Posted on 06/18/2012 4:14:21 AM PDT by marktwain
Army First Lt. Augustine Kim’s finally got the Washington Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to return his guns after two years -- only to find them permanently damaged. The department violated its own regulations on handling firearms in evidence by engraving marks on the sides of the guns, and the city should reimburse the soldier for the loss.
The Afghanistan war veteran was wrongly arrested while lawfully transporting his firearms from New Jersey to his home in South Carolina.
All charges were later dismissed, but the city refused to respond to repeated requests from the national guardsman to return the $10,000 worth of property seized during a traffic stop.
After The Washington Times highlighted this case, his congressional representatives -- Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Jim DeMint and Rep. Tim Scott -- got involved.
Mr. Graham wrote to Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier to demand the guns be returned to his constituent immediately.
On Friday, May 18, MPD Property Clerk Derek Gray ruled that the guns should be sent to a police department in Charleston “next week.”
By Thursday, May 24, with one day to go until the deadline, the guns had not arrived. Lt. Kim’s attorney, Richard Gardiner, could not get an answer about when they were sending it from the evidence department.
I asked MPD Spokesman Gwendolyn Crump about the status. She responded two hours later that the guns, “will be delivered to the Charleston County Sheriff's Office by Saturday.”
In a last-minute effort to make the deadline, MPD paid the shipping cost for priority overnight Saturday FedEx delivery.
The department should have saved the taxpayers’ money because the Forensic Services Service department in the Charleston County Sheriff's office was closed on the weekend. Since Monday was Memorial Day, the soldier was not able to pick up his personal guns
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
She’s fearless! Andy Parks has her on his show a couple of times each week, and she really knows how to stick it to the DC tinhorn dictators.
I think I’d be suing the DC police department.
The guns have been ruined for resale value and the markings were not done in accordance with department policy.
This is exactly what I’d expect from DC finest thugs.
Lt. Augustine Kim would have to stand in line. The MPD is facing multiple suits all the time.
It’s time to move the capitol to free American territory, Washington D.C. has been captured and occupied by the enemy.
I’d like to know why DC is engraving on the firearms in the first place. There is no reason to do so legally, forensically, or otherwise.
If I were that LT. I’d make them buy him one for one, new guns.
Does Congress not administer D.C.?
This cess pit of totalitarian control needs to be pulled up short.
So what? Even if they get sued it will be the taxpayers that pick up the tab.
I dunno, the guns, with copies of the letters from the Senators and related newspaper articles, might command a premium.
Actually he should sue the officer who did the marking. Would be interesting to see if the Department provided defense for him violating their policies.
> If I were that LT. I’d make them buy him one for one, new guns.
That might be the wrong approach.
I purchased a firearm in 1982 for $399.
I could purchase another of the same model number (but different internal design) right now for about $700.
Because of design features that were removed from the model I own sometime between its purchase and now, my gun is worth more.
I have actually been offered $3000 for it by a gun dealer.
It’s too bad I lost it last summer in a canoe accident.
I agree, don’t sue the department, sue the offending officer to ensure the money comes out of his pockets and not the city’s.
“So what? Even if they get sued it will be the taxpayers that pick up the tab.”
If the voting public would attend town hall meetings during the primary season and challenge the candidates to promise to work to change the protection given government employees some of this crap might change.
It was not the taxpayers who damaged the gun but some government thug. That thug should be on the hook first and the taxpayers second if at all.
That being said, if my weapons were returned with permanent brag-tags like that, there would be some hell to pay.
The engraving requirement is insane.
It is a taking without compensation.
It is a presumption of guilt.
They never expected anyone outside the PD to ever see the guns again so they didn’t care if their markings violated policy or not.
“Does Congress not administer D.C.?”
Nope. D.C. got home rule in 1973. Thus able to elect POSes like Marion Berry.
Article One, Section Eight of the United States Constitution grants the U.S. Congress "exclusive jurisdiction" over the city. The District did not have an elected municipal government until the passage of the 1973 Home Rule Act. The Act devolved certain Congressional powers to a local government administered by an elected mayor and a thirteen-member Council of the District of Columbia. However, Congress retains the right to review and overturn laws created by the council and intervene in local affairs.
