New Charge for Woman who left Gun in Church

[Granny777]

I don't know what they can charge her with, but leaving a loaded gun in a public place where kids can find it is a very serious mistake IMO.

They should pull her permit.

No kids were in the area - that was reported by the left wing local media who wanted it to be true. All the kids were finished and gone.

 

[Granny777]

It sounds like they want to yank her permit.She needs a good lawyer.

Got the best lawyer here. This is his specialty area. And, he used to be a prosecutor.

 

[Granny777]

Just teasing! When You get tired of that Glock, get a 640 !

I LOL ed at your tease - thanks for the advice, I will check it out. When this 2nd charged gets dismissed, I'm gonna go buy me a Smith and Wesson!

 

[Shootbrownelk]

Yep. Ditto for all the cops and other LEO's who have done the same thing. They should hand in their badge and be fired immediately.

While it's a terrible mistake, it's more common than most people think for everybody carrying-cops included. Most locals recognize this for what it is-a vendetta similar to the unending one the Milwaukee Urinal has been waging against Badger Guns & the shop's succesors IMO.

Bruce

Years ago I went into a gas station restroom in a small town in Wisconsin. There I found a cop's gun and radio. I knew the owner of the gas station and had him call it in. I didn't want to embarass any cops in that town. Most knew me by name, and my hotrod by sight...

 

[Granny777]

Wow!

Granny,

A big welcome to our forum. I am glad you found us. You will find many supportive members here. Believe me when I say that many if not most of us have made some weapons related mistake as civilians, law enforcement officers or during our military years. We I am sure out number those who's out cries are less than understanding. Of course I can only truly speak for my self, still we are an understanding group who help each other.

It is bad luck that your error landed in the media. I wont bash the press but this kind of piling on is not uncommon these days. During my youth this kind of event would have had zero chance that it would have been judged news worthy.

Are you a member of the NRA? If not, this would be the time to sign on and connect with the group. Who knows, you might even find some level of support from them.

Best wishes to you and your family

I am a member of the NRA. I am quite sure this hit the media because I am the Trifecta +1 - Caucasian, Christian, Conservative, who Carries. At the same time the media splashed me all over, a 4 year old left alone in his mother's car, opened an unlocked glove compartment, took out Mommy's gun and shot himself in the head. She wasn't charged and the media was sooo sympathetic to her - I felt awful for her and thanked God no kids were around with my lapse of vigilance - but - guess what was different about her as opposed to me?

 

[Comrad]

She's 67, what happens in years to come? I'm over 60 too so I'm not picking old people but how do you insure the problem won't repeat and perhaps next time something bad happens?
Wisdom of Solomon needed here.

 

[Road Rat]

Well, this has been interesting. So far, my 5 minute "mistake" has cost me $10,000, many nights of not sleeping - even before any charges.

Granny, lots of folks these days are setting up an on-line site where others can donate funds to help.

Do you happen to have such a thing? Or could you have your lawyer set up one for you?

I'm willing to kick in a few bucks to help with your problem!!

 

[shawn mccarver]

I don't know what they can charge her with, but leaving a loaded gun in a public place where kids can find it is a very serious mistake IMO.

They should pull her permit.

Well, leaving a gun around is careless, but it still amazes me how worked up people get over this kind of mistake where no person got hurt.

Folks, there are countless incidents of police officers and other trained officials leaving their handguns in restrooms because they seem to think it is necessary to take it out of its holster when pants are dropped to the floor to sit on the toilet. How to use the restroom while carrying should be taught in all CCW courses, and in all LE academies.

I actually know an officer who left her duty pistol on the toilet paper holder/box on the wall of the stall. I have heard of many others who have done it, mostly female, but some male.

In another case, the uniformed officer removed her Glock from the Safariland Level 3 holster in order to sit on the toilet in a public restroom at a hospital. The officer left the rest room with an empty holster, walked to her car, got in and drove 45 minutes, by her own account, before realizing her Glock was on the toilet paper holder in the hospital restroom. She drove back, went in and it was still there. How lucky is that in St. Louis?

Of course, one famous SAS member admitted leaving his Browning HP in a restroom stall in a metropolitan city in England.

In some of these cases that I have heard about, weapons are recovered by the officer and in others, the weapon is lost. The common theme, however, is that I have never seen or heard of an officer or official being prosecuted or fired for leaving the pistol in public in such a careless manner. Why a CCW holder should be prosecuted is, therefore, beyond me.

It seems getting upset over nothing is a popular pastime of the busy bodies in our society. The lady in question is probably punishing herself more and to better effect than the criminal justice system ever could. After all, who is the safest person on the gun range? The one who has had a negligent discharge. And far more experts than we all might think have had NDs. Handle anything long enough, and it is possible to get careless. I say treat the lady CCW holder like the cop in a similar circumstance. That means nothing, a reprimand or maybe some re-training.

As to the idiot janitor who found the little pistol, he obviously needs to take the Eddie Eagle course. Instead of roaming the halls holding the weapon up like a doofus, he should have "left the area and called an adult."

This whole thing is a big issue because people with an agenda want to make it a big deal to convince the world that "ordinary civilians" have no business with guns. We would all do well to remember than LE officers who are not in the military are also "ordinary civilians."

 

[Ogandydancer]

It sounds like a careless mistake but certainly there was no intent. Sounds like they are looking for a reason to yank her permit.

 

[steelslaver]

If as a nation with a lot of firearms would go through the common sense step of teaching firearms safety in our school system the danger of firearms would decrease significantly. Children and non gun people should know basic firearms safety, if for nothing more than coming in contact with a gun through circumstances like this one or others that are not of their own doing. I also believe that a few graphic pictures of the results of gun shots would be beneficial. I grew up in a house that had guns in the closet, no locks or safes, most of my friends grew up in similar homes in that time and place. We didn't mess with those guns, we knew what they were about and through exposure to hunting what they were capable of. No TV movies of guns be fired and bullets all over and everyone walking away for us.

