Posted on 08/30/2002 9:17:50 AM PDT by patriot93
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - The former commander of the Kentucky State Militia was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison Thursday on federal weapons charges. Charles N. Puckett, 55, pleaded guilty in May to two weapons charges and one count of intimidating a witness. Eight charges involving guns, pipe bombs and almost 35,000 rounds of ammunition were dropped.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms seized guns and other weapons from Puckett's home in November. Authorities alleged Puckett was barred from owning the weapons because of a previous felony conviction.
Puckett initially argued the 1968 law prohibiting felons from owning guns does not apply to him because he was convicted of the felony two years before the law's enactment.
Puckett was put under house arrest, but officials said he slipped out of an electronic monitoring bracelet and fled. He turned himself in to authorities in April.
AP-ES-08-29-02 2347EDT
Charlie Puckett
Lexington-Fayette County Detention Center
600 Old Frankfort Circle
Lexington, KY 40510
For donations:
Devonna Puckett
121 Laughlin Way
Lancaster, KY 40444
My impression is that everyone in the militia movement is either a fruitcake or a Fed, or maybe both at once.
I'm satisfied with my role in the unorganized militia as set out in Title 10, Section 311 of the US Code. I am subject to call-up only by order of the Governor of my state. Without her explicit approval, any so-called militia is an extra-legal organized mob.
You have to be a flaming idiot, if you are a convicted felon, to possess a weapon illegally while flaunting your membership in a militia. What did this retard think would happen to him?
-ccm
While on this theme, are you one of the Gestapo Twins are not? LOL. I know you are a lawyer, and that is almost equally as bad. Just ask Charles Dickens.
I wonder why none of the founding fathers had any problems with felons who paid their sentence, regaining all their constitutional rights after release?
Please answer, anyone!!!!!
Why do we bother to give jury trials to ex-felons?
Why do we not actually physically torture them for subsequent crimes? They have no more right to be free from torture than to bear an arm!!!!
If we can prevent convicted felons from bearing arms, then why cant we also prevent them from freedom of speech, the right to a trial for future crimes, cruel and unusual punishment, and the freedom from search.
It seems to me, that if convicted felons loose their constitutional rights forever, we no longer have to give them the benefit of a trial, or habeus corpus anymore for the rest of their lives. These rights are in the same place, i.e., so one right(guns) should not be the only one that they lose.
I accompanied Norman Davis and his daughter to the Federal Courthouse in Lexington, Kentucky, where we met up with about seven other friends and family members of Charlie Puckett, former commander of the Kentucky State Militia.
The reason for this was the sentencing of Charlie as the result of his arrest last year. At about 1:30 pm as we sat in the courtroom, Charlie was led out dressed in Fayette County Correctional grab, his ankles chained. He had a look of worry and concern upon his face and it looked as if he had not slept the night before.
The Judge addressed Charlie and his lawyer, about what the charges were and then asked both to approach as they could say a few words on his behalf.
In the courtroom besides friends and family sat a Kentucky Representative as well as two deputy sheriffs from Charlie’s County to also speak on his behalf. Charlie’s attorney addressed the judge and told her that there were a number of people there to speak on his behalf and for the first time in this paralegal’s legal experience in a sentencing action, the judge would not allow anyone but Charlie and his attorney speak before sentencing.
Charlie spoke first and apologized to the judge for the actions for which he was charged and asked for leniency and then his attorney spoke as well telling what I fine man Charlie was, how he had no real criminal past and that he assisted law enforcement as best he could while living in his county. He also said that he had a number of good friend’s LEOs as well as others who spoke very highly of him. When that was over the judge added up the counts versus the time to be served under Federal guidelines and sentenced Charlie to 30 months and one day in a Federal Prison.
In addition, he is to have three years supervised probation upon his release, be subject to a search of his property, vehicles and any other area he may be in for the same time period and may happen at any time. He is to undergo mental health counseling as well, and his record of the a proceedings is to be sealed and he had to agree that he had no right of appeal and also had to sign a paper agreeing to all of this.
