for the NRA to attribute the exceptional improvements in HR 2640 to the brave and solitary stance of Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), along with NRA's "careful analysis" of the earlier bill. This is politically savvy, enhances credibility, and saves some face after an arduous and rancorous struggle to get the bill to this better place. Many gun-rights activists properly called the earlier draft horrendous... http://www.gunlaws.com/gloaup6-PR.htm --- Georgia Parking-Lot Storage Bill Defended: The Georgia General Assembly session is about to begin, and self-styled "property rights" advocates once again are criticizing the National Rifle Association for daring to urge passage of legislation that would remind Georgia citizens that their right to lawfully possess a firearm, as guaranteed by Constitution and law, cannot be arbitrarily denied them simply because they might chose to exercise that right in or on a publicly-accessible parking lot... http://www.mdjonline.com/content/index/showcontentitem/area/1/section/17/item/102431.html --- Bloomberg Deposed In Counter-Suit: ...Mr. Bloomberg spent the day sitting for a deposition in a civil lawsuit, the first time he has done so as mayor. The defamation case against the mayor was brought by a South Carolina gun salesman who claims the mayor spoke ill of him in the press. The deposition lasted the entire workday, and the topics ranged from Mr. Bloomberg's views on the Second Amendment to whether he intended to run for president... http://www.nysun.com/article/69371 --- National-Park-Carry Poll: http://www.news4jax.com/news/15025450/detail.html --- Charges Weighed For Man Who Shot Intruder: Plum police plan to work with the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office to determine if charges should be filed against a man who shot an intruder. Plum police Chief Frank Monaco said James A. Bodnar, 68, of Pembrooke Court told police he shot the man, identified as Justin M. Jones, 21, of Auburn, N.Y., with a .38-caliber revolver after Jones tried to enter his apartment around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday... Bodnar told police Jones attempted to kick in the front door, and he opened the door to show Jones the gun and advise him to leave. Bodnar told police he shot Jones once in each leg after Jones attempted to enter the apartment. (I don't think I would have opened the door.) http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_546909.html --- Oops, Wrong Pizza Man: A pizza delivery man fought back after an attempted robbery late Tuesday night in east Charlotte. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say the man was delivering pizza around 9 p.m. to an address at the Greenbrier apartments off Sharon Amity Road, near Eastland Mall. When the customer tried to rob him, police say the delivery man fired shots then reported the incident. When police and paramedics arrived, the suspect in the attempted robbery was found lying on the grass, and was pronounced dead at the scene. http://news14.com/content/top_stories/591581/pizza-man-shoots-robbery-suspect/Default.aspx --- Oops, Wrong Old Man: ... Seventy-four-year-old Jorge Leonton was on his was home from the bank a few days ago. He stepped out of his car and was immediately confronted by four men. One grabbed him, put him in a headlock, and began to choke the life out of the elderly man. As Leonton struggled to breathe, he tried to warn the robber that he was prepared to defend himself. When the criminal didn't listen, Leonton drew his legally owned firearm and shot his attacker. The other three men fled, and the 74-year-old was left shaken and breathless, but otherwise unharmed. His wife, Margarita, says she doesn't think her husband would be alive today if he wasn't a Right-to-Carry permit holder. I think she's probably right. (If there is a right to carry, why does it require a permit?) http://www.nranews.com/blogarticle.aspx?blogPostId=347 --- When Seconds Count, The Police Are Minutes Away: This is a recording of a 911 call by a woman who shot an intruder while waiting for police to arrive. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkS8mdbml0A Related Article: http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=138185 --- Accomplice Charged With Murder In Home-Invasion Death: A second Jackson man has been captured and charged with capital murder for the death of an alleged accomplice in a Dec. 30 home invasion robbery in south Warren County. Thomas Lamont Flaggs, 30, 910 Claiborne Ave., was picked up by investigators Jeff Crevitt and Mike Traxler, along with U.S. marshals, at about 4 p.m. at his home. Sheriff Martin Pace said additional suspects were being sought. Authorities believe Flaggs, David Cornelius Bass, 30, 222 Ferguson St., who surrendered at the Warren County Sheriff's Department last Sunday afternoon, and 21-year-old Jonathan Bruce went into a mobile home at 25 Red Oak Drive with intent to rob the occupants. A teen who lived in the mobile home shot and killed Bruce in apparent self-defense. http://www.vicksburgpost.com/articles/2008/01/11/news/news01.txt --- Rule One, Rule Two Reminder: The Venice (FL) Police Department has suspended two of its veteran officers without pay over the accidental shooting of a 5-year-old boy. The suspensions came following a lengthy Internal Affairs investigation into a shooting incident at the police range. The victim is the stepson of Officer Billy Masters, whose