Thus, unless the Constitution is amended, Congress has ultimate say. Of course we need a Congress with the stones to do it.
should come out of their union funds, not taxpayers.
It was not the taxpayers who damaged the gun but some government thug. . . . . .
___________________________________________________________
Only partially right, the taxpayers, the citizens of DC elected the Mayor who hired the police chief who hired the cop and did nothing about the delay of 2 years to give the guns back. The tax payers of DC need to pay higher taxes because of the mistakes of their employees. Perhaps then they might hire a better mayor, police chief, etc.
Disagree completely! When we elect people we elect them to do a job and do it properly. We expect them to take an oath to do that job and support the constitution.
Unless you can prove the people of DC deliberately elected an official who would work against the constitution and other local laws the responsibility resides exclusively with the government scum who did this.
If we continue to allow anyone to hide behind someone or some government entity these situations will continue forever. Taxpayers did not take or deface his property but some government slug sure did. Fine the slug then fire them.
The DC gun laws are, of course, unconstitutional and reflect a tyrannical spirit.
It’s important for patriots to recognize, however, that there is only one legitimate authority in the District of Columbia, defined clearly in Article I§8: “[Congress shall have the power] To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States”.
EXCLUSIVE legislation. IN ALL CASES WHATSOEVER.
So, seeking redress from the DC government is pissing up a rope. Those clowns haven’t a shred of authority. Go to the source.
Wow. DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier’s salary is reportedly 250K a year.
Rush Limbaugh, the Winston Churchill of our time
Wow! Seriously?
Right. They planned to stall until Lt. Kim gave up and went away. Then the collection would have been distributed like spoils of war. Some weapons would probably end up on the street.
Why should the average citizen have respect for the law, when the average gubment lackey has none?
It’s disgraceful what the faux-soldiers did to the Real McCoy.
If you are ever offered the choice of keeping your gun in an armory, don't. They get used, lost, or damaged worse than those.
My mother being in her late 60's tried to get it back numerous times. There was always someone else in another department and another location with another form to fill out (like find a receipt to prove you purchased the gun 50 years ago in another state).
She finally gave up trying to get it back. I suspect some clepto cop eyed a rare Browning and took it for his own collection - bastards. We didn't have a senator step up to make the cops give our heirloom back. I learned how to shoot on the gun and it was supposed to stay in the family, passed from one crack shot to the next.
“They never expected anyone outside the PD to ever see the guns again so they didn’t care if their markings violated policy or not.”
Somebody was marking dibs on their future drop gun.
Damn canoes!!! ;-)
I have ceased being surprised at how common this sort of legalized theft has become. I first learned of it about 15 years ago when I was teaching Arizona CCW classes. Los Angeles police had an "informal" policy that any gun they came across, no matter what, was confiscated, and only returned if the owner got a court order for them to do so.
As the liberal judges in Los Angeles had a policy of not giving court orders for the return of firearms, and the attempt would cost hiring a lawyer for a couple of thousand dollars, it became legalized theft on a large scale.
Over the years, I have found that it happens all over the country on a fairly regular basis, though in most places a court order to return the firearm can be obtained with far less problems than in LA.
I think I’d be suing the DC police department.
That should be the PIG department.
Rush Limbaugh frequently ends his sentences with prepositions, just like Winston Churchill used to. Aside from that they’ve got NOTHING in common. I like Rush but to compare him to Churchill gravely diminshes the accomplishments of the once Prime Minister.
“This is the kind of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put.”
Or words to that effect.
“It’s too bad I lost it last summer in a canoe accident.”
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
It is amazing how many of us gun owners are simply unable to use a small boat or canoe without turning it over and dumping everything. I’ll bet it happened in very deep water with a soft mud bottom too.
The victim
[It’s disgraceful what the faux-soldiers did to the Real McCoy.]
They don’t know they’re faux-soldiers. They believe they’ve answered the highest calling—protecting us from our own darker side.
Your poor mother; I am so sorry they stole her Browning gun.
How many years ago was it stolen from her?
Of course Congress will never take it back because that would be racist.
Thank you. The cops stole her gun about 5 years ago and she passed away a year ago.
From our homes, to the open road, to the air ways - we're in an ever growing police state that has endless resources to harass and control - with no accountability at any level, or penalties for misconduct.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.