The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - open carry black powder pistol detention legal or not ?

Uncle Buck · January 30, 2010, 09:05 PM

All right, lets try another tack here: There are several reports of a man gun. (For the sake of this argument, we will also assume that a man carrying a gun is not an everyday occurrence in this jurisdiction.) The police decide to do nothing and ignore the whole situation.
Now that same man is involved in a shooting in which someone is killed. That someone is your significant other. When you find out about the police knew there was a man with a gun in public, and did nothing to stop him, what is your reaction?

Also, I agree that ignorance of the law is not a defense. Unfortunately, sometimes we only find out about a law when we break it. Wouldn't it be much more prudent to have told the police, and shown them a copy of, the law? Use the situation to your advantage? When you bait someone into doing something illegal, you can not later charge them with doing something illegal, unless you are willing to take some responsibility for it also. What the original poster did, and has done repeatedly, is try to bait LEOs, by causing a public concern.

As a former cop, I am darn sure going to stop you and search you if I see you waking downtown with a gun, where a gun is not normally seen. I do not know who you are, I do not know what your purpose is, nor what you intend to do. I am going to detain you as long as it takes until I can verify what you have told me.

The OP has stated the area where he pulled this stunt was a very influential area, in which Al Gore and other high profile people live. People like Al Gore and other high profile people, especially in this economy, are subjected to threats and robbery from people who are not all that balanced. How is a cop supposed to know someone is taking their pistol for a stroll, just because a very obscure law dating to 150 years ago say that is how they must stroll with it?

January 30, 2010, 09:05 PM	#56
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	All right, lets try another tack here: There are several reports of a man gun. (For the sake of this argument, we will also assume that a man carrying a gun is not an everyday occurrence in this jurisdiction.) The police decide to do nothing and ignore the whole situation. Now that same man is involved in a shooting in which someone is killed. That someone is your significant other. When you find out about the police knew there was a man with a gun in public, and did nothing to stop him, what is your reaction? Also, I agree that ignorance of the law is not a defense. Unfortunately, sometimes we only find out about a law when we break it. Wouldn't it be much more prudent to have told the police, and shown them a copy of, the law? Use the situation to your advantage? When you bait someone into doing something illegal, you can not later charge them with doing something illegal, unless you are willing to take some responsibility for it also. What the original poster did, and has done repeatedly, is try to bait LEOs, by causing a public concern. As a former cop, I am darn sure going to stop you and search you if I see you waking downtown with a gun, where a gun is not normally seen. I do not know who you are, I do not know what your purpose is, nor what you intend to do. I am going to detain you as long as it takes until I can verify what you have told me. The OP has stated the area where he pulled this stunt was a very influential area, in which Al Gore and other high profile people live. People like Al Gore and other high profile people, especially in this economy, are subjected to threats and robbery from people who are not all that balanced. How is a cop supposed to know someone is taking their pistol for a stroll, just because a very obscure law dating to 150 years ago say that is how they must stroll with it? __________________ Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen.