General Laney is a GOA member from Detroit. As a firearms dealer and shooting range owner, he had been facing criminal charges for months for supposedly selling a gun illegally.
It is great to report that the Wayne County, Michigan Court has thrown out the case.
Laney, according to the recordings made by the police themselves, had scrupulously complied with the law. Appropriately, the county's case against Laney was dismissed.
The county was hoping to use findings from this case for their malicious prosecution in civil court alleging that Laney's sales are a public nuisance. This lawsuit is part of the national plague of actions that local governments are bringing against firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Of course, Wayne County had no case against Laney, but officials were hoping to drain Laney and drive him out of business by bankrupting him.
Gun Owners Foundation has contributed to defray Laney's legal expenses.
Meanwhile, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts continues its jihad against peaceful gun owners.
Doug Burns, a professional calligrapher, has had his life turned upside down after using his handgun to save himself from an assault by a man literally twice his size. Burns was licensed to carry a concealed handgun in Massachusetts.
The assailant has led a charmed life with no convictions following a long list of earlier arrests for violent crimes. It turns out that the assailant is well connected in local and state police circles.
The 911 tapes that at one point existed have disappeared. They contained the record of the half-dozen calls made by eyewitnesses reporting that Burns was holding off an assailant on the streets of Boston. Witnesses that came up to the cops just after the incident were told to go away, and their information was not put in the situation report.
A series of incompetent attorneys could not prevent Burns from being acquitted of assault and battery, but there was a mistrial on the charge of assault with a deadly weapon.
A subsequent trial was conducted before a judge who said, "No one should have a gun. I think they should all be melted down." Not surprisingly, Burns was convicted.
The result of all this: Burns is now a convicted felon and has lost many business opportunities as a result. He is working with a private investigator to dig up the information covered up by the police before his trial.
Growing up in Massachusetts, Alec Costerus became a licensed firearm owner with a permit to carry a concealed handgun. His career led him out of state for a time, but he later returned.
All the while, his Firearms Identification (FID) card was valid. But before his return, the legislature changed the law, requiring a licensee to renew on one's birth date. However, the law had still not gone into effect when Costerus returned.
Costerus went to the police station to find out what, if anything, he had to do since he had moved back to the state. He was arrested, booked, and kept overnight. During that time his home was invaded by the police without a warrant and his firearms were illegally removed.
The police also stole Costerus' still valid FID card, but he was able later to subpoena a copy of the permit from the state firearms certification bureau. When he was finally able to produce the permit, the Commonwealth dropped the charges which would have put him in jail for a minimum of one year.
So, Costerus got his guns back, right? No, not in Massacusetts. Handgun permits are discretionary in Massachusetts. So once the new law went into effect, state officials decided not to renew his permit, and therefore, not to return his guns.
The only silver lining in this whole ordeal is the fact that long gun licenses are not discretionary. Because of that, Costerus has been able to get a long gun permit.
Costerus is in court suing the police and the prosecutor for their outrageously illegal conduct.
If you would like to help fight this kind of injustice, please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Or, write a check to Gun Owners Foundation and write in the memo line: Malicious Prosecution Fund. The address is 8001 Forbes Place, Springfield, VA 22151.
We want to help these courageous gun owners who are fighting back. Please let them now they are not alone -- be as generous as you can.
Note as to use of contributions requested to be given to separate legal defense fund. GOF is an IRC section 501(c)(3) public charity. Contributions to GOF are tax-deductible. Contributions may be made by individuals, corporations or nonprofit organizations. In order to ensure that moneys are used consistent with GOF purposes, and to ensure contributions are tax-deductible, GOF must retain discretion as to how to use the funds and donors may not direct GOF as to how to use the funds. Lastly, if all funds given to this defense fund are not needed for this case, donors understand that funds may be used to assist in other cases or matters consistent with GOF’s purposes.