Friday, June 11, 2010

What Do We Do Tonight, Brain? Same Thing We Do Every Night, Pinky...

May 2010 - Crime: Carrying firearms across state lines with the intent to start a riot
Madisonville, Tennessee - What do you do when you feel that your country has been taken over by a Democrat not born in the United States?

Well, if you are Darren Wesley Huff, conceal carry permit holder, you attempt to take over Madisonville, Tennessee, population 3,939.

The problem started for Darren when he heard that a fellow 'birther', Walter Fitzpatrick, had been arrested for inciting a riot when he attempted to make citizen's arrests against those individuals who had refused in a grand jury to consider the case against President Obama for treason.  Fitzpatrick's previous legal history included being court-martialed from the Navy.

Darren was so outraged that his fellow Oath Keeper had been arrested that he decided that he and some friends would start out from his Dalton, Georgia home armed with three handguns and an AK-47 rifle and take over the Monroe County courthouse in Madisonville.  He not only made the decision to go through with the plan, he told everyone about his plan, his bank manager and a local radio talk show. He even told the police officer that pulled him over for a traffic stop.  Darren went to far as to tell the officer he was willing to "die for his rights".

When Darren and his friends showed up at the courthouse they were shocked, shocked I tell you, to discover that they were seriously outnumbered by local state and federal officials.

Friday, June 4, 2010

If You Don't Set Him Off, He's A Real Nice Guy

May 2010 - Crime: Aggravated Assault
New York Mills, New York - Abraham Dickan was a citizen on patrol, who kept an eye on everything going on in the community.  But he was also known for having anger issues and a recent history of depression.

His neighbor described him thus, "If you don't set him off, he's a real nice guy."

Not a comforting description given the fact that Mr. Dickan was a CCW permit holder.

Mr. Dickan had been banned from a local AT&T store because he yelled racial slurs at employees, brandished his firearm at them and threatened their lives.  This behavior lead to his being banned from the store and his permit being revoked.  Instead of seeing his own behavior as being the issue, Mr. Dickan felt that the six employees at the store were the cause of the problem and so decided to seek revenge by going to the store and killing them.

He was able to seriously wound employee Seth Turk in the abdomen before being shot and killed himself by an off-duty police officer from a nearby township, Donald Moore.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Setting An Example

May 2010 - Crime: Felonious Assault
Fruitport Township, Michigan - It all began over a soccer game.  A soccer game for 8, 9 & 10 year olds.  James Ian Sherrill, a CCW permit holder and parent of one of the children, decided he would "assist" the coach given the fact that the score was 14-0.  Other parents became upset when his "assistance" included using profanity around the kids and Mr. Sherrill was told to "chill out".  After the game, Sherrill became involved in an argument with one of the other parents in front of his family and several witnesses. He then pulled out his gun and threatened to shoot him.  Sherrill, with his family, then got in his car and drove away.

Sherrill later turned himself into police.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Another case of road rage

April, 2010 - Crime: Assault
Farmington Hills, Michigan:  In an all too familiar scenario, two men get annoyed during rush hour and both behave badly.  After the customary rude gestures and during a stop light, Mr. Faith Said, made the mistake of getting out of his car in order to discuss his opinions on driving with CCW permit holder Mr. Carl Mintz.  Mr. Said, after having his say, was walking back to his car when he was shot in the elbow by Mr. Mintz.

Mr. Mintz told witnesses at the scene that he thought that Mr. Said was going to spit in his face and so he felt it necessary to pull out a gun and shoot him.  Mr. Mintz must have been told between the time of the incident and the preliminary hearing that,  in order for someone to spit in your face they have to (a) be near you and (b) be facing you, because at the preliminary hearing, his defense had changed to him being frightened because Mr. Said had his hands in his pockets.  Problem with that defense was the witnesses testified that while Mr. Said was angry, they could tell how angry he was because he gestured with both hands.

Mr. Mintz never explained why, if he felt threatened by Mr. Said, he didn't simply drive away since the light had turned green.

Farmington Hills Police Chief Chuck Nebus summed it up best: "They were probably both wrong. The issue is the use of excessive force.  You can't shoot someone just because you're involved in a traffic altercation with them. Don't make gestures, don't make comments, don't stare, don't chase, don't blink lights,just ignore it. If you can't, if it's serious enough, call 911 and ask the police to respond.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Another Day, Another Domestic Terrorist

April, 2010 - Crime: Making threats against the life of a president, felon in possession of a gun
Palm Harbor, Florida - Through some interstate records snafu, even though he has a criminal history including forgery and assault in New York, Mark Ratteni was able to finagle himself a CCW permit in Florida.

Well, instead of showing that he had gone straight and prove that he deserved a second chance, he decided to move from forgery and assault to making threats against the life of the president.


Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Breaking News - Another CCW permit holder threatens a member of Congress

April, 2010 - Crime: Threatening a federal official
Selah, Washington - CCW permit holder, Charles Alan Wilson, angered by the passage of the health care reform bill, called the office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray several time between March 22 and April 4 and threatened her life.

Authorities were able to track his calls and he will be in court in Yakima today.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Crime of the Day: Possession


March, 2010 - Crime: Criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of hollow-point bullets, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.
Weewaken, New Jersey - Donald Martin West, a Tennessean with a CCW, and a companion were stopped at the mouth of the Lincoln Tunnel for a traffic violation. Police discovered during the stop that the individuals had loaded firearms with hollow-point bullets, handcuffs, cigars filled with marijuana, and pot pipes.

March, 2010 - Crime: Trafficking cocaine, possession with intent to sell
Wilmington, North Carolina - Due to a report of a suspicious vehicle, police were called to the Travelodge at 1:00 AM to investigate. The car belonged to Calvin Coolidge Underdue, a CCW permit holder. If police thought Calvin was nervous when they got there, they knew something was up when they called in the K-9 squad. Why? Because Calvin fainted.

Police found 300 grams of cocaine, $1,680 dollars and a .22 Magnum.

Crime: Four counts of felony possession of drugs
Franklin, New Hampshire - David Alan Johnson, a CCW permit holder, pulled into the wrong driveway at the wrong time. The owner of the driveway was speaking to the police chief when he pulled up and informed police that he didn't want David on his property and that he was probably carrying drugs on him. When the police went to his car to tell him that the property owner didn't want him there, he smelled pot.

Further investigation found that he was carrying multiple prescription drugs and $30,000 worth of cocaine. More coke was discovered when they searched his home, as well as pot.

Oh, and he was out on bail for drug charges in a nearby town.