Homeowner charged after shooting intruder

WorldNetDaily ^ | January 10, 2004 | WorldNetDaily

[joesnuffy]

WEAPONS OF CHOICE Homeowner charged after shooting intruder Family protected but suburban town prohibits possession of handguns

Posted: January 10, 2004 1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

A Chicago-area homeowner protected his family by shooting an intruder but was charged with violating a local ordinance banning possession of handguns.

Wilmette, Ill., Police Chief George Carpenter believes charges against Hale DeMar, 54, underscore the suburban village's serious concerns about the shooting, the Chicago Tribune reported.

"The outcome of the matter in this case was very fortunate for the homeowner," he said. "We much prefer, for the safety of the home, that a resident who finds himself in this situation immediately lock the door of the room he's in and dial 911."

DeMar also is charged with violating state law by failing to renew his Illinois Firearm Owner's Identification Card after it expired in 1988, the Tribune said.

Morio Billings, 31, is accused of entering the DeMar home twice within 24 hours. He allegedly crawled through a dog door in the garage then returned with a stolen house key.

Prosecutors say Billings crashed through the home's front window after he was shot then drove himself to the hospital in the family's SUV, which he had stolen the night before.

Billings, convicted last year of a similar home burglary in an affluent Minneapolis suburb, is now in the Cook County Jail with bail set at $3 million.

Police said DeMar shot Billings in the shoulder and calf at about 10:30 p.m. Dec. 29 in the kitchen of his home.

DeMar, a restaurant owner, faces up to a year in jail, a $2,500 fine or court supervision or probation if convicted on the charge of owning a handgun without a valid firearms card. The village's handgun ordinance carries a separate fine of up to $750.

He is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 6 to face both charges.

The Tribune said the case has prompted dozens of people from out-of-state to contact village officials with complaints about DeMar's treatment.

Chief Carpenter insists local residents have responded favorably, however.

"Wilmette residents are much safer without a handgun in their homes," he told the Tribune. "We see handguns stolen, used in domestic arguments or suicides. Those are far more likely outcomes than when you would actually need a handgun to defend yourself."

Carpenter said he regrets "the intrusion on this family's privacy."

"He strikes us as being a good man with a good heart who did something that apparently came naturally to him," he said of DeMar. 'That's why it's important the Wilmette police speak out now."

The Tribune noted the city of Chicago and a number of other municipalities in the area also ban possession of handguns.

Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, told the Tribune he believes handgun bans are outrageous.

"The right to self-defense is the right that all creatures on this Earth have, including Wilmette," he said. "What they do is they make the citizens in these villages and towns fair game."

[OXENinFLA]

"Wilmette residents are much safer without a handgun in their homes," he told the Tribune. "We see handguns stolen, used in domestic arguments or suicides. Those are far more likely outcomes than when you would actually need a handgun to defend yourself."

I heard him say this on WLS, my jaw dropped, people in that town better get him out of his position as Chief. That Chief just gave an open invite to crime.

[R. Scott]

"We much prefer, for the safety of the home, that a resident who finds himself in this situation immediately lock the door of the room he's in and dial 911.

Fastest police response at my apartment complex after shots fired: 15 minuets.
Time needed to break down door: 1 minuet.

[ccmay]

jury nullification is not to be permitted..

The judge can instruct all he wants. Whether we listen is another matter. As a practical fact, jury nullification can never be eliminated.

-ccm

[SLB]

Illinois is much worse than California, New Jersey, New York or any of the New England states. I drive through it out of necessity when going to Wyoming. I do not stop, or speed or give the police departments any reason to stop me!

[Shooter 2.5]

"As long as the vote is fair

Monday morning, the city council is going to vote in favor of banning something you own and cherish by a vote of five to four. Tuesday, put your house up for sale and start packing.

I used to live in Oak Park Illinois. What I wrote is exactly what happened to me. Unfortunately, my Brother-In-Law didn't heed my advice and he went to jail for a handgun that was in his house, stored in his sockdrawer.

