Man, guns held by police spur controversy(OR)

mailtribune.com ^ | 12 March, 2010 | Anita Burke

[marktwain]

MEDFORD — A phone call from a police negotiator that jolted David J. Pyles awake in the predawn hours of Monday continues to jangle the nerves of observers monitoring the way authorities took the Medford man into protective custody and seized his firearms.

Pyles came forward Thursday to reclaim his legally purchased weapons, publicly identifying himself in an e-mail sent to Medford police and forwarded to state legislators and selected media outlets.

He also said he has contacted the Oregon Firearms Federation for possible legal assistance. Pyles directed questions to that group and said he would make only limited statements until he had consulted with an attorney.

Kevin Starrett, director of the Canby-based lobbying organization — which also has a foundation for protecting gun rights through court cases — had been monitoring the incident that landed Pyles in the hospital for a mental health evaluation and resulted in five of his guns being held by police for "safekeeping."

"It's chilling," he said.

"I don't know if this is just a gun case," Starrett said. "It's about whether your freedom can be taken away without a criminal case or charges against you."

Starrett recounted the details of the case that Pyles shared with him. The federation had agreed not to identify him, so Starrett didn't use Pyles' name, but in the wake of Pyles' own public statements, the Mail Tribune is naming him.

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Pyles told Starrett he initially thought the early morning call must be a prank, but looked out to see his yard surrounded by police.

"They asked him to come out and said they wouldn't handcuff him, arrest him or take him off the property," Starrett recounted.

However, Pyles said, he then was handcuffed and taken to Rogue Valley Medical Center for evaluation.

[marktwain]

Very interesting followup to the earlier story.

[piytar]

“David Fidanque, executive director of the Oregon chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said his organization wasn’t likely to get involved in an incident of this type,”

Of course not. It’s not a case that can be used to further a leftist agenda...

[Red Badger]

Rogue Valley Medical Center.......APROPOS..................

[HiTech RedNeck]

Unfortunately it is possible. If they deem you nuts, the onus is put on you to prove them wrong. These “angels in blue” might even take it on themselves to get rid of the guns or sell them before litigation has completed, and it may be more expensive to sue than just to buy new guns even if you’re found in the right. These are civil cases where your legal protections are much more limited than in criminal cases.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Heaven forbid they should produce a precedent favorable to gun rights in the process.

[John.Galt2012]

Put your weapons in a “family gun trust” and name immediate family, mom and dad as trustees.

[HiTech RedNeck]

So now they have to sue.

[coloradan]

"They asked him to come out and said they wouldn't handcuff him, arrest him or take him off the property," Starrett recounted.

However, Pyles said, he then was handcuffed and taken to Rogue Valley Medical Center for evaluation.

It is a felony to lie to federal agents. These weren't federal agents, but the double standard is sickening.

[Eagles6]

Just wait until the federal gubmint has control of all of your medical records.

Jonny takes medication deemed inappropriate with firearm ownership.

Bob mentioned to his doctor that the takeover of the health industry is socialist so he must be crazy.

Sally lives in a shady neighborhood and is fearful for her safety so she must be paranoid.

Not too far fetched after this story.

How the heck did they link his gun purchases to his job loss. Are they doing this type of research on all firearms owners?

[cbkaty]

This tactic was used regularly by the Soviet Union......we can stop it here...there is a line in the sand.

[TankerKC]

Police have maintained that Pyles' surrender was voluntary, but Starrett noted that an intimidating presence of officers with rifles and SWAT gear can force people to agree to things they wouldn't normally do.

Ya think?

[chuckles]

I am ignorant of some of the facts. Did he threaten someone or did management “feel” he was a threat? What brought this on? The story leaves me wondering what brought this on. The only other thing like this was after Katrina, the authorities confiscated every ones guns, just because. If he said( or even acted like), he was going to harm someone, then it is legal to arrest someone and observe them for up to 3 days.

[editor-surveyor]

.
Coming soon to a front yard near you...
.