gun discharged as he was cleaning it... According to police documents, Masters was cleaning his Glock 23 semi-automatic .40 caliber duty pistol at the police shooting range Nov. 21. His wife and 5-year-old stepson came to watch him shoot. Masters was disassembling the weapon (a normal procedure prior to cleaning) and didn't realize he still had a round in the chamber, the report stated. The gun accidentally discharged. (The gun discharged on its own?) http://www.venicegondolier.com/Newsstory.cfm?pubdate=011108&story=tp2vn3.htm&folder=NewsArchive3 --- Rule Two, Rule Three, Rule Four Reminder: Authorities said a Memphis police officer shot himself in the foot when he was trying to stop a charging pit bull...The officer was one of five in an auto theft task force who were investigating stolen property at a house near the Memphis International Airport. A suspect inside released a large pit bull that charged the officer. The dog was not injured when the officer fired. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/jan/05/officer-shoots-himself-foot-aiming-charging-pit-bu/ http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=7581212 --- Rule Three Reminder: Authorities say a handgun assigned to a Cass County (ND) deputy went off in the courthouse restroom accidentally. Sheriff Paul Laney says his department's Internal Affairs Division will investigate once police decide whether to refer the case for charges. He says Deputy Dean Wawers is a 35-year veteran of the sheriff's office. Laney says the bullet went through a ceiling tile but was stopped by the concrete above. (This sounds as though the deputy may have tried to hang his handgun from the coat hook in the stall, as those of us who teach how to deal with public restrooms specifically counsel not to do.) http://www.kxmb.com/News/197341.asp --- Rule Five Reminder: Two Seminole County public school teachers who brought guns to school were disciplined Tuesday by the School Board. The board unanimously agreed to suspend Michele McGhee without pay and is expected to fire her later this month. McGhee, 56, a longtime teacher at Heathrow Elementary, was arrested last month after her loaded handgun was found on the bus ramp. McGhee said she had it on the front seat of her car and must have gathered it up with items to carry into school... http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-cfbriefs09_108jan09,0,4461105.story --- The Safety Rules: http://www.spw-duf.info/safety.html --- Oh My, Kimber Markets SIS Pistol To Public: To the dismay of some city leaders, a gun company is marketing a line of high-end pistols named for the LAPD's Special Investigation Section, an elite group of plainclothes detectives with a history of fatally shooting suspects. The guns for the undercover unit were created at the request of the Los Angeles Police Department. Kimber, a Yonkers, N.Y.-based gun maker, is marketing a slightly modified version to the public, touting the weapons as the "hot new SIS pistols" on the company's website...Ignatius Chinn of the state Justice Department's Bureau of Firearms said there are past examples of guns created for law enforcement agencies, and embossed with their insignias, being sold to the public. In the 1970s and '80s, he said, Smith & Wesson sold a California Highway Patrol .38 Special and the Texas Ranger .357 Magnum. Chinn said he believed that like those weapons, the SIS pistols eventually will become collector's items. (The S&W revolvers were commemorative models.) http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sis12jan12,1,4179227.story?coll=la-headlines-california The Actual Pistols: http://www.kimberamerica.com/pistols/sis/ --- CCW Trip Planner: ConcealedCarry.net offers a program that allows you to enter the various carry permits you have and the states you intend to visit, then tells you if your permits are recognized in those states. I made one quick test and noted that it also advises if open carry is legal if your concealed-carry permit is not recognized. http://www.carryconcealed.net/packngo/index.php --- Acupuncture May Help Tinnitus: ...The research findings were made in animals, but they suggest that available treatments such as acupuncture, if used to target nerves in the head and neck, may provide relief for some people plagued by tinnitus, says Susan E. Shore, Ph.D., lead author of the study and research professor in the Department of Otolaryngology and the Kresge Hearing Research Institute at the U-M Medical School. People with tinnitus sense ringing or other sounds in their ears or head when there is no outside source... http://www.newsmax.com/health/tinnitus_acupuncture/2008/01/11/63586.html --- NRA-ILA Alerts: This week's alert is posted on the NRA-ILA website. http://www.nraila.org/GrassrootsAlerts/read.aspx --- Chinese Hunting Park Hampered By Severe Firearm Restrictions: In a frigid forest in northeastern China, sub-zero temperatures and thick snow aren't enough to dampen tourists' enthusiasm for firing a few rounds at farm-raised animals let loose in the wild. Yuquan International Hunting Field in Heilongjiang province draws more than 100,000 domestic tourists a year, many travelling thousands of miles to get their hands on a rifle or shotgun for the first time in a country where gun ownership is strictly controlled... http://in.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idINIndia-31367220080112 -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .