Noted gun author R.L. Wilson was in the legal news again today in a to be published opinion from the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.
U.S. v. Robert Wilson, No. 08-6229. It seems that while he was being represented by a public defender in federal court, he was spending $10,000 to stay at an historic hotel, part of $44,000 put together by friends to pay legal bills (no mention of what happened to the balance). The opinion also details other income and expenditures.
He appealed the district court's order that he repay the public defender system a little over $52,000. As the Sixth Circuit put it, "Happily for Wilson, the fee was worth it, as he was acquitted on all charges. Unhappily for Wilson, the district court did not abuse its discretion in ordering him to pay for the representation."
This is a sad footnote about someone who helped spur interest in antique and collectible guns. I suppose he would probably be considered THE expert on Colt firearms.
March 1, 2010, 08:00 PM
