Cali DA trying to make a disabled vet a felon over accidetal fire - they need help with donations for legal fees!

[c.a.willard]

His voting rights would be restored after his punishment/parole and probation periods have ended. 

 

As far as gun rights hes a convicted felon now so they are likely gone forever.  I know there are some provisions in some states laws that allow for him to petition for a restoration of his rights, but not sure the likelyhood of success. 

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I understand that is what CA law says... but using that definition, a black powder rifle is an explosive device.

Not just black powder. Looks like it could easily include smokeless powder, as well. Maybe that's how the state will

do in gun ownership.

[Luke E.]

Not just black powder. Looks like it could easily include smokeless powder, as well. Maybe that's how the state will
do in gun ownership.

EXACTLY!! "That .308 cartridge wasn't an explosive until you combined it with a gun" or "those fireworks wouldn't have exploded if you hadn't combined it with that lighter". Can't you just see it coming...

[Luke E.]

If he plead guilty to a felony, that is not going to go away.

It sounds like he plead guilty to 1 felony and got a 3 years suspended, replaced by probation and an ankle bracelet.

I guess he is confined to home and work for the next 3 years. One screw up and he's going to the penitentiary to serve the time.

I know plenty about charges and what they mean.. (Had some rather questionable yrs earlier in life). It is possible that they have it setup to where the charges are exponged after the agreed upon 3yrs. Not saying that is what happened but I do know that it's possible. If that is the case then he certainly got off lucky considering the DA seemed to be out for blood.

[JAB]

Seems to me if i lived in the PRK...

...I'd GTFO as quickly as I possibly could.

[JAB]

I understand what you're saying, but unfortunately ignorance of the law doesn't mean exemption from it. Cali's one messed up place to live with some vague or insane laws on their books.

 

See, that is the problem.  I know the old maxim, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse," but the fact is that there are so many laws on the books these days - not just state but local, federal and so on - and so many of those laws are little known, vague or actually go directly against common sense that even LEO and legal experts are 'ignorant' of some laws.  That being the case, how could the general public be expected to be aware of them all?  Frankly, we all probably break some or another stupid law we never even knew existed on a daily basis and it probably wouldn't take a determined prosecutor very long to figure out a way to make felons of us all.

 

It is kind of like how in TN I can legally go and buy a switchblade knife.  I can legally own said switchblade knife.  However, actually carrying a switchblade knife (one that it is legal to buy and own) is a violation of the law.  So I guess that, technically, if I buy a swtichblade knife and get 'caught' with it in my possession between the place where I buy it and my home then I can be charged with a crime.  Those sorts of 'gotcha' laws need to be stripped from the books.  If something (in this case, tannerite) is legal to buy without a permit and is legal to possess, mixing and shooting it should not be a crime.  If mixing and shooting it without a permit is going to be a crime then the requisite permit should be required to buy it in the first place.  Otherwise, it is just another 'gotcha' law and honestly seems a lot like entrapment (maybe not in the legal sense but certainly in a practical sense), to me.

Edited August 19, 2013 by JAB

[Luke E.]

See, that is the problem. I know the old maxim, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse," but the fact is that there are so many laws on the books these days - not just state but local, federal and so on - and so many of those laws are little known, vague or actually go directly against common sense that even LEO and legal experts are 'ignorant' of some laws. That being the case, how could the general public be expected to be aware of them all? Frankly, we all probably break some or another stupid law we never even knew existed on a daily basis and it probably wouldn't take a determined prosecutor very long to figure out a way to make felons of us all.

It is kind of like how in TN I can legally go and buy a switchblade knife. I can legally own said switchblade knife. However, actually carrying a switchblade knife (one that it is legal to buy and own) is a violation of the law. So I guess that, technically, if I buy a swtichblade knife and get 'caught' with it in my possession between the place where I buy it and my home then I can be charged with a crime. Those sorts of 'gotcha' laws need to be stripped from the books. If something (in this case, tannerite) is legal to buy without a permit and is legal to possess, mixing and shooting it should not be a crime. If mixing and shooting it without a permit is going to be a crime then the requisite permit should be required to buy it in the first place. Otherwise, it is just another 'gotcha' law and honestly seems a lot like entrapment (maybe not in the legal sense but certainly in a practical sense), to me.

You have just put my own exact thoughts on paper better than I did when I tried early on in this thread.

[whitewolf001]

...I'd GTFO as quickly as I possibly could.

+1

[JohnC]

I believe some laws really are written to make felons out of folks like freedom loving gun owners; a progressive anti-2a agenda.

 

Kind of like how they're now treating a lo of kids in school when they draw a gun, or bring a Hello Kitty bubble gun to school (treat them like a murdering terrorist instead of like back in the old days before I was born, schools taught gun safety and had shooting teams).

 

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/338167/gun-clubs-school-charles-c-w-cooke

[JohnC]

Here is another case: http://blog.pe.com/2013/08/18/lake-elsinore-man-with-exploding-targets-is-arrested-deputies-say/

[Luke E.]

I believe some laws really are written to make felons out of folks like freedom loving gun owners; a progressive anti-2a agenda.

 

Kind of like how they're now treating a lo of kids in school when they draw a gun, or bring a Hello Kitty bubble gun to school (treat them like a murdering terrorist instead of like back in the old days before I was born, schools taught gun safety and had shooting teams).

 

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/338167/gun-clubs-school-charles-c-w-cooke

 

 Look at how the murdering terrorist that killed all those folks on base in Texas is being treated... One might say he is being treated better than the kid that draws a gun in school