Besides all this, at no time did his attorney even ask about the possibility of probation nor was anything discussed about time served, which in this writer’s opinion, as well as others present this day was inexcusable. The judge dismissed the courtroom and Charlie shook hands with his attorney and looked back at all of us briefly and was led away. We went out to the hallway were we all discussed how much of a dog and pony show it was and then reporters and TV newscasters interviewed some of us for publication at a later time.
I would write more, but Norman Davis, of Take Back Kentucky and a life long friend of Charlie plans to release his statement which may be a little more caustic than what I present here, so I will close now we will await his statement to the masses.
Just thought that you guys might want to see this from Free Kentucky
On Thursday, August 29, 2002 I attended the sentencing of Charlie Puckett in Lexington, Kentucky. The sentencing phase was the final act of the Government imposing their will on citizens in our state and nation.
After the sentencing was over and we left the courtroom in anger, I proceeded to be approached by reporters from various newspapers and television stations. It is at this point that I do not actually remember what all was said. Yes, I do remember talking to them but I was so upset at our legal system being in shambles I just reacted and did not rationalize my thoughts.
To point out a thing or two let me tell you how fair it was;
There were two sheriffs and a Kentucky State Representative that were going to speak on Charlie’s behalf. The judge would not allow them to do so. The Sheriffs were going to tell them how Charlie has helped and was responsible for, breaking up one of the largest theft rings ever in the state, how he rescued a young girl from a fully engulfed burning building and received 2nd and 3rd degree burns going back into the building trying to rescue the rest of the family and how he has always contacted them to invite them to any training sessions in order to work with them.
Again Judge Coffman would not allow them to testify!
I am not sorry for the interviews or what was said. I should have gathered my thoughts before I talked to the reporters. I honestly believe Charlie received the short end of the stick and tried to say just that. Those of you that know me well know I can be somewhat opinionated on occasion. Various people have told me what I supposedly said on TV and in the papers. I honestly do not remember saying certain phrases but it is apparent I did.
I do believe the system is broke. I am not sure it can ever be fixed. At least we all know that all the kangaroos are not in Australia. Yesterday was a major travesty of justice and a joke all around. The decision of the "alleged" judicial system is as follows:
· 30 months and 1 day jail time
· At the completion of the sentence he will be on 3 yrs probation and must subject to random searches of himself, vehicle and home
· He must take mental health counseling
· He must not have firearms or dangerous weapons again
· He had to agree not to appeal
· He had to agree to have his records sealed
· He has to pay a fine of $300
When murders, child abductors, bank robbers, rapists, etc., get less time and their rights assured to a greater degree than Charlie got then the system is broken.
When corporate bigwigs can plunder their investors and destroy the hard earned dollars in the people’s retirement funds then the system is broken.
When federal agents can kill a mother holding a baby, shoot a little boy in the back and then go to another place and burn 87 mostly women and children to death and not be prosecuted but promote the SOB with a pay raise then the system is broken.
I do recall a reporter asking me, Is this decision meant as a message for people that oppose the government to show them what will happen to them? I say the same thing today that I said yesterday, Yes, But this will only make me work harder to get these scumbags!
I feel that we must always be aware that these agents, judges and other terrorists are nothing more than a modern day "Judas". For their thirty pieces of silver they will do anything!
There are only two ways that this system can be changed: One is an outright revolution and the other is a revolution by the voters. I urge that everyone register to vote vote and get rid of these scumbags. Become politically involved and never, ever surrender to or fear these people.
The best advice I can give to anyone whom they want to question is; answer no questions. Tell them to put their questions in writing; on agency letterhead with an authorizing signature and that your attorney will give them an answer. Then tell them to get lost and that you look forward to their letter.
Norman Davis
Aug. 31, 2002
This, also from Free Kentucky this morning. Before you start flaming me about these folks being "wackos," let me just say that I don't know all the details of the entire case and that I don't necessarily know Charlie Puckett or agree with him on everything. However, Norm Davis is someone I consider a friend and thought everyone would want to read this. Now, flame away.
The judge didn't want anything positive about Mr. Puckett to muddy up the sentencing. Heaven forbid a good guy was being sent to prison for doing nothing truely wrong.
The ATF was out to burn Charlie and they were successful. How disgusting this whole episode has been.
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.