Posted on 08/10/2005 12:19:07 PM PDT by OXENinFLA
To: National Desk
Contact: Peter Hamm of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, 202-898-0792
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 10 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence:
You kill five people in cold blood, shocking an entire nation. You go to prison. Seven years later, you get out, and you are free to buy all the guns you want.
What a country.
Mitchell Johnson, who as a 13-year-old on March 24, 1998 joined with 11-year-old Andrew Golden to plan and execute the attack at Jonesboro, Arkansas' Westside Middle School that resulted in the death of four students and a teacher and the wounding of 10 others, pleaded guilty to murder. Under Arkansas law, he could only be imprisoned until he turned 21, which is tomorrow, when he will leave a Memphis, Tenn., detention center. Under Arkansas law, he is also not a prohibited purchaser of firearms because he was convicted of the murders as a minor.
"This individual and his accomplice planned their crime. They lured their victims outside with a false fire alarm, and then they slaughtered them. And now, Mr. Johnson is an adult, and he can legally purchase a firearm," said Michael Barnes, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
"I hope this young man has changed, and that he is not a threat to others. But this is a textbook case of an individual who should be deemed by society as forever barred from the privilege of owning a gun," Barnes said. "The fact that he will be legally allowed to own one is an absolute embarrassment in our society."
Will he be able to buy guns?
Ping....
If he's a felon, then Federal law prohibits him from even *touching* a firearm.
Either way, the ACLU is responsible for this.
It is the left, and the ACLU as their primary tool, that either eliminate the death penalty or make it so difficult to enforce that it has no effectiveness.
Conservatives would have had this guy hanging from the gallows shortly after his trial and conviction.
Those who worry about the one innocent person who might get convicted wrongly should think about the hundreds who get murdered by those who are set free wrongly.
Is he not a convicted felon? Or am I missing something.
When has the truth ever stopped the brady campaign???
Who do you think they're fooling here???
I don't know. He was convicted as a juvenile, in some states I believe that convictions as a juvenile are wiped clean upon reaching 18 or 21--totally removed from the person's record. In that case, yes, I believe he'd be able to buy a gun. It depends on Arkansas state law, and probably Federal law as well.
The thing to note here, of course, is not the Brady screed that "Second Amendment BAAAAAD," but instead to note that this person's conviction SHOULD stay with him for his entire life and prevent him from owning a gun. Obviously, the Brady folks just want to use this to deny all of us access to our Second Amendment rights.
}:-)4
My guess is because he was tried as a juvenile and not as an adult
Different rules
This prohibition cannot be removed unless you recieve a pardon or expungement.
This is common knowledge among all firearms dealers and owners, and weeding such people out is purpose of the Instant Check system and the BATF Form 4473. Even attempting to buy a firearm knowing you're a felon is a crime, even more so if you falsely answer the questions on the form.
Brady's credibility is going to take a serious hit on this.
If felons are given all their rights back, as just happened in Iowa, does this apply ?
If he killed 5 people, I would.
It would send a message to all the other 13 year olds out there... AND... it would allow this 13 year old to come to terms with his Maker.
Why should he be out of jail at all? That is the more perplexing question.
Oh, geez, I didn't catch that he was a juvie.
Here's the text of the 4473:
http://www.atf.gov/forms/4473/index.htm
It doesn't seem to list any exception for juvinile vs. adult convictions, however.
I wasn't aware that they ever had any credibility!
From the article, it appears that his crime doesn't count since he was a minor. If true, then that's the problem--not guns.
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