Yunsong Zhao: Charges Dropped on Obscure Rifle law after Eight Months in Custody

Ammoland ^ | 16 January, 2019 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

On September 24, 2018, Yunsong Zhao was vindicated. He had done nothing illegal. The evidence against him was so weak, the judge did not let the case go to trial. He dismissed the case based on lack of evidence. From wsls.com:

CHRISTIANSBURG — A judge on Monday dismissed the firearms charge against former Virginia Tech student Yunsong Zhao, saying that he didn’t believe the police officer or gun dealer who were the prosecution’s main witnesses.

The evidence that Zhao, a 20-year-old Chinese national, possessed an assault weapon that is allowed only for U.S. citizens or permanent residents was too flimsy to let a jury even consider a conviction, Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Marc Long said. Zhao, who has been locked up since his Jan. 29 arrest, had faced up to five years in a Virginia prison if found guilty on the gun charge.

Zhao grinned and clasped his hands after Monday’s dismissal — then was returned to the custody of federal immigration authorities.

If Zhao had been a citizen or a permanent resident, he would have been released at that point. But Zhao was in the U.S. on a student visa.

Zhao had been charged with an obscure law making it illegal for a non-citizen to put a magazine that holds more than 20 rounds into a semi-automatic rifle. Zhao had legally purchased the rifle, which originally had 30 round magazines with it.

[Valpal1]

“Nine months in prison, then deported for an expired student visa.”

And his student visa expired because he was kicked out of school on a knife possession charge that he was unable to defend himself on because he was locked up on the gun charge. They got him coming and going.

[Celtic Conservative]

Still spamming every banglist post i see. Dude, we get it. Thanks and mow enjoy your week end.

CC

[Dr. Wu]

Well let’s keep them ignorant or they’ll register Bridgeports and lathes.