This Strip `search' a victim of new law

Drizzt · November 29, 2001, 01:52 PM

This Strip `search' a victim of new law

By Dimitri Vassilaros
TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Tuesday, November 27, 2001

A first-round draft pick for the Cleveland Browns is the latest victim of victimless crime laws.

Gerard Warren of Middleburg Heights, Ohio, parked his Chevrolet Suburban in the Strip District. The police said that when they searched it on Nov. 20, they found a .45-caliber Glock - locked in the center console.

Unfortunately for Warren, his papers weren't in order. In fact, the records didn't exist, since he didn't have a license or permit to own the gun.

Warren was charged with a felony even though he wasn't threatening anybody. Do you really feel safer today?

Did this Strip search do anything other than remind you the government wants to strip law-abiding citizens of their Second Amendment rights? This is yet another example of how they are being taken from you, one arrest at a time.

As you've been reminded from time to time in this column, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the government cannot require criminals to get written permission to own arms, since that would violate their Fifth Amendment rights.

It's too bad Warren is a law-abiding citizen. Of course, if he should be convicted - and then wanted to carry a gun - he wouldn't be required to get government's approval.

Armed peaceful citizens are not a threat. Don't take my word for it. Just look outside your car window when you're driving on the interstates or country roads.

You may see little orange dots with guns tramping through the fields - more than 800,000 law-abiding hunters stalking deer. Hunting season started Monday in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

There probably are a lot of Pittsburgh Steelers fans who got a big kick out of Warren's troubles, especially since two other Browns were arrested in Ohio on drug charges (even though there was no connection between the incidents).

Why should Warren be arrested just because he was carrying a gun without getting the government's permission?

Why should you beg some politician or bureaucrat for written permission to keep or bear arms?

Did Warren have to ask the government for written permission to exercise his First Amendment rights to have his freedom of speech or the right to assemble peacefully (or as peacefully as you can in the Strip at 2:30 a.m.)?

Did he have to ask the government for written permission to be protected from unreasonable searches and seizures or from warrants without probable cause?

Did he have to ask the government for written permission to avoid being forced to testify against himself or to be deprived of life, liberty or property with due process?

Did he have to ask the government for written permission to a speedy trial, to be informed of the charges against him, to confront any witnesses, to have legal counsel, to have a jury of his peers, to have reasonable bail or not to be subjected to excessive fines or cruel and unusual punishment?

Our Founding Fathers created the Bill of Rights to be a shield - not a sword. They wanted you to be protected from lawless government - not from law-abiding citizens (even if they are Cleveland Browns).

Dimitri Vassilaros is the morning radio talk host on News Radio 1170 WWVA. His e-mail address is dimitriv@stargate.net.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/trib...ts/s_5584.html

Hippie · November 29, 2001, 02:09 PM

Looks like now society is going to add one more "violent felon" to the list. If hes convicted he will not be able to pass a background check to purchase a legal firearm, since he has already demonstated his lack of respect for existing gun laws. According to some folks this is the way it should be. Personally I prefer to stick to the Bill of Rights myself.

USP45 · November 29, 2001, 02:52 PM

Why did they search the vehicle?

Be nice to get him to fight on the side of CCW over this...

~USP

HankB · November 29, 2001, 04:47 PM

The car was "parked" according to the story. Was it occupied by the owner at the time of the search? Was it parked illegally?

Were the police executing a proper search warrant? If not, exactly what "probable cause" did they have for opening a locked compartment in a parked vehicle?

Was consent given to the search? Did the owner volunteer to open the compartment, or did the cops break into it?

Lots of unanswered questions about how the search happened.

