A Medal -- Or A Prison Cell?

[Brian B. Riley]

---------------- Begin Forwarded Message ----------------
Date:        12/06  1:10 AM
Received:    12/06  11:39 AM
From:        James A Chappelow, chappja at mail.auburn.edu
Reply-To:    Vermont Libertarian, vtlp-list at catamount.com
To:          Multiple recipients of, vtlp-list at catamount.com

>From the Liberator Online:

A Medal -- Or A Prison Cell?

   Larry Gates, a 54-year-old ex-Marine, operates a convenience store in
   rural Iconium, Missouri. He's also a volunteer fireman. Last Christmas
   Eve he was listening to a licensed fire department radio when he heard
   a report that police were chasing two suspected murderers. Police had
   lost track of the suspects. From his knowledge of the area, Gates was
   aware that the car would pass directly in front of his store.

   Gates grabbed a shotgun and sidearm, and along with his three adult
   sons pulled two vehicles into the intersection, blocking it. Both
   vehicles had fire emergency lights flashing.

   A few seconds later the suspects' car approached the roadblock. Gates'
   son Carey motioned for the car to stop. Instead, the car suddenly
   accelerated directly at Carey. Gates fired his shotgun once at the
   car. The car swerved away from his sons, went around the roadblock,
   and continued down the road.

Two of Gates' sons followed the car at a moderate pace. The car was
   driving erratically. Soon it slowed enough for the passenger, a woman,
   to leap out. Gates' sons stopped. The woman suspect was slightly
   wounded from Gates' shotgun. One of Gates's sons, an Emergency Medical
   Technician, administered first aid. The other son resumed following
   the car. When he came across the abandoned car, he called police.
   Shortly the other suspect was arrested.

   The two suspects, who had been abusing drugs for days, confessed to
   two homicides. The woman said the driver had planned to commit suicide
   by crashing the car.

   Did the Gates family get medals? No. The St. Clair, Missouri
   prosecutor has charged Larry Gates with "unlawful use of a weapon," a
   felony offense. He was released from jail on $5,000 bond. If convicted
   he faces up to five years' imprisonment and the permanent loss of his
   Second Amendment rights.  

Gates has turned down offers to plea bargain his charges down to a
   misdemeanor. He goes to trial December 10. Gun Owners of America has
   established a legal defense fund for Larry Gates. For info call
   703-321-8585. 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The courts have found that citizens are not legally entitled to police
protection, yet citizens who defend themselves and their communities are
routinely prosecuted as if THEY are the criminals. We are forced to pay
taxes to support a police force that is not required to defend us and is
instead used to punish us for defending ourselves. I don't get it.

James A Chappelow

	"History shows that all conquerors who have allowed the
	subject races to carry arms have prepared their own
	downfall by so doing."
				Adolf Hitler


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----------------- End Forwarded Message -----------------

Brian B. Riley --> http://members.macconnect.com/~brianbr
  For PGP Keys  <mailto:brianbr at together.net?subject=Get%20PGP%20Key>

  "Never ask what sort of computer a guy drives. If he's a Mac user,
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