Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Pentagon gun traced to Memphis police (mild barfer)
AP via MSNBC.com ^ | 03/10/2010 | Staff

Posted on 03/14/2010 11:03:14 AM PDT by OldDeckHand

Some departments sell or trade weapons seized in criminal cases.

WASHINGTON - Two guns used in high-profile shootings this year at the Pentagon and a Las Vegas courthouse both came from the same unlikely place: the police and court system of Memphis, Tenn.

Law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that both guns were once seized in criminal cases in Memphis. The officials described how the weapons made their separate ways from an evidence vault to gun dealers and to the shooters.

(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: banglist; guns; leo; mentallyill; nra; shooting; weapons
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last
The story here isn't the provenance of the weapon that Bedell (the shooter) purchased, but that he was able to purchase them in the first place. He had been placed on the "no buy" list by the state of California because of his severe mental health issues. But, because he purchased the weapons in a private sale, there was no background check run.

I'm not sure what the solution is here. Clearly, you have a right to sell your weapons, privately. OTOH, there are people - like Bedell - who shouldn't have access to firearms.

1 posted on 03/14/2010 11:03:15 AM PDT by OldDeckHand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand

About the same as if a car sold at a police auction was used in the getaway from a bank robbery. A big “So, what?”


2 posted on 03/14/2010 11:07:24 AM PDT by seowulf (Petraeus, cross the Rubicon.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand

You can never keep the criminal element from obtaining weapons. You can deprive honest citizens of the right to protect themselves.

It really is as simple as that.


3 posted on 03/14/2010 11:08:55 AM PDT by yarddog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand

the rounds from those guns would have hurt much less if those rounds came from guns that didn’t come from the Memphis PD.


4 posted on 03/14/2010 11:11:37 AM PDT by Vaquero (BHO....'The Pretenda from Kenya')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand
OTOH, there are people - like Bedell - who shouldn't have access to firearms.

And hind site is 20/20

How do you propose we determine who is and who is not "mentally fit"

Do we start taking away rights because you think some one "may" commit a crime?

5 posted on 03/14/2010 11:22:32 AM PDT by Las Vegas Ron ("Because without America, there is no free world" - Canada Free Press - MSM, where are you?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand
Personally, if I were selling a weapon on my own I would want to know the person was on the list of those who should not be purchasing a weapon. Of course the name might be on the list in error, or the same or similar name, but I would like to be alerted to the facts.

I don't thing anyone 2nd Amendment person I know wants to sell to someone who is unstable or shouldn't be buying a gun.

6 posted on 03/14/2010 11:28:39 AM PDT by jwparkerjr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Ron
"And hind site is 20/20"

Apparently foresight was 20/20 here as well. California ruled that this guy was too mentally unstable to possess a firearm. It turns out, their ruling was quite prescient.

"Do we start taking away rights because you think some one "may" commit a crime? "

No. But we do take away people's rights because they can't discern fantasy from reality. There's nothing noble about presuming someone's Constitutionally protected right to make their own decisions, if they don't have the mental capacity to make those decisions, to include owning firearms.

"How do you propose we determine who is and who is not "mentally fit"

Many states (to include California) have procedures in place that strip citizens of their rights - (ie institutionalization). These procedures protect, respect and affirm the due process rights of the citizen.

7 posted on 03/14/2010 11:32:31 AM PDT by OldDeckHand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand
Please stop posting stories and links to LEFT WING PROPAGANDA outlets! This only perpetuates their HATE filled un-American screads! I know that you added a mild barfer warning to the title, but it's time to shutdown the MSM.

Satellite TV consumers should avoid buying local channels, so that we starve the communist broadcast networks; ABC, NBC, CBS. They must be allowed to fail. Of course, I would have added CNN, but this network has successfully cloaked itself inside the cable, satellite and news format shell.

Please realize that; the Fourth Estate has become the Fifth Column! These news readers were responsible for promoting the most egfegious POS that ever occupied the White House. They must be made to pay people.

Unless we as a people omit these network outlets, they will continue to destroy us as a free nation! Watch network TV beyond primetime, you shall quickly agree how berift they are of legitimate advertisers these primetime hours. They only persist, because of PSA advertisements placed by the US and other 'friendly' governments. I'm not kidding, we are currently enduring PSA's launched by such wonderful kingdoms like Saudi Arabia. We must collectively halt their pernicious effects upon the national psyche!

