The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State …
Police have picked up a man who critically injured another motorist in a shooting on the Schuylkill Expressway:
Squillaciotti does have a permit to carry a firearm and can legally own guns in his home, police said. Authorities are still investigating whether all the guns confiscated, including a Russian SKS rifle, are legal.
I hope they throw the book at him. This guy should not be walking the streets after what he’s done.
I would like you to explain why it took the death of four police officers before you thought it might be a good idea to review the practices of the Pennsylvania Parole Board? The other officers that were killed weren’t murdered by Boy Scouts. This has been a systemic problem, and it’s outrageous that only after Philadelphia has buried four officers you now feel the need to actually start looking at the problem.
Sincerely,
A Very Angry Sebastian
Robb beat me to another one. This one is from The Bulletin:
Here’s a quick lesson in the law. If you’re a convicted felon, as Giddings was (and a very dangerous one at that), you can never legally buy a gun again. Never. That means that the weapon he used to kill Officer McDonald was obtained illegally. So no matter how tough you make it to buy a gun in Philadelphia, hardened criminals like Giddings will still obtain them illegally.
At least the media is starting to perhaps, finally, pull back the curtain to see what’s really behind it.
The City of Philadelphia lost another gun lawsuit in Commonwealth Court yesterday. This was the lawsuit by the city against the Pennsylvania Legislature in Harrisburg for failing to pass sufficiently strict gun laws, and for disallowing the City fo pass its own gun laws:
The state Commonwealth Court struck down a lawsuit filed last year by City Council members Darrell Clarke and Donna Reed Miller against the state General Assembly for not passing enabling legislation to allow a package of gun-control laws to be enforced in the city.
The court rejected Council’s argument that the state’s Uniform Firearms Act does not preempt local control over guns.
“While we understand the terrible problems gun violence poses for the city and sympathize with its efforts to use police powers to create a safe environment for its citizens, these practical considerations do not alter the clear pre-emption imposed by the legislature, nor our Supreme Court’s validation of the legislature’s power to act,” the ruling said.
Nutter is not surrendering on this issue, however:
“People have to make a decision as to what side of this issue they’re going to be on. You’re either going to stand up for the citizens of Philadelphia or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or you’re going to stand up for criminals.”
How about standing up for the Constitution Mr. Mayor? You know, the one that you took an oath to uphold? No one is standing up for the criminals here, least of all me. But Let me tell you, Mayor Nutter has some stones here, to talk about supporting criminals when his City criminal justice system is letting people like this roam the streets. Until we can have an open honest conversation about how to deal with that problem, the City politicians are continuing to pretend to be addressing the problem.
UPDATE: Looks like Uncle beat me to it. Now he’ll start telling me I don’t read his blog again :)
In my continuing series of exposing the criminal records of infamous Philadelphia criminals, I present you with the criminal record of Philadelphia’s latest cop killer, Daniel Giddings. Daniel Giddings was responsible for the murder of Philadelphia Police Officer Patrick McDonald this past Tuesday. Giddings was killed when police returned fire.
Giddings record compared with those of other cop killers in Philadelphia is not as extensive, and only includes one arrest for aggravated assault and weapons charges that was Nolle Prossed (which means charges weren’t pursued). Six months after that, he’s picked up on similar charges. While awaiting trial, it would appear he was picked up on aggravated assault once again, and charges were withdrawn. In 2000, he’s finally confined to prison for a six to twelve year sentence. I would appear that he served eight, rather than the maximum he pretty clearly deserved.
But Daniel Giddings will be commiting no more crimes thanks to the Philadelphia Police. But it’s a tragedy we had to lose an officer in the process.
Two Philadelphia Police officers were shot today. Fortunatly, the scumbag that did it is now taking a dirt nap, and won’t be shooting anyone else. One officer is in critical condition.
UPDATE: The officer in question, Patrick McDonald, has died. More from Wyatt.
Police have arrested a man in connection with the hammer attack on the subway in Philadelphia. Thanks to Fred Fry, I have obtained a copy of Thomas Scantling’s criminal record. Much like the case of the murder of Officer Steven Liczbinski, this is another case of the City’s justice system utterly failing to protect its citizens from violent predators. Just look at what he was arrested for, and for which he was never prosecuted:
It goes on. And yet city politicians have the nerve to claim that the city has a high crime rate because of insufficient gun laws. Well, they failed to charge this guy for violation of the gun laws we already have, and he went on to beat someone nearly to death with a hammer.
And these same politicians question why I feel the need to carry a firearm for self-protection in their city? Unbelievable. This guy should never have been out on the streets.
UPDATE: Apparently Chief Ramsey is chastizing folks for standing by and doing nothing. Considering that Chief Ramsey is against ordinary folks carrying weapons for protection, especially firearms, what exactly did the Chief expect any honest citizen to use? Harsh language?
Philadelphia is 26 on a list of top 35 freest cities. Las Vegas is the freest city in the ranking. But hey, at least Philadelphia beat New York in something that doesn’t involve negative social indicators.
Hat tip to Dr. Helen
In Philadelphia, wasting valuable police resources fighting the scissor menace in our public schools.
The City of Philadelphia has begun to enforce one of the gun laws that were not thrown out. It should be noted that the laws that remain were not upheld, it was ruled that the National Rifle Association did not have standing to challenge the remaining three laws. The city will begin enforcement of the Lost & Stolen Reporting Requirement only, at this point. Anyone arrested under this ordinance will have standing to challenge the law under Pennsylvania’s preemption statute. Any police officer or prosecutor enforcing this law is opening him or herself up to the possibility of lawsuits.