A former Marine is suspected of killing another marine's wife that he had an affair with. So they had to pick him up. What are they charging him with? "Possession of a destructive device'. Of course he had an 'arsenal' of a few guns but the destructive device is a 'potato launcher'. Now I thought for sure this was a nickname for some horrible efficient weapon in Marine parlance. But no, they are talking about a genuine 'spud gun' that shoots potatoes. That's it. That's the 'destructive device'.

Frinkin laughing my butt off here.

Must not have had much on the guy if they had to use that spud gun to bring him in

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ChanceFavorsThe
Prepared Mind

Well, it's a device that's destructive to potatoes.

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Keep on Chooglin'

I'm sure you can hurt somebody with one, but so can a slingshot, bow and arrow, atlatl or just about anything else.

Several years ago, a bunch of homeless "free spirits" decided to squat at a county park. They were there for about a month until the public finally got sick and tired of them and the Sheriff removed them. While they were still there though, it didn't take too long before there were piles of garbage, dirty diapers, humane waste, and all the assorted leavings from their dogs, too.

Local homes in the area were burglarized while the owners were at work. The "free spirits" would harass park visitors with their panhandling and other tactics. Just a real pain in the wazoo.

One Saturday afternoon, one of my sons and a few of his high school buddies piled into the old pickup with their potato guns and headed down to the county park. They got several yards away and started bombarding the homeless community with these so-called "destructive devices."

It didn't take long until four or five of these potheads awoke out of their drug-induced stupors and started chasing my son and his buddies. Well, the boys piled into the pickup and sped off towards home.

The bunch of them came running into our kitchen, panting like a bunch of runaway racehorses. I had no idea what they'd been up to, so I asked.

"Hey, guys, whatcha been doin'?"

Without missing a beat, my son responded with, "We've been feedin' the homeless!"

Hmmmm. I don't know what it is with some of these people...they just never seem to appreciate the generosity of some folks.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

He forgot to efile for his tax stamp on the potato gun, I guess.

A buddy of mine was making them and selling them at a truckstop in Texas. Sheriff came around and closed him down and threatened to arrest him for selling "zip" guns.

May not be so ridiculous after all if he turns out to be a killer.

I guess I don't get this one.
Arrest for possessing a destructive device is usually a federal arrest.
And there is a dead woman? I don't find a dead woman to be that funny.
What town is this in?

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

I don't see an ounce of humor or absurdity in this situation. The incident happened in Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County, CA. The missing woman is Erin Corwin, 19. Married to a serving Marine, she is alleged to have had an affair and perhaps to be pregnant by a former Marine named Christopher Lee, the Corwins' next door neighbor. She disappeared while thought to be in the company of Lee on June 28 and has not been seen since. Officers executed a search warrant at the neighbor's house a day after she went missing, where they found the "destructive device" and arrested Lee. He made bail and was released on July 6. The investigation has continued. The destructive device charge was referred to the local District Attorney for evaluation.

This looks to me like preferring a charge on any old subject against a suspect for whom you don't have the evidence to permit arrest on the larger charge you hope to make. A law enforcement PIO is said to have stated that a Spud Gun can be a destructive device if it propels something other than a potato. Maybe there is merit to that point of view, maybe there isn't. A judge will eventually tell the agency involved which way to look at it.

Reports in a local paper yesterday say the police still consider themselves involved in a "search and rescue" situation even though the missing woman has been gone -- presumably somewhere in the desert -- for more than three weeks.

Feels to me as though there is a lot more going on behind the scenes than is being told to the public. But a woman is probably dead, and all the giggles and snorts about a spud gun do not make the underlying concern amusing in any way at all.

Google the location and players. Access to relevant information is at your fingertips.

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David Wilson

Well said David!

Sorry you guys didn't like my story, but I want you to know that the ONLY thing I found funny about it was the authorities trying to pin something on the guy to hold him and coming up with spud gun as a destructive device thing. The rest is sick, sordid and sad, just like any of the half dozen or so murders I read about every day. As a gun owner that constantly sees guns demonized in the news, this really takes the cake.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Any type of weapon by whatever name known which will, or which may readily be converted to expel a projectile, by the action of an explosive or other propellant, the barrel or barrels of which have a bore greater than one-half inch in diameter.

Firearms - Guides - Importation & Verification of Firearms - National Firearms Act Definitions - Destructive Device | ATF

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Still Running Against the Wind

Years ago I had (I think the ex has it now) a spring loaded single shot 37mm (so as not to accept 40mm military rounds) loud noise launcher. It wouldn't fire a projectile but I guess you could have made it shoot one. I bought it at a gun show with no paperwork. I'm glad it is gone now!

As long as this thread came back up, I'd like to note that the missing woman's body was recently found at the bottom of a mineshaft in the area where she went missing, The neighbor of interest, who had in the last month moved to Alaska with his wife, was arrested there yesterday (or possibly the day before) and charged with homicide based on evidence developed by investigating authorities.

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David Wilson

I sure wouldn't want to be hit by a spud missile, it'd surely leave a mark. To get charged criminally for owning one is a big stretch. HOW FUN ARE THEY!

Many eyes are looking at your post.

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Doesn't hasta call me Johnson

thank you Patriot Act.

This is no laughing matter.

Wonder if it can be converted?? To make French fries

This all happened in California... and I'll stop right there.

They are only deadly projectiles when they are julienned, fried and served at McDonalds,

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