Do you understand what I'm saying? If you have the 'stones' pull the plug on the whole damned TV set. You will suddenly discover how much extra time you have to do the much more important things in life. I would suggest that you write letters and e-mail your Congress Critters. Tell them NO on everything they can imagine!

8 posted on 03/14/2010 11:33:44 AM PDT by STD (-Obama Came Riding the Pale Horse of Islam, Now He Rides the Red One)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: STD
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Ah, no. I don't. This, as best I can tell, is a forum dedicated to discussing current events based upon news stories that are written about those events.

If we only posted stories from websites that you approve - although I don't even know where to find those sites, even if I were so inclined - we wouldn't have much to discuss, now would we?

9 posted on 03/14/2010 11:38:36 AM PDT by OldDeckHand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand

It is not a coincidence that 2 firearms from the Memphis police, ended up in the hands of nut cases in California and Nevada who coincidentally used them to off some cops in high profile shootings. Gang bangers in Memphis maybe,,,,,what happened,,,no.


10 posted on 03/14/2010 11:41:29 AM PDT by Concho
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand
OTOH, if you must have 'TV programming', don't expose yourself to all the vermin and their garbage.

Buy a Tivo unit and fast forward through the LEFT WING PROPAGANDA and enjoy athletics and documentaries. We are at a war to the finish with the LIBERAL, PROGRESSIVE and COMMUNIST AGENDA of our government! It's time to finally defeat our enemy.

The battle for the heart and souls of America needs to be fully joined. Take care Old Deckhand

11 posted on 03/14/2010 11:42:41 AM PDT by STD (-Obama Came Riding the Pale Horse of Islam, Now He Rides the Red One)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vaquero

I get the idea that these were not police issue weapons but street weapons that were taken from criminal suspects and not returned for whatever reason.


12 posted on 03/14/2010 11:44:01 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (I am in America but not of America (per bible: am in the world but not of it))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Ron
Oops, that should have read...

"...There's nothing noble about preserving someone's Constitutionally..."

13 posted on 03/14/2010 11:44:40 AM PDT by OldDeckHand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand
"More guns" is the solution. Where is Bedell now? How was he stopped?

Making arbitrary classes of "have's" and "have nots" is how we got into this screwed up situation to begin with.

14 posted on 03/14/2010 11:53:10 AM PDT by Dead Corpse (III, Oathkeeper)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HiTech RedNeck
I get the idea that these were not police issue weapons but street weapons that were taken from criminal suspects and not returned for whatever reason

and the problem with that is???????

15 posted on 03/14/2010 12:00:16 PM PDT by Vaquero (BHO....'The Pretenda from Kenya')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand

You answered an STD? LOL!!!


16 posted on 03/14/2010 12:03:58 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Vaquero

Depends on why. If the suspect was found or pled guilty, generally he loses the gun.


17 posted on 03/14/2010 12:04:43 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (I am in America but not of America (per bible: am in the world but not of it))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand

Publish a list of people disallowed. When you want to sell a gun, check the guy’s ID and refer to the list. If NICS were done this way, you could even buy a new gun from an FFL and not have the goobermint maintaining a gunowner registration file on you.


18 posted on 03/14/2010 12:12:17 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HiTech RedNeck
Depends on why. If the suspect was found or pled guilty, generally he loses the gun.

so the gun belongs now, to the Memphis PD....who sells it to retailers who sell it to you or me or to a dirtbag.....legally just like any new or used gun...(or perhaps ..to a paper buyer who supplies dirt bags with weapons)...what I am saying is that if a dirtbag is going to commit a crime with a gun, he is going to commit a crime with a gun and where the gun was 2 years before does not matter.

19 posted on 03/14/2010 12:14:27 PM PDT by Vaquero (BHO....'The Pretenda from Kenya')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: jwparkerjr
I don't thing anyone 2nd Amendment person I know wants to sell to someone who is unstable or shouldn't be buying a gun.

True, we don't. But neither do we want the government to be in possession of a list of everyone who exercises their rights, especially when there is an alternative that addresses they reason they SAY they want the background checks.

20 posted on 03/14/2010 12:14:45 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson