Suit Filed to Halt New Orleans Gun Seizures

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XavierBreath

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The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and National Rifle Association (NRA) joined with individual gun owners in Louisiana this morning, filing a motion in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana seeking a temporary restraining order to stop authorities in and around the City of New Orleans from seizing firearms from private citizens in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Arbitrary gun seizures, without warrant or probable cause, have been reported during the past three weeks since the Crescent City was devastated by the hurricane. In cases reported to SAF, police refused to give citizens receipts for their seized firearms. Earlier, SAF insisted that police account for all seized firearms, disclose their whereabouts, and explain how they will be returned to their rightful owners. Authorities have not responded.

Gun confiscations have been highly publicized since the New York Times quoted New Orleans Police Superintendent P. Edwin Compass III, who said, "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons," and ABC News quoted Deputy Police Chief Warren Riley stating, "No one will be able to be armed. We are going to take all the weapons."

For example, a San Francisco, CA camera crew from KTVU filmed one incident in which visiting California Highway Patrol officers tackled an elderly woman identified as Patricia Konie, to seize her pistol and forcibly remove her from her home. An ABC news crew accompanying an Oklahoma National Guard unit filmed another incident in which homeowners were handcuffed and disarmed, then released but without their firearms.

"We are delighted to work jointly with the NRA in an effort to bring these outrageous gun seizures to a halt," said SAF founder Alan M. Gottlieb. "Our inquiries about these confiscations were cavalierly ignored, as were our demands for a public explanation from the police and city officials about why citizens were being unlawfully disarmed, leaving them defenseless against lingering bands of looters and thugs.

"New Orleans officials left us with no recourse," Gottlieb observed. "It was bad enough that Big Easy residents were victims of the worst natural disaster in the nation's history. That they would be subsequently victimized by their own local government, taking their personal property without warrant, is unconscionable. These illegal gun seizures must be stopped, now."
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Both the NRA and SAF want to speak with people who had guns confiscated.
In preparation for further lawsuits over gun confiscations both groups are looking for people who actually had guns confiscated. If you have personally had a gun confiscated in Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina hit, please call (888) 414-6333. Be prepared to leave only your name and immediate contact information so we can get back to you. Once again, they are seeking contact information from actual victims of gun confiscation in Louisiana only.
Contact SAF via e-mail at safalert@liberty.seanet.com. Please be ready to provide them with your full name, address, current working telephone number and the date and time of the firearm(s) seizure, as well as any other pertinent information.

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NRA versus NOPD - whoseyourdaddynow?

Pulled this from the NRA news feed on our ASSA site. Worth the cost of my dues this year just to get to watch this fight!!!!!!!!!! :D :D

NRA FILES SUIT TO STOP
FIREARM SEIZURES IN NEW ORLEANS

Thursday, September 22, 2005


(Fairfax, VA) - Today, the National Rifle Association (NRA) filed a motion in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana seeking a temporary restraining order to block authorities from confiscating law-abiding citizens’ firearms in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.



“New Orleans is the first city in the United States to forcibly disarm peaceable law-abiding citizens and it must be the last. Victims are dealing with a complete breakdown of government. At a time when 911 is non-operational and law enforcement cannot respond immediately to calls for help, people have only the Second Amendment to protect themselves, their loved ones and their property,” said NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre.



“The NRA stands with law-abiding Americans, who agree that at their most vulnerable moment, their right to defend themselves and their families should not be taken away,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist.



According to The New York Times, the New Orleans superintendent of police directed that no civilians in New Orleans will be allowed to have guns and that “only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons.” ABC News quoted New Orleans’ deputy police chief, saying, “No one will be able to be armed. We are going to take all the weapons.” :eek:



“The NRA is determined to stop this blatant abuse of power by local politicians. It is disgraceful that any government official would further endanger the lives of innocent victims by issuing this ridiculous order. We are very grateful to the many rank and file police officers who have come forward and assisted NRA in exposing these violations of constitutional freedoms. We are also pleased that the Second Amendment Foundation is joining us in this effort,” added Cox. :)



“The actions of the New Orleans government have destroyed the one levee that stands between law- abiding citizens and anarchy - the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. The NRA will not rest until this injustice is resolved,” concluded LaPierre. :) :)
--nra--



Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services.
 
