Posted on 11/27/2012 7:37:28 AM PST by marktwain
BREMERTON, Wash. -- Washington state appeals court judges had lots of questions for lawyers at a hearing about whether a gun owner should be prosecuted in a Bremerton school shooting that critically injured a 9-year-old girl.
Kitsap County prosecutors charged Douglas Bauer because he owns the pistol his girlfriend's son took to Armin Jahr Elementary. It fired through the boy's backpack, critically wounding Amina Kocer-Bowman in a classroom. Amina spent six weeks in a hospital and endured numerous surgeries for internal injuries caused by the shooting.
(Excerpt) Read more at komonews.com ...
I do keep loaded, unlocked weapons in my home. I don't allow children or liberals in my home.
/johnny
From the article...
“The boy’s mother, Jamie Lee Chaffin, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon.”
I assume he knew she was a convicted felon (though that may not be true) so that should complicate things a bit.
people in hell want ice water. safeguarding a dangerous weapon is his responsibility. obviously he failed and some little innocent is paying the price.
if the kid took his unattended car keys, stole his car and ran over an innocent it would remain his responsibility
In reading the story. The assault charge doesn’t really sound right. On the other hand providing a firearm to a convicted felon(girlfriend) sounds fairly easy to prove. Plus if he’s got any wealth at all a civil trial will bankrupt him on negligence grounds. The fact that the girlfriend has already pleaded that she was in possession of the firearm would take this guy out of the loop as to who was responsible for it’s storage.
Men could avoid lots of problems by not living with women who are felons and have school-aged children.
Men could avoid lots of problems by not living with women who are felons and have school-aged children.
Correct. If you are not in charge of your weapon, someone else is, or will be. I know where my stuff is every moment of every day.
What part of “the gun was stolen” do these people not understand?
Real men don’t shack up with felons, or baby-mommas.
Then again, real women don’t commit felonies, and don’t move their kiddies into a home where there isn’t a husband or older, wiser blood relative to supervise.
Plenty of blame to pass around. Horrible that a young innocent child & her family are paying the price.
“It fired through the boy’s backpack,
how can that happen ?”
The backpack material was thin.
On a more serious note, the gun was probably in the backpack without a holster, thereby leaving the trigger uncovered. If something else in the backpack got caught up in the trigger guard, against the trigger, there could be enough pressure against the trigger to cause the weapon to fire if: There was a round in the chamber, the weapon was cocked, any safeties were “off” or compromised.
Your point is taken, but there is always a matter of liability. I have a right to a car and alcohol, but if my 13 year old takes either one to scool, I'm going to have to answer some questions concerning my responsibility for my child. Even when your child takes your car against your wishes, you are liable, as controlling the child is your responsibility.
This being a girlfriend's child, the key question will be if the man was "playing the part" of guardian in any way or just an accessable target.
Since this is not a case of a stranger taking the gun, the issue of liability is explorable. There aren't enough details in the article to speculate further than that.
I disagree. It is not your responsibility to keep other people from using your property illegally and immorally.
If your minor child steals your car, you are still liable for the accident.
This kid was not a stranger off the street, nor a natural child. When you take in people to play family, you start sharing liability.
It is when you've either encouraged it or they are a minor in your care. There is no reason to presume the former, but the latter is an unanswered question. All the shacking up in this country makes this a case by case determination.
Was the gun stolen or not? Simple question. Simple answer. Yes or No.
If your answer is Yes, then you are admitting that the owner of the gun LACKED THE REQUISITE INTENT.
Was what the gun owner did stupid?
Maybe.
But we don’t put people in jail for being stupid.
Well, it is your responsibility if the person using your property is a minor under your supervision. Since he’s probably not the legal guardian of the kid, I don’t know if that applies in this case.
Does that mean you know how many guns you have:?
it is your responsibility to keep your firearms away from children. period. it was his negligence that allowed the kid to get a hold of the gun in the first place.
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