Posted on 11/09/2007 11:18:50 AM PST by JZelle
The father of a mentally disturbed teenager who fatally shot two Fairfax County police officers last year was sentenced to more than three years in prison yesterday for illegal weapons possession.
Brian H. Kennedy, 50, of Centreville, pleaded guilty in August to weapons charges in U.S. District Court in Alexandria as part of a plea bargain.
Kennedy admitted that he illegally purchased an AK-47 rifle by failing to disclose on federal background checks that he regularly used marijuana. His son, Michael, used the AK-47 in the May 2006 ambush that killed Detective Vicki O. Armel and Officer Michael E. Garbarino.
Other officers fatally shot Michael William Kennedy, 18, after a gunbattle that involved about 150 rounds being fired in the parking lot of the Sully District Station in Chantilly.
The sentencing hearing and court documents provided some new details about events leading up to the shooting.
Prosecutors said Brian Kennedy acted recklessly and selfishly in the months and days before the shootout. Kennedy regularly smoked marijuana with his son, even though doctors warned that marijuana use was incompatible with the medications that his son was taking for his mental illness, prosecutor James Trump said.
Brian Kennedy also did not remove his cache of weapons from the home despite numerous warnings that his son was acting erratically and dangerously, including an incident in which he shot his dog. The father had 20 guns and about 2,500 rounds of ammunition in his home on the day that Michael Kennedy opened fire at the police station, according to court documents.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
No. You cannot purchase an AK-47 from a gun shop. They are automatic weapons. He may have purchased an AK-47 semi-auto replica. WHY are gun-related articles almost always wrong?
Apparently the government is prepared to infringe your right to keep and bear arms — especially if you do not come forth with incriminating evidence against yourself.
Wouldn't that fall under "self-incrimination"?................
Because they are ingorant of anything outside their liberal values fortress they build around themselves.
Even a dork like me knows that pot and guns don’t mix. It’s one or the other, but not both!
I have to agree with Shapiro. There was a lot going on in that house, but what they got the father on was not the way to go.
Brian Kennedy also did not remove his cache of weapons from the home despite numerous warnings that his son was acting erratically and dangerously, including an incident in which he shot his dog. The father had 20 guns and about 2,500 rounds of ammunition in his home on the day that Michael Kennedy opened fire at the police station, according to court documents.
Mixed thoughts here. This guy was obviously a loser as a Father and it looks like he might have contributed to his son's mental breakdown. Probably should have done more to keep his guns away from his son but the weapons charge looks a plea to get something instead of going after him on larger contributory charges.
He didn't have to incriminate himself. He could have chosen either to not buy the gun, or to quit smoking pot before buying the gun.
Your right to avoid self incrimination, isn't a right to lie. You can either tell the truth, or you can refuse to answer the question.
Awkward Headline Alert
They are wrong by design. They have an agenda.
busted on a technicality.
Well to be a complete hair splitter, it’s more than likely a “AK style” Romanian WASR, and not actually an AK47.
Are you saying that people who smoke pot should not own guns?
tough case. i’m all for guns, but i’m not touching this case. i wonder how the kid “broke in” to his dads locked gun safe. if it was a glass gun case, the dad is a complete moron.
One thing’s clear — the father is an idiot.
It appears the father is guilty of perjury on Form 4473. The shooter at VA Tech also perjured himself with respect to his mental health status. There is no way for the dealer to distinguish when the applicant has committed perjury at the time of the purchase. The online NICS check sometimes catches applicants in a lie as it has more resources than the firearms dealer to determine the veracity of the 4473 answers.
For anybody that still has a glass front gun cabinet, I recommend the following.
1. Get a safe for your guns.
2. Install some shelves in the gun cabinet and give it to your wife as her new china cabinet.
I did that years ago for Mom and Dad.
Wouldn't that fall under "self-incrimination"?................
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