Free Republic

For nearly 70 years, the 2nd Amendment has been the Jimmy Hoffa of constitutional provisions--missing, its whereabouts unknown, and presumed dead. The right to keep and bear arms, though treasured by many Americans, was a complete stranger to the Supreme Court. But recently, a federal appeals court did something no federal court had ever done before: It struck down a gun-control law as a violation of the 2nd Amendment. The District of Columbia statute in question is one of the most stringent in the country. It bans the ownership of handguns except those registered before 1976, and it requires rifles...

TIJUANA, Mexico -- The police department has issued about 60 slingshots to officers in the violent border city of Tijuana, where soldiers confiscated police weapons two weeks ago on allegations of collusion with drug traffickers. Municipal police spokesman Fernando Bojorquez said Monday that the slingshots, along with bags of ballbearings, were given to officers patrolling areas of the city visited by tourists. E-mail this story Printable format Search archives RSS Tijuana's police force of 2,000 officers has been without guns since Jan. 5, but some patrol alongside armed state police. President Felipe Calderon sent 3,300 soldiers and federal police to...

CHICAGO -- Pam Branka would often talk about the recent murder of a manager at a Burger King in suburban Chicago, but she never believed the same fate could befall her at the Burger King where she worked for 15 years in a small northeast Illinois community, her husband said. The 46-year-old mother of one and a manager at the Burger King in Momence, about 50 miles south of Chicago, were found dead inside the fast-food restaurant on Saturday, Kankakee County Coroner Robert Gessner said. He identified the other victim as Paul Jones, 49, of Donovan.

Bears lineman pleads not guilty to weapons charges By Andrew L. Wang Tribune staff reporter Published January 9, 2007, 9:53 AM CST Bears lineman Terry "Tank" Johnson pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor gun charges at a brief hearing in a Lake County courtroom this morning. Johnson was arrested Dec. 14 after a raid on his Gurnee home, where police found six guns and some 500 rounds of ammunition. Less than two days later, Johnson was present at a Chicago nightclub when a gunman killed his bodyguard and housemate.

Daley aims to pass new gun laws By Gary Washburn Tribune staff reporter Published January 4, 2007 Buoyed by the General Assembly's passage of a gun-control measure amid a long string of rejections, Mayor Richard Daley on Wednesday unveiled the city's 2007 legislative agenda with a renewed emphasis on handgun violence. Daley called for passage of half a dozen bills, to be introduced by local state lawmakers, that would restrict sales and the types and numbers of weapons that Illinoisans could buy. E-mail this story Printable format Search archives RSS Noting that guns were involved in more than 80 percent...

Authorities interviewed Bears lineman Tank Johnson after the fatal shooting of his bodyguard at a North Side nightclub