Free Republic

RALEIGH, N.C. — A probation officer assigned to a teenager now charged with killing the University of North Carolina's student body president was handling 127 cases without training, state corrections officials said Wednesday. A state investigation also found that 17-year-old Laurence Lovette never met with probation officer Chalita Thomas. The probation cases of the other suspect in the killing, Demario Atwater, were handled by 10 different officers. "This is a dark cloud over our agency," said Robert Lee Guy, director of the state Division of Community Corrections. Guy said no one has been fired but three senior probation and parole...

ISRA is proud to sponsor Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day for 2008 IGOLD Links: Bus Info IGOLD Shirts & Hats Flyer All Illinois gun owners are invited to join in Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day (IGOLD) in Springfield in 2008. This is an annual event where the members directly lobby their representatives in the Illinois House and Senate. The ISRA is partnering with local and internet organizations in Illinois to increase attendance and make a bigger & better impression in Springfield. The other participating organizations are Illinois Carry, Champaign County Rifle Assoc. and Sangamon County Rifle Assoc. Get your local...

NORFOLK - A man fatally shot on Harvard Street in February had been attempting to break into an apartment, and the man who fired will not be charged, Commonwealth's Attorney Jack Doyle said in a letter released Thursday. It was about 2 a.m. Feb. 28 when Keith Foreman tried to break into a ground-floor apartment at 416 Harvard St., Doyle wrote in a letter to police, after his review of the case. He said a man and a woman were inside the apartment at the time. One of them called out to the intruder, but he "continued in his effort...

The event that VCDL Board member Dennis O'Connor describes below happened in a SunTrust branch a couple of days ago. SunTrust does not ban their law-abiding customers from legally carrying a firearm for self defense. Had this been a Wachovia or a BB&T, both of which ban guns, the outcome would probably have been very different. This event also underlines something that both Dennis and I believe - open carry, in and of itself, can be a strong deterrent to crime. Yes, I know - the criminal COULD do a preemptive strike against someone he sees carrying openly. But...

Raleigh resident won't face charges, police say Charges won't be filed against a Raleigh homeowner who shot and killed an intruder early Friday. Police said William J. Harmon, 42, whose last known address was in Millington, died at the scene after a single gunshot wound to the chest. Harmon had a lengthy criminal record, according to court records. "They (the attorney general's office) declined to prosecute because of the inference of self-defense," Memphis Police Insp. Matt McCann said Friday. "They're in their home. He kicks in the door. They don't know him. They are afraid for their lives. He did...

A North Bellport resident surprised an armed burglar who tried to break into his home, when he grabbed a shotgun and fired at the man, hitting him in the shoulder, Suffolk police said. Cheyenne Ray, 44, was alerted by his girlfriend, Tanya Rivera, 31, that she heard a noise at the front door about 1:30 a.m., said Fifth Squad Det. Sgt. Kenneth Hamilton. Ray looked through the glass storm door and saw a hand holding a 9-mm pistol strike the glass. Ray went into the kitchen, got a shotgun, and fired one shot at the door, Hamilton said. The burglar...