Schools now teach safe sex etc. but, for all the screaming about guns the antis oppose simple gun safety education.

But, then I find it amazing that you need 4 years of English and only 1 of science to graduate. HS. Never needed to know who wrote Canterbury tales in my life after HS, but, I have know people to die because they didn't understand electricity, pressure, steam etc.

The lady made a mistake that was no more or less dangerous that rolling through a stop sign or speeding, both of which can result in a fatality or injury. What can and does happen are usually very different.

 

[Cpo1944]

Miss Granny, You have my sympathy ,for there but for the grace of God go I. Please try to not worry too much over this incident , It`s just stupid / liberal folks with an agenda over reacting and trying to make an example of you.

 

[Granny777]

I was horrified at myself for forgetting my gun. The police report talked about how distressed I was. I can pretty much promise you that it will never happen again. I use a carry purse now or the new corset which now only hold my gun on my body but holds in my tummy too

 

[Granny777]

Thanks so much. Once this 2nd charge is dismissed, I want to take the ADA to court for prosecutorial misconduct, discrimination, misuse of public office or whatever. I will need some help monetarily then and will look to set something up. This was an attempt to set a precedent that would hurt all of us. Win or lose - it just has to get noticed and send a message

 

[Iggy]

Looks to me like they had to postpone further proceedings until they could order some more spikes for her cross.

 

[Justified]

One of the key elements of a crime is intent. Obviously, there was no criminal intent in this case. With all of the televised looting and rioting that has become an acceptable form of protest now, how could anyone charge this lady?

I don't believe negligence requires intent.

It is dangerous when we support bad behavior.

 

[Granny777]

it is over but it isn't

Dismissed for the 2nd time - No Probable Cause and the judge said to the prosecutor, in essence, prosecutors can't make law, the legislature does.
First - please know that the media blew this way out of proportion. My firearm was there under 5 minutes according to witnesses, there were NO CHILDREN PRESENT!!! - I am thankful for all of this. Yes, I dropped my usual vigilance. I am a responsible gun owner, unfortunately, I am human.

I have done 100's of hours of research on the abuse of prosecutors. They have absolute power to charge anyone with a crime with no probable cause and are rarely to never held responsible. It cost me thousands of dollars. Being demonized, vilified, and dehumanized by the media. My entire family has been hurt by this. And, not only did I not commit a crime, no crime was committed. I am a Caucasian,Christian, Conservative. Change my race, the papers would never have even reported this. Ditto with my religion. Imagine me being a Black, Muslim, Gay. The main stream media practices politically protected and permitted profiling! And, they hate guns and gun owners. I am far from the only person who has ever forgotten their gun in a public place in the state of Wisconsin.

This prosecutor committed an ethical violation according to the Wi State Stats. I filed a 16 page report with the Office of Lawyer Regulations. I have a case worker and await a decision.

This is way past me and way past a gun.

Leave your car running to go back into the house to get something - you can be charged like I was. Do you leave your garage door open with a saw, hammer, etc inside - you can be charged like I was. What kind of person will they be "gunning" for...

Granny is on a mission. I never realized how much damage has been done to innocent people by some prosecutors.
Start with guns - they are unpopular. Hitler - got rid of God and Guns.

BTW - for committing ethic violations, prosecutor misconduct, and malicious prosecution (according to the legal descriptions of such) for trampling several of my Constitutional rights - United States and Wisconsin, and using a citizen as a test "animal" in a legal experiment - the prosecutor got a promotion.

 

[Hang-Fire Hank]

GOOD IDEA !

That's a great idea, Shawn! I'm going to begin doing just that. Even after 12 1/2 yrs. of holding classes, I'm always looking for ways to improve my teaching.

Thanks, Hank M.

 

[Sconnie]

I suppose Waukesha County didn't want Milwaukee County to have a lock on the market for prosecutorial overreach. Congrats on the win and a lesson learned.

 

[Rastoff]

Dismissed for the 2nd time - No Probable Cause and the judge said to the prosecutor, in essence, prosecutors can't make law, the legislature does.

Good for you!

Had someone used the gun and accidentally or on purpose shot someone or something, then I could see prosecution for negligence. As it was, no one was hurt and no "unrest" was caused. It was a simple oversight and easily rectified. Filing any suit at all was a waste of the court's time and the people's money.

 

[Alk8944]

Usually I don't comment on similar threads, and I didn't see this one before when it was current.

First, congratulations Granny777! This entire situation is ridiculous beyond belief! There is absolutely no reason for the Police to have ever been called to begin with as there was no crime. And I say this as a retired law-enforcement officer!

To all of those who say the subject should be pilloried, lose her permit, etc, you are all full of ....! She is human, she made a minor mistake, an oversight. If the object had been a ring or other valuable item I can say with entire certainty that everyone criticizing her would instead be congratulating her that her ring was found and returned to her!!!!!!!!!

So far as "negligence" is concerned, this is a case of "simple negligence" at the worst. This is not sufficient to bring a charge in any situation. There must be "Criminal negligence", a far higher standard, to be a foundation for a criminal charge.

All of you who were so critical of the subject should be ashamed!!! Is there a single one of you who can honestly say you have never misplaced anything in your entire adult life? There are only two types of people who can answer this, the honest ones who will admit they have, and liars. While extra vigilance is incumbent upon those who habitually carry firearms, either under a carry permit or professionally, the fact is we are all human and an unfortunate part of the human condition is to make mistakes at times, some more serious than others, but still simple mistakes.