Double thumbs up for the NRA.

The LA Constitution explicitly grants the right to have guns. If this illegal order is not publicised and punished it will lead to these rights being ignored and effectively canceled. This is how rights are lost, not by force but by apathy.
 
That's great! What amazes me is that if you start looking on the web for anything about this you won’t find much. The whole problem simply put is gun ownership is not politically correct today. The story would be different if it involved the first amendment! People had better wake up and realize what's at stake!
 
Als54-
I disagree. You can't find anything because very few "enforcers" followed the "Order". That's the REAL story that the Politicians need to hear.

What the NRA is doing is right on target. But don't think for a minute that this was widespread; they're still looking for people affected by it. Compass and Nagin need to hang for certain; but the rank and file.....they seem to have done good.
Rich
 
NRA and NOPD

SULACO2

Don't really have to send a check every year, been a life member since the last ice age......... :D

I am backing a recruiting drive for the NRA, though. Go to the NRA Page on www.slugshooting.com, and you'll find we're waiving membership dues for 2 years for anyone who joins or renews membership in NRA using our link to our buds in Virginia. Click and signup, then sign up for ASSA, and note on the ASSA app your new NRA member number, we'll comp your dues for 2 years.
What? you're still here? You haven't gone off to sign up yet? Shame on you! :D
 
Just re-joind the NRA! Let my membership slip in college about a decade ago....finally see action on their part worthy of my hard earned cash. Actually sitting back filled with hope for a change. Thank goodness this organization stepped up to the plate!

Shawn
 
Nope, like an idiot I stopped reading the second I saw that they (NRA) were filing suit. Seached, found their web site and joined....then went back to finish reading the posts and saw the awsome deal....oh well as long as they don't REALLY irritate me I'll just keep sending them a check every year.

Shawn
 
Just watched Judge Napolitano on Fox..... He said that due to Texas law that shouldnt be a problem for us Texans........in fact he mentioned one court ruling where the neighborhood could band together in situations in which Law Enforcment couldnt protect them. Most Officers in this neck of the woods have a positive attitude towardfirearms in this neck of the woods in good citizens hands. I got pulled over one time for a traffic stop and had my .22 Revolver in the box in the seat. The worst I had to endure was swapping some gun talk with the DPS Officer and and didnt get a ticket :D
 
Thanks

The plan here is to join asap life membership in NRA ,GOA,when we catch up a little.
I have been real glad to see some action from some of the rights groups on this.
I have been sorely dissappointed in the past ,and it is worth the price of membership as some one posted.
 
I disagree. You can't find anything because very few "enforcers" followed the "Order". That's the REAL story that the Politicians need to hear.
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Rich, what are you talking about? I wasn't questioning what the LEO's did. I'm talking about what the Mayor and Chief of Police ordered. I totally agree with what the NRA and SAF did and think it's great.
 
I hope they are seeking money damages against stae officials.
WildquickestwaytothetopAlaska
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This is the only way to get the attention of these officials. They should need to pay compensatory damages to all the citizens who had guns confiscated, plus punitive damages to the gun owners, plus puntive damages to the NRA/SAF for their involvement, plus and legal fees. Any other instance of a citizens civil rights being denied/abused by the government results in cases involving millions of dollars - so should this. It doesn't matter if a 'state of emergency' was in effect and civil rights could be negated, that is BS. It seems the best way to change procedures/laws that are wrong is through the courts, and that is where this issue should go. I fear that is the only way to teach these officials any lesson is to take their/our money. One last point, whoever issued the order to confiscate the weapons should be personally liable, and they should be personally sued.
 
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