Gun Control Leads to Uncontrollable Violence
Date: Jan 10, 2007 9:12 PM
According to the Traveler’s Guide to the Firearms Laws of the Fifty States,
by Attorney Scott Kappas, Maryland has some of the most restrictive handgun
laws in the nation:

“Maryland is one of the few states to require that all handgun types
offered for sale in the state pass before a governmental board for
approval before being introduced onto the market. The open or concealed
carry of handguns is similarly regulated so that it is almost impossible
for an unlicensed individual to carry a handgun legally.”

Consequently Maryland’s citizens are sitting ducks for violent thugs who
will kill you for $10. But it wasn’t until a violent criminal with a record
as long as Thurl Bailey’s arm, including possessing illegal guns, killed an
off duty police officer, that it got the press’ attention. Notice how other
police officers attacked off duty, but who had bullet proof vests and who
shot back, survived. When will liberals ever get it? Mitch

Violence rings in new year in Baltimore

By BRIAN WITTE, Associated Press Writer Wed Jan 10, 5:15 AM ET

BALTIMORE – The fatal shooting of an off-duty Baltimore police officer
underscores the brazen violence faced by police and residents alike in a
city with one of the highest violent crime rates in the country.
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Just nine days into the new year, Baltimore had recorded 10 homicides, and
the shooting of Detective Troy Chesley Sr. – the third armed attack against
a city officer in three months – has raised fears that even police aren’t
safe from the upswing in violence.

Lt. Paul Blair, Jr., president of the city police union, said many criminals
seem to have no fear of police and won’t hesitate to kill, even when
carrying out petty crimes.

“I’ve seen them kill for minor street robberies of ten dollars, and they
kill the person because they looked at them wrong,” he said.

On Tuesday, police arrested Brandon Grimes, 21, charging him with
first-degree murder in Chesley’s death after he got off work at 1 a.m.
Tuesday. Grimes was badly wounded in the leg in the shootout, and police
tracked him down at St. Agnes Hospital where he was being treated under
guard.

Grimes – who had been scheduled to begin a trial on gun charges Wednesday -
has been arrested 17 times in recent years, prompting grieving and angry
police officials to express outrage that he wasn’t in jail.

Police Commissioner Leonard Hamm said law enforcement agencies are often are
at odds with each other as they grapple with high crime rates. He said they
must take a hard look at a system that allows people like Grimes to roam the
streets.

“We need to stop being petty,” Hamm said. “We need to put our egos
at the
door and concentrate on people like Brandon Grimes.”

Baltimore finished 2006 with 275 homicides, up six from the year before.

Blair said too many officers may believe they have “cheated death another
day” when their shifts end, only to forget about late-night dangers on city
streets when they’re going home.

“It just seems maybe our guys just can’t stop dropping their guard when
they
finish up their day,” he said.

Last month, officer Momudu Gondo was wounded during what authorities believe
was a robbery attempt as he got out of his car near his home in Northeast
Baltimore. Police arrested a suspect about a week later. Gondo, who returned
fire at his assailants, was wearing a ballistic vest and survived the
shooting.

In November, Sgt. Christopher Nyberg managed to disarm a would-be robber who
held a knife to his throat, Blair said. Nyberg shot two of the four people
who tried to rob him as he was walking home.

In September, Officer Robert Cirello was shot while on patrol. He was
wearing body armor and survived.

Chesley, 34, had just gotten off work and was not in uniform when he arrived
at his girlfriend’s home in West Baltimore. Chesley was a 13-year-veteran
who worked in a unit assigned to patrol public housing.

In the last 3 1/2 years, Grimes had been charged with handgun, drug and car
theft crimes and mostly avoided lengthy jail time, except for a six-month
sentence for violating probation in 2005. He posted $45,000 bail in March to
get out of jail on one handgun charge. He then got out of jail again a month
later on $100,000 bail.

His trial on the gun charges had been scheduled to begin Wednesday in
Baltimore Circuit Court. On the second handgun charge, prosecutors had
recommended $500,000 bail, saying Grimes posed a danger to the community.

Col. Frederick Bealefeld, chief of the police department’s detective unit,
angrily pointed out that police had risked their lives twice before to take
guns away from Grimes – only to see him get another gun and murder “one of
our brothers” a day before his trial.

“This is the sort of mayhem and craziness that we see all to often,”
Bealefeld said.

Chesley, who received a commendation in 1998 for leading several people from
a burning building, also appeared in a 2005 police DVD called “Keep
Talking.” The DVD, which was distributed around the city, was designed to
counter a DVD made by drug dealers titled “Stop Snitching.”

The street video was made to discourage residents from talking to police.

James D. “Mitch” Vilos
Attorney at Law
P.O. Box 1148
Centerville, Utah 84014
Local Tel.No.: (801)295-3340
Mobile: (801)560-7117
1(800)530-0222
Practice Concentrating in Accidents and Personal Injury, Insurance Law,
Medical Malpractice, Defective Products, Workplace Injuries (not Worker’s
Compensation), and Firearms Law (representation of gun owners in criminal
actions, and expungements).

The Second Amendment IS Homeland Security !