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NJ: EDITORIAL: Smart-gun law still isn't so smart
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The smartest thing state lawmakers have done regarding New Jersey's smart-gun law is to consider repealing it.
But Sen. Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, says she wants to get something out of it � a deal with the National Rifle Association to stop fighting any free-market push to introduce the new technology.
Good luck with that. But regardless of whether the NRA wants to play ball, the state should follow through with tossing its smart-gun law to the curb. It was ill-conceived from the start.

Brady Center lawsuit to use �smart� gun mandate to trigger handgun ban in New Jersey
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Early this month I wrote about New Jersey�s �smart� gun mandate. The statute bans the sale of all ordinary handguns in New Jersey within 30 months of the date when �at least one manufacturer has delivered at least one production model of a personalized handgun to a registered or licensed wholesale or retail dealer in New Jersey or any other state.� N.J. Stats. sect. 2C:58�2.2 et seq. A so-called �smart� gun is one with some kind of technology such that only the owner is supposed to be able to fire it. As detailed in my previous post, American police and other citizens appear to have very little interest in such guns, in part because of reliability problems.

NC: Restaurant with 'No Weapons, No Concealed Firearms' Sign Robbed at Gunpoint
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A Durham, North Carolina restaurant with a sign on its front door reading, "No Weapons, No Concealed Firearms," was robbed at gunpoint on May 19.
Gunsnfreedom.com published a photograph of the sign on May 21, making "The Pit" restaurant a self-declared gun free zone--the same kind of zone Michael Bloomberg and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America pressure other restaurants into becoming.
According to Durham's ABC 11, around 9 PM "three men wearing hoodies entered the restaurant through the back doors with pistols, and forced several staff members to lie on the floor." The armed men "also assaulted two employees during the crime."
The suspects are still on the loose.

MA: Senate backs purchase of pepper spray without ID Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: http://www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
The state Senate is backing a measure that would allow Massachusetts residents to purchase pepper spray without a firearms identification card. The measure won unanimous approval on Thursday as an amendment to the $36.2 billion state budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.

MT: Man's Defense for Killing Teen: 'Castle Doctrine'
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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As for how Kaarma plans to defend his actions, Ryan says he'll use the "Castle Doctrine," a law Montana passed in 2009 that asserts a man's home is his castle and can be defended as such. It gives the homeowner the benefit of the doubt, placing the burden of proof for "justifiable use of force" on prosecutors. (Other states have similar versions.) Michele Keiffer, whose son-in-law was shot during an argument in a man's Montana garage in 2012, has been campaigning against the law. "I always thought you had to escape the perpetrator before you do any bodily harm," she says; but due to the doctrine, no charges were filed.

FL: 'Warning shot' bill gets new critic in Florida lawmaker who drafted 'stand your ground'
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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"Unfortunately, in attempting to improve this excellent law, HB 89 inadvertently creates ambiguities and potentially reduces important protections for Florida's citizens," said Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs.

As a state House representative in 2005, Simmons was the main drafter of "stand your ground." Contacted by a Times/Herald reporter about HB 89, the "warning shot" bill, he echoed concerns similar to ones raised earlier this week by Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.

TX: Open Carry Texas Adjusting Its Strategy Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: http://www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
OCT says from now on, it will not carry long guns into businesses, and will focus its actions on 'businesses which are Second Amendment Friendly.' The group says it will also notify police before it stages any public events, and will carry signs telling people who they are and why they are carrying weapons.

Everytown Statement on Withdrawn Amendment that Would Have Forced U.S. Military Bases to Allow Open Carry of Firearms
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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An amendment offered this week that would have forced the Department of Defense (DoD) to allow military personnel to openly carry loaded firearms on U.S. military bases has been withdrawn by the Congressman who attempted to push it through as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4435). The amendment � offered by Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-TX) � ignored specific recommendations in a 2013 DoD report, published after the shooting at the Washington Navy Yard.

Ed.: According to Bloomberg Mom's, not even *soldiers* should get to carry guns!

WI: Court Says Police Allowed To Kidnap Gun Owners With No Warrant
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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When she found out police had been notified, she called the psychiatrist in a vain attempt to stop their impending arrival. As authorities stormed her home, Sutterfield pleaded with them, insisting she was in no danger (and even calling 911 when they refused to leave.)

All of this has since been deemed appropriate behavior by at least two separate courts.

Daniel Manion, another circuit judge behind the latest ruling, did suggest a �judicially issued civil warrant process� that would give police written authorization to engage in similar behavior in the future. Either way, Sutterfield�s case makes it clear that, on the advice of a supposed expert, any American can feasibly have his or her constitutional rights obliterated.

We Love Our Moms and Trust Our Doctors, But We Still Don�t Want Gun Control Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: http://www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
For the past five decades the organized gun control community has been trying to sell the American people an idea they�ve made clear they don�t want: civilian disarmament. Much like a company trying to unload a terrible product, repeated rejection has forced gun control advocates to perpetually reinvent their groups and messaging in an attempt to make their agenda more acceptable.

