Where Even Prosecutors Can't Carry

Uncle links to a story about a man who fires some warning shots because a gang of, well, gang members was threatening him. The comments discuss the wisdom of warning shots and legal implications.

Here's some additional background. The Nassau County DA's Office is reeeaaaally anti-gun. The office has a policy of barring handgun ownership by its employees. That's in great contrast with a lot of places like Virginia, where prosecutors can carry concealed anywhere, even in bars while drinking, without the training necessary for a concealed handgun permit. Because they're like you and me, only better.

Here is the application for assistant district attorney, and here is the one for interns. Note the following in background questions:

Applicant Questionnaire: Yes or No
3. Have you ever had a license to possess a firearm in this state or any other state?
...
NOTE: AN AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE WILL NOT NECESSARILY SERVE, IN AND OF ITSELF,
AS A DISQUALIFICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT

And the closing (signature-required) condition:
Gun ownership: I understand that assistant district attorneys are not permitted to apply for a handgun permit nor own or possess a handgun while employed by the Nassau County District Attorney. Any exception to this policy must be in writing and approved by the District Attorney.

So, anybody think that this attitude may, even unconsciously, affect the judgment of the prosecutors in this case?

There's nothing so egregious as this in Virginia, but I discuss a lot of relevant self-defense considerations such as the standards for the use of deadly force in Virginia in my legal seminars. Next one is October 23, 2010; contact me to sign up.

Getting Out of Traffic Ticket by Carrying a Gun

Extreme Tolerance relates his story of getting out of a ticket by virtue of legally carrying a gun. The officer that pulls you over will know as soon as he looks up your license plate that you have a concealed carry permit, which with many cops is a "certified upstanding citizen" indicator.

I had a similar experience. I was riding my motorcycle (back when I still had such vestiges of my single days) here in Northern Virginia, going down a really big hill. Light turned yellow as I was approaching a T-intersection traffic light at the bottom, and when I made it through the intersection it had already turned red. This wasn't so much a case of me not paying attention to the light, but more of a case of not wanting to slam on my front brake so much that I endo (bring the bike up on the front wheel for the non-biker crowd) at the stoplight and dump the bike. A police officer was waiting at the light, and he pulled me over.

I had just moved to VA and was still carrying with my reciprocal out-of-state CCW. I didn't have to tell the officer I was carrying (VA law doesn't require it) but did so anyway. The officer was surprised; carrying in your own state means that an officer running your license will know you have a permit when he runs your plate or driver's license, but to my knowledge states don't generally share carry permit info with each others' DMV systems.

He asked me where I was carrying, and I told him it was on my left ankle. I didn't make any sudden moves to show him what caliber it was.

He checked my traffic record - clean since 1997 or so - and sent me on my way. He thanked me for notifying him that I was carrying, and suspect that this played a part in not getting a ticket.

Side note: when riding a motorcycle, I recommend carrying ankle carry. I once laid a bike down while ankle carrying with no ill effects, but if I'd been carrying on my hip I suspect that the gun would've become a semi-permanent part of my pelvis.

DEA Looking for Ebonics Translators

That's not a joke, that's the headline at CNN. HT Tam. Another sign of our failing public school systems. Used to be lots of fluent Ebonics speakers around, and you could find one anywhere, even on an airplane.