[tpaine]

cartoonistx wrote:

Heck, if a city wants to ban all guns or provide guns to their citizens for free they should be so allowed. As long as the vote is fair and no one is kept from leaving.

---

Ever occur to you that our RKBA's is the "supreme law of the land", and is not to be infringed by ANY level of government? Read Art VI, & the 2nd/14th amendments.

[WorkingClassFilth]

BUMP!

[tpaine]

ccmay wrote:
The judge can instruct all he wants. Whether we listen is another matter. As a practical fact, jury nullification can never be eliminated.

---

As a practical matter, some courts are mandating retrials if any hint of nullification occurs.

[Conservative til I die]

Whenever this happens in NYC, the public always comes to the gun owner's defense, and the DA usually knocks the charges down to something lame like disturbing the peace or some misdemeanor.

[sweetliberty]

It seems that the ones responsible for enforcing the laws have become the lawbreaders. Apparently they don't understand that Constitutional thing about "shall not be infringed." Of course, I think tne evidence is overwhelming in this country that the Constitution is ignored anyway, or when it is used is twisted to suit the purposes of activist judges.

[sweetliberty]

It really is amazing that any of us are here considering how irresponsible our ancestors were firearms. < /sarcasm >

[sweetliberty]

lawbreaders = lawbreakers I'm half blind before my second cup of coffee

[Gritty]

DeMar, a restaurant owner, faces up to a year in jail, a $2,500 fine or court supervision or probation if convicted on the charge of owning a handgun without a valid firearms card. The village's handgun ordinance carries a separate fine of up to $750.

The old saying, "when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns" is so true, especially in Mr. DeMar's case.

He is now considered a criminal instead of a solid citizen.

[Mulder]

Heck, if a city wants to ban all guns or provide guns to their citizens for free they should be so allowed. As long as the vote is fair and no one is kept from leaving...

How about if a city wants to ban blacks or round up all Catholics for death camps?

Is that "okay" also?

Many people have died protecting the Bill of Rights, which applies to ALL Americans, not simply those fortunate enough to live under local politicians that recognize these Rights.

Those state and local governments who infringe upon these Rights, are guilty of federal felonies (conspiracy to deprive Rights), and should go to jail for it.

Also, those citizens living under such tyrannical regimes, have many legitimate ways of "dealing with them" according to Jefferson.

[Mulder]

As a practical matter, some courts are mandating retrials if any hint of nullification occurs.

Or they are simply denying the Right to a jury trial if the maximum penalty is "only" 6 months in jail.

[Mulder]

Illinois is much worse than California, New Jersey, New York or any of the New England states. I drive through it out of necessity when going to Wyoming. I do not stop, or speed or give the police departments any reason to stop me!

I recently took a trip out West, and did the same thing while driving through a few "unfriendly" areas.

Obeying the traffic laws didn't stop me from getting pulled over anyway, but I didn't get searched so everything turned out okay.

It sucks having to feel like an outlaw for simply following the Bill of Rights and minding your own business. And it sucks almost as bad having to listen to these tyrannical politicians telling us how "free" we are.

[Mulder]

He is now considered a criminal instead of a solid citizen.

I'm of the belief that if the state is going to illegally declare you a criminal, you may as well go all out with it.

[SLB]

If you are fairly clean cut, have mom and the kids with you and obey the traffic laws/rules/regulations the chances of being stopped are slim. If you do get stopped and are polite the chances of being searched are about nil to none. My concern is being involved in an accident and then having a firearm "discovered" by the police while investigating the accident.

[international american]

"That Chief just gave an open invite to crime."

Exactly!!

[tpaine]

Mulder wrote:
-- they are simply denying the Right to a jury trial if the maximum penalty is "only" 6 months in jail.

---

Really? -- What court systems are allowing that infringment to the BOR's?