NJ: New Jersey Could Solve Budget Woes By Being More 2A Friendly Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: http://www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie would not need to look at slashing state pensions, while Democrat lawmakers are talking tax hikes, to make up for a projected $2.75 billion revenue shortfall over the next two fiscal years if only the Garden State was more attractive to gun owning tourists and firearms manufacturers, the Second Amendment Foundation suggested today.

Obama Moves To Choke Off American Firearms Manufacture & Gun Sales Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: http://www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
We�ve heard it all a thousand times: Barack Obama�s dubious claims that he believes in the Second Amendment � that he supports hunting and fishing � that he only wants to make �reasonable, common sense� restrictions on your Second Amendment rights.

FL: Are Minorities Unfairly Targeted By Stand Your Ground?
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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�I think primarily, one of the most interesting findings was that, of the analysis of nearly 200 cases in which Stand Your Ground was invoked, people who killed a black person went free 73 percent of the time, while those who killed a white person went free 59 percent of the time,� Montgomery said.

But that�s not all they found. The study also found that black defendants went free about 66 percent of the time in fatal Stand Your Ground cases, compared to 61 percent for white defendants.

FL: Parents of Jordan Davis bash Stand Your Ground law during Jacksonville town hall Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: http://www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
Stand Your Ground has become a ubiquitous phrase in Jacksonville since the trials of Michael Dunn and Marissa Alexander. On Thursday it was the focus during a town hall meeting at the studios of WJCT that included supporters and opponents of the controversial law.

MO: At least one American city has sensible gun laws
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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This month, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., upheld the District of Columbia�s common-sense gun-registration laws. They are laws that should be emulated in St. Louis and other Missouri cities.

Unfortunately, they can�t be. State law pre-empts local jurisdictions from gun laws that are more restrictive than the ones passed by the state � and Missouri takes perverse pride in having some of the least restrictive gun laws in the nation.

George Zimmerman's parents seek $629k from Roseanne Barr Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: http://www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
The parents of George Zimmerman are seeking nearly $630,000 in their lawsuit against comedienne Roseanne Barr. Robert Zimmerman, Sr. and his wife, Gladys, filed a lawsuit against the funnywoman in March claiming they had been forced to flee their Florida home in 2012 after she allegedly tweeted details of their address.

Why Conservatives Shouldn�t Boycott Chipotle Over �No Firearms� Request
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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For those of you who haven't heard, Chipotle Mexican Grill, which for years allowed local laws to dictate policy for the restaurant chain regarding open or concealed weapons, has decided to "ask" customers not to bring firearms into its restaurants after some zealous gun owners paraded around with "military-style assault rifles" at a Chipotle in Texas. What's more probable, though, is that well-funded anti-Second Amendment activists exploited a single unfortunate incident to badger a pliable corporation into a bad decision. This is neither new nor unexpected.

NJ: Bill limiting gun magazines sent to Christie
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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The Assembly gave final legislative approval Thursday to a proposal that would ban high-capacity ammunition magazines in New Jersey, sending a bill that is highly unpopular with some gun-rights groups to Gov. Christie.

The bill, which passed on a 44-34 vote, would reduce magazines' maximum legal capacity to 10 rounds from 15. Supporters say it could help prevent or limit the impact of mass shootings like the one at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in December 2012, when a gunman killed 26 schoolchildren and educators.

Another MAIG member in trouble with the law faces wire fraud charges
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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An arraignment for North Miami Mayor Lucie Tondreau, a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) now facing federal criminal charges, is scheduled one week from tomorrow in federal court, according to a report by WFOR, the local CBS affiliate in Miami.

Mayor Tondreau, who has been suspended from office by Gov. Rick Scott, faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to the station and the Miami Herald. She has been released on bond, news agencies report. The charges related to allegations of fraud in getting loans on 20 properties between 2005 and 2008 in South Florida, CBS4 reported.

MI: Detroit�s Police Chief Stands His Ground
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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He repeated his enthusiasm for law abiding citizens taking advantage of concealed-carry gun licenses and even open-carry licenses that let them pack a gun in plain sight.

�It�s the law,� he said. �I support the law.�

But he denied that he was urging vigilantism as an auxiliary to the city�s over-stretched police enforcement. Previously he told the Detroit News, �We�re not advocating violence; we�re advocates of not being victims. We�re advocates of self-protection.�

UK: Smart guns: How smart are they?
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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The so called "smart gun" has recently been causing tension in both the EU and US firearms industries.

Most of these technologically enhanced guns are less about creating efficient killing machines and more about improving firearms safety.

However, some gun rights activists in the US believe smart guns are a threat to their right to keep and bear arms.

A shop owner in the US has received death threats from pro-gun lobbyists for offering to sell the weapons.