Neal Knox - famed Chicago 'Sting' Is A Bust

April 6 Neal Knox Report -- Today's Wall Street Journal has a
revealing look at the much-hyped 1998 Chicago "sting" in which
grungy cops pretending to be gangbangers supposedly bought 171 guns
for criminal use at gun shops in the Chicago suburbs.

According to the Journal, it was designed to build credibility
for Chicago's lawsuit against gunmakers.

But of a dozen dealers, only four were indicted, plus some
employees. In the first criminal case tried, in January, most charges were
dismissed by the judge, and the jury deadlocked on the final
charge. In the second trial, the jury acquitted an employee in
just 10 minutes, and the judge suggested the case shouldn't have
been filed.

Amazingly, in most cases, the cops made no audio tapes to back
up their case, causing one juror to say the whole thing could have
been a setup. Suppose that will play on CBS 60 Minutes -- as the
police allegations did ... twice.
-------------

California, Florida and Massachusetts attorneys general are
joining the investigation of whether the growing boycott against
Smith & Wesson was inspired by the company's competitors.

The boycott came from consumers, who have the right to buy or
not buy from whomever they wish. But I'm sure the gun industry is
in for a lot of harassment, and perhaps even criminal trials to
defend along with all those civil lawsuits.

I hope the industry and individual dealers will bring their
own Sec. 1983 lawsuit against those attorneys general for abuse of
office.
----------

A lawsuit is about to be filed by a group of Texas legislators
including Rep. Suzanna Gratia Hupp against the city officials who
have filed lawsuits against manufacturers. Rep. Hupp ran for
office and became a primary sponsor of the Texas concealed
carry licensing law because 1991 law made her leave her
gun -- a Smith & Wesson Chief's Special -- in her car outside
the Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen, in which both her parent were
killed.

I haven't read the draft complaint but I understand it will
charge the cities and their officials with attempting to violate the civil
rights of
those lawmakers and their constituents by denying them firearms.

One attorney told me that the case has a stronger legal basis
than the cities' lawsuits, and would serve the secondary purpose of
giving cities and city council members þa dose of their own
medicine.þ

According to those close to the suit, enough money has been
raised that a group of San Antonio lawyers have a near-final draft,
but foundation director Trey Blocker reports that another $100,000 is
needed. Contributions are tax-deductible.

The Civil Liberties Defense Foundation's address is P.O. Box
163563, Austin, Texas 78716.

Also, they have created an outstanding legal and historical web
page at www.libertydefense.com.

It includes the full opinions in a long list of Federal and State firearms
cases, law review articles and much else.
-----------

One of the reported supporters of Ohio Gov. Taft's safe gun
storage bill (which would hold adults criminally liable for allowing a child
to get a gun with which someone is injured) is Katrina Leak of
Dayton.

A 6-year-old killed Ms. Leak's 2-year old with a gun that an adult
left on a kitchen table. According to the April 2 Dayton Daily
News, Ms. Leak is the adult who left the gun where her son got it and
killed her daughter.

And Ms. Leak got out of prison in January after serving three
years for child endangerment.

If a grieving mother can be sentenced to three years under existing
law, for what earthly reason does Ohio need a new law?

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Slowpoke Rodrigo...he pack a gon...

Vote for the Neal Knox 13
 
Amazingly, in most cases, the cops made no audio tapes to back
up their case, causing one juror to say the whole thing could have
been a setup.

Do you suppose the cops are on our side?
 
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