Posted on 08/17/2012 5:17:07 AM PDT by marktwain
As it currently stands, anyone caught with an illegal gun in New York is looking at a maximum of two years in prison. Two years, apparently, is chump change -- according to Democratic state Senator Malcolm Smith, anyway, who now wants to up the ante for those busted with less-than-legal firearms.
"We believe the message that that sends to those who have illegal guns is 'I can go away for a year, maybe two years. I'll come back on good behavior in a year and I have a badge of honor," Smith said at a press conference this afternoon.
If Smith has his way, anyone caught illegally possessing a gun would face a minimum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum sentence would be eight years.
"You get caught with your gun, you're gone," he continues. "You're not coming back in a year, six months, five months. By the time you come back, these kids here will have graduated from high school, maybe gone on to college."
Just for the record, Smith's plan would have landed former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress -- who was busted with a kind of illegal gun -- behind bars for up to eight years (more on Plax below).
New York already has some of the toughest gun laws in the country. But most of those laws are in regards to purchasing guns. Smith's law would apply to those who already have illegal firearms.
"This particular legislation is for those guns that are on the street that are just hanging out on the corner some place," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.villagevoice.com ...
How hard is it to understand "Shall not be infringed"?
A law and order guy, that’s good. I’m a law and order guy myself. I support extremely stiff penalties for anyone who violates the Constitution under color of authority, for example.
Then, when this guy tries to drive down to Miami for the winter we bust him at the state line and imprison him.
What did those poor guns do? They are the victims here!!
I wonder if NYC automatically adds 2 years (or if it were up to this guy, 8 years) to the sentences of people who commit, or threaten to commit, violent felonies with the aid of a firearm? I doubt it.
This is another law that will be used disproportionately against the law-abiding.
Why not just make NYC into a prison island, oh wait they did that in a movie.
There is no such thing as an ‘illegal’ gun.
What, exactly, is an “Illegal gun ?”
snake pliskin?????
I thought he was dead...
What a fascist phrase!
I am never, never going back to New York. All my guns are "legal" because the 2nd Amendment protects my right to own and carry them.
Exactly. This would not be used against the gang banger on the corner. This'll be used against the suburban family with Gran-Dad's unregistered WWI memorabilia. It is intended to put fear into otherwise law-abiding citizens and push for universal registration or face years in prison.
how about taking political action committees money under the table results in the needle?
That will never fly. That is why they want our guns.
Bastards.
NY
Hideous state.
Run by Manhattan and to hell with the rest.
Someday libs will come to the realization that 2nd amendment infringement only gets people killed....Or maybe they already know that?
A good first step would be making going to prison so miserable that nobody would consider it a badge of honor.
Maybe they mean an “Undocumented” gun.
I agree.
In a just world the subject of the article would be hanged as a counter-revolutionary; attempting to undermine the protections for which our Founders fought and died.
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
In the land of firearm prohibition, the knife-wielder is king.
In the land of total disarmament, the 275 pound, six-foot five thug is king.
As others have stated, the only reason that someone would want to disarm you is so that they can do something to you that you would not permit if you had been armed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.