We can thank the media for the wonderful job they've done of 1) portraying gun people as gun-nuts and 2) portraying firearms as grenades with the pins pulled -- ready to GO OFF at any moment. Thanks, folks. /s
I’m hoping to see it happen here in FL as well. While I won’t personally OC since I have a CWP, I think the notion of guns being inherently bad needs to be quashed as garbage. They are merely tools in the hands of people.
Great story here, MT. Thank you for sharing.
I lived in NH, and Massachusetts currently.
I carry every moment, concealed.
I believe citizens who feel the need to carry openly are a bunch of nitwits who seek only to intimidate other peoples to prove whatever their point may be.
There aren't many laws on the books anywhere that are the same as in Massachusetts.
District manager = dick.
The guy would probably be less nervous about a waiter/waitress with TB walking around his establishment coughing and hacking all over the place than a tool safely holstered on a responsible, law-abiding citizen.
I don’t know, I’m starting to think the people have been too thoroughly brainwashed and dumbed-down to save this country and our Founding Father’s concept of a people governing themselves.
I understand the right to OC, and that’s fine with me ‘cause his state has determined that it is his right to do so, but wasn’t this done just to be provocative?
Other than showing arrogance, I can’t for the life of me see ONE GOOD REASON to OC for a night out with the wifey at Chili’s.
From the brief filed yesterday (March 18, 2011) in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second District in the case of Goldberg v TOWN OF GLASTONBURY, MICHAEL FURLONG, Sergeant, Glastonbury Police Department, Town of Glastonbury, KENNETH LEE, Officer, Glastonbury Police Department, Town of Glastonbury, SIMON BARRATT, Officer, Glastonbury Police Department, Town of Glastonbury. On Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut (New Haven).
On June 21, 2007 James Goldberg walked into a Chili’s Restaurant in Glastonbury Connecticut openly carrying a handgun in a belt holster. There was no indication that Mr. Goldberg was engaged in criminal conduct, about to engage in criminal conduct or was threatening criminal conduct.
The Chili’s manager, Laura Smith noticed that Goldberg carried a firearm into the restaurant on his side secured in a holster. Smith called 911 emergency dispatch and inquired whether it is legal in Connecticut to openly carry a gun.
There was no complaint from Smith, or anyone else, that Goldberg was acting in a threatening manner was “threatening, physically threatening anybody in the take-out area of the restaurant,” or had drawn his gun from the holster. No information was provided by dispatch to indicate that any crime had been committed.
In response to Smith’s call, the Glastonbury Police Department (GPD) dispatched Officer Simon Barratt to the restaurant for a report of a male in possession of a gun. Officer Kenneth Lee and Sergeant Michael Furlong responded to Chili’s with Officer Barratt.
None of the three officers drew their weapons as they entered Chili’s together in a single file. Sergeant Furlong observed Goldberg “sitting on a bench in the take-out area of the restaurant carrying a handgun in a holster on his right hip. Goldberg was silent and had his arms folded on his chest.
Sergeant Furlong did not observe any “commotion” in the restaurant or anyone in a state of distress as he entered. The officers did not tell anyone in Chili’s to clear the area or evacuate the restaurant. Sergeant Furlong “gave a verbal command to Mr. Goldberg to show me his hands.” Goldberg showed Sergeant Furlong his hands. Sergeant Furlong testified his purpose was to “investigate a criminal complaint.” He testified he was focused on “officer safety, the handgun, and securing the weapon…” At this point it was still a criminal complaint only and he (Sergeant Furlong) had not “made an arrest opinion in his head…”
After Goldberg compliantly showed his hands upon Sergeant Furlong’s command, Sergeant Furlong ordered Goldberg to “stand up” and “turn away.” Goldberg immediately showed his hands upon command. Goldberg immediately stood up upon command. Goldberg immediately turned away from Sergeant Furlong upon command. Officer Barratt then placed handcuffs on Goldberg. Goldberg did not resist being handcuffed. He never acted in a violent or hostile manner toward Sergeant Furlong, Officer Barratt, or Officer Lee.
Goldberg never resisted arrest. According to Officer Lee: “He [Goldberg] was compliant. I mean, you know, he put his arms up; and, you know, they – he grabbed the gun. He was compliant the whole time.” As Officer Barratt handcuffed Goldberg, Goldberg was instructed that he was “not being placed under arrest” but “detained.” Sergeant Furlong continued staring at Goldberg’s gun after Goldberg was handcuffed. Sergeant Furlong testified "The gun was a “concern”".
Goldberg’s handgun was securely fastened in his holster. When Sergeant Furlong attempted to remove the handgun from Goldberg’s holster, the handgun did not “come immediately out.” According to Sgt. Furlong, “[h]olsters are designed to not be easily removed by other people, other than the one that’s wearing the holster.” Sergeant Furlong had to “manipulate” the holster to remove it. Finally, after more than one attempt, Sergeant Furlong seized Goldberg’s holster and handgun. Sergeant Furlong did not ask permission from Goldberg to remove the gun. Goldberg did not consent to the gun’s removal.
Sergeant Furlong then went to speak to Smith. Sergeant Furlong testified he did not take or subsequently prepare any notes of his conversation with Smith. There were no witnesses to Sergeant Furlong’s conversation with Smith. While Sergeant Furlong spoke to Smith, Goldberg remained handcuffed and “detained” by Officer Barratt and Officer Lee. Sergeant Furlong already had confirmed that Goldberg possessed a valid state permit to carry a pistol or revolver. Sergeant Furlong determined that Goldberg was in lawful possession of the handgun carried in a holster on his right hip.
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This case helped highlight the ambiguity in OC law in CT and how police *interpret* it, wrongly.
That's just weird.
'misses' is plural of 'miss'
I worked in a western=themed amusement park. We had a man open carry in the park one day and I asked him to put his gun back in his car. We he became indignant I had to tell him “The park is full of guns carried by cowboys. All of these guns shoot blanks. I know because I have played a cowboy. It is not unusual for a child or Down Syndrome kid to pull your gun out of your holster and point it at you. ‘Stick em up’. Sometimes we even have to chase them to get the gun. I’m pretty sure you don’t want that to happen”. He put the gun in his car.