Posted on 10/13/2001 10:26:14 PM PDT by the irate magistrate
Weapons law works
By Courtney Kinney, Post Frankfort Bureau Chief
FRANKFORT - Joe Megerle was suspicious when a stranger approached him just after sunrise in Devou Park and asked him for the time.
His suspicion turned to fear when, moments later, the man made a U-turn, stopped his car in the middle of the road and walked toward him.
Megerle, a retired Cinergy worker with bad knees and a bad back, reached into his pocket and cocked the hammer on the .25-caliber pistol he carried on his morning walks.
When the stranger pulled a gun from his waist band and rushed Megerle, Megerle shot first. The stranger fell at his feet. Megerle was uninjured.
''I've thought about how I could've gotten out of it, and there was no way,'' Megerle said this week in his first media interview since the shooting Aug. 19, 1999. ''It was like having your back against the wall and a big Mack truck was bearing down on you.
''Where could I have gone?''
Megerle, now 59, credits his life to a 1996 law that made it legal for qualified people to carry a concealed weapon. The law took effect five years ago this month.
When the law was being debated in the legislature, some citizens and officials predicted a blood bath. Street corners and Little League games would dissolve into Wild West-like scenarios, they said, with people settling disagreements over gunfire.
Five years and more than 62,000 permits later, that hasn't proven true.
''I think it's worked out exactly as I predicted it would,'' said state Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville, who sponsored the 1996 legislation.
''I don't think anyone can find fault with it.''
Police and other officials interviewed could not recall an incident in the last five years in which a gun carried under the law was used illegally.
But anecdotal evidence exists of people defending themselves with permitted guns: An elderly woman in Bowling Green shot a group of teen-age intruders who broke into her home; a man in Louisville used his concealed weapon to thwart a group of gun-brandishing bank robbers.
''We haven't seen large increases in violent crimes involving handguns as a result of people having carry-concealed permits,'' said Lt. Lisa Rudzinski, KSP spokeswoman. ''People who commit vio lent crimes - some of them may have had concealed-carry permits. But the majority of them do not.''
That's because the people who have the permits are law-abiding citizens, say proponents of the law. To obtain a permit, an applicant must clear a thorough background check and complete an eight-hour classroom and target-training course.
That rigorous training and strict background check have been key to the law's success, said Florence Police Chief Tom Kathman.
''They've done a very good job of requiring the training and trying to evaluate those people who are applying,'' he said. ''I think that has been the major focus of whether the program has been successful or not.''
Kathman said the law has created no problem for him. He was neutral on the idea in 1996, he said.
But other police organizations weren't.
The Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police opposed the bill, saying that more guns would mean more incidences of gun-related injuries. Craig Birdwhistell, executive director of the association, said so far that hasn't happened.
''No, we haven't experienced the problems that some of our chiefs of police have anticipated,'' he said.
Birdwhistell said despite the statistics, the Kentucky police chief's association is still against an armed populous.
''I don't think our membership have changed their minds,'' said Birdwhistell, a former Georgetown police chief. ''They don't think that putting more weapons out on the street is the way to solve crime.''
Megerle, though, said it's the only thing that saved him from being a victim of crime. Megerle has often wondered how he could have avoided shooting James Kennedy, but he's never second-guessed his decision to do so.
Kennedy, who was hit in the head and chest, recovered. He pleaded guilty this summer to charges of robbery and being a persistent felony offender and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He'd previously served time for burglary, receiving stolen property and disorderly conduct.
Megerle counts his blessings. ''If it wasn't for that firearm, I could have very well been hurt,'' he said.
Publication date: 10-13-01
I would think whatever suits you is just fine. And caliber doesn't matter a rat if you can hit what you're aiming at; that's what good training, knowledge and practice will do for you.
P.S. - Call it your "support hand," not your "weak hand." We learn to shoot with both hands, there is no "weakness." ;^)
SECOND, I think Police Chiefs are generally horses-petuties based on the fact that most of them are kiss-butt politicians and most of them only want cops to have guns while defenseless civilians remain unable to defend themselves from armed assailants, to wit:
"The Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police opposed the bill, saying that more guns would mean more incidences of gun-related injuries. Craig Birdwhistell, executive director of the association, said so far that hasn't happened."
Birdshistell said, ''No, we haven't experienced the problems that some of our chiefs of police have anticipated,'' but said despite the statistics, the Kentucky police chief's association is still against an armed populous.
Must be a card-carrying ACLU liberal type. Once again, he doesn't want the fact that armed civilians are perfectly harmless to society to interfere with his preconceived "feelings" that it is unsafe. Typical liberal idiot. How much longer are we going to have to put up with POS Police Chiefs like this brain-dead Nazi. (And no, I did not use the word Nazi casualty. Don't forget the Nazi's held the exact same point of view disarming people as this imbicile Police Chief.)
To be logically consistant, he should call for the disarming of all police as well.
This "weapons for the shoguns and samurais only" attitude makes me crazy.
Go figure.
Where are THESE Demon-Rats when the assualts on our 2 amend are initiated by their own.
Travis,you're not seeing the issue from their perspective. Weapons in the hands of peasants foment rebellion,and make difficult the collection of taxes(close sarcasm tags)
He's a former police chief and yet he's the Executive Director? Does this mean he doesn't own a gun anymore or does he carry illegally and it protected by his police chief friends?
Is there anyone living in Kentucky that can find out more about this person and see if he isn't a hypocrite like I think he is? Did he apply for a permit?
Some Dems here in KY are genuine DINO's - Democrat in name only. In certain areas, they must run as a Dem to get the "yellow dog" vote. It's the only way they have a chance to win. I know a couple of people who are registered Dems, just so they can be more active and vote in the primaries.
Although quite liberal on many issues, Governor Paul Patton who signed the CCW law, is a Dem. Strange world, here in KY.
Just enough, bro.
Sounds like you got all the bases covered.
Speaking of shooting with your weak (support) hand only - I have just started training this way. At first, it's harder than it sounds. I suggest everyone with a CCW do this. It may very well save your life, since your strong arm may be disabled, too busy holding back a crazed perp or some other unforeseen scenario.
Did he finish him off?
Hmmm......so far? Well that sounds like he still expects it to.
BTW thanks for the flag
Yea; I'm beginning to understand your statement unlike I ever could prior to moving to Newburgh, Indiana...right on the Ohio River & a stone's throw from Henderson, KY.
What part of KY you living in, 'cat?
I only ask because politics aside, a prettier place than KY would be very difficult to find.
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