Posted on 09/28/2015 3:59:43 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA
A BB gun is a firearm, the Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled.
The court made its declaration in the case of a man who was not allowed to possess a firearm because of an earlier felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.
This is the law that tripped up David Haywood.
Any person who has been convicted of a crime of violence, as defined in section 624.712, subdivision 5, and who ships, transports, possesses, or receives a firearm, commits a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 15 years or to payment of a fine of not more than $30,000, or both.
But the law doesn’t define what a firearm is.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.mprnews.org ...
Until this past summer, Michigan law treated pellet pistols as firearms.
Yes.
Absolutely.
Assuming it was in fact a firearm, and it was loaded.
You lose you rights while you are under sentence, that includes time you are on probation or parole.
Everything else is overreach.
Yeah, there’s no fire and no powder.
Oh Plz.. has they lost their noodles ?
aint no gunpowder or explosive involved.. unless compressed air is now a deadly weapon.
Get real.
why rent when you can steal? he wouldnt own that either. :-) seems how many do it right now.
You’ve out-reasoned me.
And there arent any negative consequences, the felon with a gun charge is always thrown out in plea bargaining, so its not even like any felon ever suffers for breaking the law having a firearm.
Felony used to have a special meaning in common law, now they could make anything a felony.
“Nice try, but nonsense.”
The only nonsense is your nonsense denial of the documented fact in the dictionaries that define these words. Look in a Merriam-Webster dictionary, which serves as the standard reference for American English. You can find the word “fire” is defined as an intransitive verb meaning to “to emit or let fly an object.” You can also find the definition of “arm” as another intransitive verb meaning “to furnish or equip with weapons.” The words, “fire” and “arm” compounded into one word then means “to emit or let fly an object...to furnish or equip with weapons.” You will note there is nothing in the definitions requiring the weapon to emit or let fly an object by the means of combustion. The Balaeric sling used in the ancient battles was certainly purposefully designed as a weapon to let fly an object without the means of the combustion of gunpowder.
“Is a simple catapult a firearm?”
Yes, because it was purposefully designed to “let fly an object” as a weapon.
“Is a blow gun a firearm?”
Yes, because it was purposefully designed to “let fly an object” as a weapon.
“Is a mouth spitting a gob of phlegm a firearm?”
No, because it was not purposefully designed to “let fly an object” as a weapon.
If you want to dispute the written definitions, take it up with all of the publishers of the American English and English dictionaries such as Merriam-Webster, and don’t falsely accuse the judge when he uses the common dictionary meanings of the words.
“Yeah, there’s no fire and no powder.”
The standard English dictionary definitions for fire and arm do not require pyrotechnic fire or gunpowder to meet the definitions. See Post 92 for the definitions and examples.
“aint no gunpowder or explosive involved..”
The standard English dictionary definitions for fire and arm do not require pyrotechnic fire or gunpowder to meet the definitions. See Post 92 for the definitions and examples.
“unless compressed air is now a deadly weapon.”
Rifles using compressed air were indeed used as deadly military firearms in the European armies of the 18th and 19th Centuries and by Lewis and Clark on their expedition in the Louisiana Purchase territories.
I tried to purchase a sling shot from Cabela’s online, but since I live in NJ, I was prohibited from purchasing this toy. I, an adult, was not too be trusted with something so dangerous as a kid’s toy!
“I tried to purchase a sling shot from Cabela’s online, but since I live in NJ, I was prohibited from purchasing this toy”
Checkout:
http://www.slinging.org/
If they ask you what you have there, just tell them it’s a jock strap and you are just using the stones to keep it in shape.
And *that's* the highest court in the land?
Unless the Gov. steps in or the Legislature changes the law this guy is screwed.
See above.
Interesting. Mine uses an actual spring-loaded magazine holding about twenty shots.
“Agree 100%. Felon should not lose their rights for life.”
You dont have to commit a felony to lose your rights. Women can allege that they were abused by a husband, and obtain an order of protection and his guns are confiscated. No real evidence needed. It happened to a guy I know and he is screwed until the order gets lifted (if ever).
by definition there must be “fire”
absent fire, there is no firearm
compressed air lacks fire
QED
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