[marktwain]

I believe that more facts will come out as time progresses. Management said he was very “disgruntled” about being put on administrative leave. He says it was a union dispute. That is all I have for now.

[jackibutterfly]

One thing I’d like to know - what kind of “bust” was this??? Usually a SWAT team is deployed for a hostage situation, or a bust done when there’s drugs involved, but, at 3 in the morning, when he’s sound asleep??? What were they “busting”??? Talk about an ABUSE of power, boy, this IS one!

[chuckles]

If Management put him on leave and he said he would come up there and shoot his a$$ or some other threat, I'm sorry, but I agree with the company. You can't take threats lightly today, especially from a union thug. People here seem to think the police were acting without cause. Maybe so, but I need to know more before I make up my mind. The main thing against the story is it happened in Oregon. They may have found out he bought a gun in the last week or month and "wee weed up".

If someone threatens someone else in Texas, you can have them picked up for observation for 3 days. In many cases, it has saved lives. It would be embarrassing to Oregon and inconvenient to the dead person if he came to work and shot someone he threatened and the police did nothing to stop it. There would be a movie and everything.

[Knitebane]

Threatening someone is a crime. He wasn't arrested or charged with a crime, merely taken at gunpoint to a hospital and his property seized.

You know, if this guy was a reporter and his journals were taken in as "evidence" this would be on CNN.

But because they are icky, nasty guns there doesn't seem to be a lot of concern for what the police have done here, specifically Title 18, US Code, Part I, Chapter 13, Section 232: Deprivation of rights under color of law

Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both;

[Tunehead54]

Bump! ;-)

[John.Galt2012]

Preventative measure for what’s to come. Special gun inheritance and transfer legistlation. Seizing from an owner for some made up illness or crime. etc

[brityank]

From this story:

Pyles told Starrett that he had a conflict with a superior at work, but was working to resolve it through union processes.

The Oregon Department of Transportation confirmed that Pyles has worked there as a planner since February 2004. ODOT Communications Director Patrick Cooney said the department couldn't discuss personnel or security matters.

And another colummn has the following:

Medford police said they started watching the Effie Street home Sunday night in response to law enforcement concerns about the resident — later identified as Pyles — after he was placed on administrative leave from his job on Thursday.

The Oregon Department of Transportation said Pyles is a development planner who started working there in February 2004.

Medford police described him in a news release as disgruntled and said police knew he had legally purchased a Heckler & Koch .45-caliber handgun, a Walther .380-caliber handgun and an AK-47 rifle since being placed on leave.

Information compiled by Oregon State Police, Medford and Roseburg police, and Jackson and Douglas county sheriff's departments prompted concerns that Pyles could be a threat. The news release noted that police were "extremely concerned" that he might retaliate against his employer.

Seems the Oregon Department of Justice now has a Division of Precrime!

[brityank]

Forgot link: http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100312/NEWS/3120326

[chuckles]

If the info on the link is all we can know, then I too am outraged. If he made no specific threat then what possible reason could the police Dept have to get a warrant to check on him? Oh, I bet there was no warrant. It would be the same as me working for the state records dept and pulling the files on Joe the Plumber cause I didn't like him. What part of buying a gun and passing the background check should concern law enforcement?

Someone had to start the ball rolling and they need to go back to McDonalds. There is a line at the fry dept.

[brityank]

Someone had to start the ball rolling and they need to go back to McDonalds. There is a line at the fry dept.

True that.
Admittedly, all we have is some Maggot Media reporter's take on the situation, but I doubt they'd have left out the statement that 'a warrant was [obtained | executed]' from the police presser.

Keep them away from MickyD's - they'd burn their paws and go on disability, and even MickyD's don't deserve that! ;^)

[OneWingedShark]

>Are they doing this type of research on all firearms owners?

I don’t know; but I have my own odd/scary gun-and-authorities story:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2469178/posts?page=41#41

[Eagles6]

Isn’t that the same one?

[OneWingedShark]

Ah, sorry, I hit reply to the wrong post. *bleh*

[Eagles6]

;-)