November 29, 2001, 01:52 PM	#1
Drizzt Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2000 Location: Moscow on the Colorado, TX Posts: 2,541	This Strip `search' a victim of new law This Strip `search' a victim of new law By Dimitri Vassilaros TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, November 27, 2001 A first-round draft pick for the Cleveland Browns is the latest victim of victimless crime laws. Gerard Warren of Middleburg Heights, Ohio, parked his Chevrolet Suburban in the Strip District. The police said that when they searched it on Nov. 20, they found a .45-caliber Glock - locked in the center console. Unfortunately for Warren, his papers weren't in order. In fact, the records didn't exist, since he didn't have a license or permit to own the gun. Warren was charged with a felony even though he wasn't threatening anybody. Do you really feel safer today? Did this Strip search do anything other than remind you the government wants to strip law-abiding citizens of their Second Amendment rights? This is yet another example of how they are being taken from you, one arrest at a time. As you've been reminded from time to time in this column, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the government cannot require criminals to get written permission to own arms, since that would violate their Fifth Amendment rights. It's too bad Warren is a law-abiding citizen. Of course, if he should be convicted - and then wanted to carry a gun - he wouldn't be required to get government's approval. Armed peaceful citizens are not a threat. Don't take my word for it. Just look outside your car window when you're driving on the interstates or country roads. You may see little orange dots with guns tramping through the fields - more than 800,000 law-abiding hunters stalking deer. Hunting season started Monday in Pennsylvania and Ohio. There probably are a lot of Pittsburgh Steelers fans who got a big kick out of Warren's troubles, especially since two other Browns were arrested in Ohio on drug charges (even though there was no connection between the incidents). Why should Warren be arrested just because he was carrying a gun without getting the government's permission? Why should you beg some politician or bureaucrat for written permission to keep or bear arms? Did Warren have to ask the government for written permission to exercise his First Amendment rights to have his freedom of speech or the right to assemble peacefully (or as peacefully as you can in the Strip at 2:30 a.m.)? Did he have to ask the government for written permission to be protected from unreasonable searches and seizures or from warrants without probable cause? Did he have to ask the government for written permission to avoid being forced to testify against himself or to be deprived of life, liberty or property with due process? Did he have to ask the government for written permission to a speedy trial, to be informed of the charges against him, to confront any witnesses, to have legal counsel, to have a jury of his peers, to have reasonable bail or not to be subjected to excessive fines or cruel and unusual punishment? Our Founding Fathers created the Bill of Rights to be a shield - not a sword. They wanted you to be protected from lawless government - not from law-abiding citizens (even if they are Cleveland Browns). Dimitri Vassilaros is the morning radio talk host on News Radio 1170 WWVA. His e-mail address is dimitriv@stargate.net. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/trib...ts/s_5584.html __________________ "That a free citizen should have to go before a committee, hat in hand, and pray for permission to bear arms - fantastic! Arm your daughter, sir, and pay no attention to petty bureaucrats." Robert Heinlein - Red Planet

November 29, 2001, 04:47 PM	#4
HankB Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2000 Location: Central Texas, outside of Austin Posts: 1,692	The car was "parked" according to the story. Was it occupied by the owner at the time of the search? Was it parked illegally? Were the police executing a proper search warrant? If not, exactly what "probable cause" did they have for opening a locked compartment in a parked vehicle? Was consent given to the search? Did the owner volunteer to open the compartment, or did the cops break into it? Lots of unanswered questions about how the search happened. __________________ To be kind to your enemy is to be cruel to yourself - Sun Tzu

November 29, 2001, 02:09 PM	#2
Hippie Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2001 Location: Charlotte NC Posts: 203	Looks like now society is going to add one more "violent felon" to the list. If hes convicted he will not be able to pass a background check to purchase a legal firearm, since he has already demonstated his lack of respect for existing gun laws. According to some folks this is the way it should be. Personally I prefer to stick to the Bill of Rights myself.

November 29, 2001, 02:52 PM	#3
USP45 Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2000 Location: Peoples Commonwealth of Massachusetts Posts: 1,562	Why did they search the vehicle? Be nice to get him to fight on the side of CCW over this... ~USP