Jailed N.M. Gun Store Owner on Hunger Strike

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | January 30, 2012 | AP

[CedarDave]

LAS CRUCES — A jailed New Mexico gun store owner accused of selling weapons that made it into the hands of Mexican cartels says he is on a hunger strike.

Ian Garland wrote in a letter to the Las Cruces Sun-News that he won’t eat until he is allowed visits from his lawyers and the media.

“I have been in a 6-by-12 room for 316 days in maximum security for making legal and lawful sales to people who have lied to me, they even admitted they lied, so why am I here?” he wrote.

[Smokin' Joe]

It’s sort of like signing insider trading laws to save “the consumer from fraud” then profiting from it.

All aimed at cutting down on the competition with the COngress, thus virtually guaranteeing more profit.

[MileHi]

I could see that given F&F and this DOJ.

[CedarDave]

NM list PING! Click on the flag to go to the Free Republic New Mexico message page.

(The NM list is available on my FR homepage for anyone to use. Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)

[OneWingedShark]

It doesn’t make any sense.

That's par for the course when talking about F&F Operations.

[marktwain]

Why did he do that if the sales were legal?

You asked a hypothetical, so I will answer with hypotheticals:

The prosecutors hold most of the cards. He has you in jail. He has confiscated all your property and has your wife and children in jail.

He claims that he has witnesses who will perjure themselves and lie to prove his case.

He offers to cut a deal so that he can get a quick conviction, and you can stay out of jail.

He doesn't put anything in writing, but insists that you do.

[MileHi]

That sounds about right.

Four words:

I need my lawyer

Easier said than done in that situation though.

[sam_paine]

It doesn’t make any sense.
1wingshark----That's par for the course when talking about F&F Operations.

Except that this was not a F&F operation. In fact, it is exactly the kind of local gun runners that the gun grabbers say they want more gun regs to stop.

I have always been on the side of the 2nd Amend protecting law abiding gun owner rights...but the way the current generation is going, I'm not so sure there will be enough responsible law abiding people to be responsible law abiding gun owners.

[Monorprise]

“Except that this was not a F&F operation. In fact, it is exactly the kind of local gun runners that the gun grabbers say they want more gun regs to stop.

I have always been on the side of the 2nd Amend protecting law abiding gun owner rights...but the way the current generation is going, I’m not so sure there will be enough responsible law abiding people to be responsible law abiding gun owners.”

I think your underestimating the educational value of practice, and our people. Men were not always as orderly as they are now. Indeed I dare say thou-out most of our history Americans have rarely been as orderly as they are now. The mid-century moment(Post-ww2 era) being one of those exceptions.

What I’m trying to say is I have more faith in the natural balance of men & motivations and with that faith I know we can handle it. There may be a few more gun crimes/accidents here & there but it will settle down.

[sam_paine]

Let’s hope so!

[TigersEye]

I'll add another hypothetical. He is an Aussie-born naturalized American. He may have been more intimidated by the prosecutor and by being arrested than a lifelong citizen/resident of the U.S. might be. Adding to that intimidation is the fact that all the conspirators comprised almost all of the officials of the town.

If he is as innocent as he claims it must have felt like he stepped into the Twilight Zone. Like he woke up in an itty bitty teensy weensy Chicago on the border. And don't forget that the conspirator's customers were the drug cartels.

Seriously! ... HELP, MR. WIZARD!!!!!