Heller Continues To Draw Attention: ...The case has gained national notice as more than 300 members of Congress, 46 states, two former U.S. attorneys general and two former U.S. solicitors general have filed more than 70 briefs against or in support of the ban. "Our team read and reread over 50 briefs that were filed both on behalf of the respondents and on behalf of [the District] from around the country," interim D.C. Attorney General Peter J. Nickles said. "This is a case that has drawn national - international - attention." The District yesterday filed its last brief in the case - a three-pronged argument that says the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution applies to militias and not individuals. The brief also argues that the gun ban does not infringe on the Second Amendment because states are allowed to enact firearm regulations, and that the ban is a reasonable restriction permitted under the Constitution. (The District of Columbia is not a state.) http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080306/METRO/816055572/1004/metro http://washingtontimes.com/article/20080305/METRO/214387394/1004/METRO Related Commentary: http://www.townhall.com/columnists/KenBlackwell/2008/03/06/judging_gun_rights_are_they_inalienable http://washingtontimes.com/article/20080305/COMMENTARY/901842032/1012/COMMENTARY --- Ballistic Imaging Database Questioned: A government study requested by the Justice Department recommends against the creation of a national gun database to solve crimes by collecting images of ballistic markings from all new weapons sold in the United States. The study, released yesterday by the National Research Council, cites "practical limitations of current technology for generating and comparing images" and said that database searches "would likely produce too many candidate 'matches' to be helpful." ..."There would be significant limitations in the usefulness of such a database," the study said. The assumption underlying forensic firearms identification, that every gun leaves microscopic marks on bullets and cartridge cases that are unique to each weapon, has not been scientifically demonstrated, the study said. "Most importantly, there is a huge existing supply of weapons and ammunition that would not be entered into the database," the report said. "In addition, revolvers do not eject cartridge cases at crime scenes as do other handguns." http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080306/NATION/929884653/1002 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/tna-raa030508.php --- The Canadians Are Coming!: You'll recall that, a while ago, the President of the United States of America, George W. Bush, signed an agreement with Canadian leaders to permit each country to send troops to the other's aid in an emergency. In short, the President authorized foreign soldiers to cross our border and push us around, exactly the same way various uniformed thugs did in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina provided them with an excuse. The alert JPFO issued on this subject asked a rhetorical question: how would you like those foreign troops to come around smashing down your door to relieve you of the weapons that you - along with every man, woman, and responsible child in the world - have an unalienable individual, civil, Constitutional, and human right to obtain, own, and carry, openly or concealed, any time, any place, without asking anybody's permission? Only we didn't say "foreign troops". We said, "gun-hating Canadian troops" - and we heard about that, loud and clear... http://www.jpfo.org/smith/smith-canadians.htm --- West Virginia Governor To Sign Castle-Doctrine Bill: When the National Rifle Association comes calling at the West Virginia Capitol with legislation in mind, it helps that the nation's leading hunting and Second Amendment advocate has an ally in the Governor's Mansion. Such is the case with the NRA's chief legislative goal this year - the so-called "castle doctrine" bill. Gov. Joe Manchin is a lifetime NRA member and intends to sign the measure, which garnered nearly unanimous support in the Legislature, provided there are no legal foul-ups in the bill. http://www.register-herald.com/local/local_story_065220729.html --- Virginia Senate Fails To Override Vetoes Of RKBA Bills: Senators came up short Wednesday in an attempt to override Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's vetoes of bills that could have resulted in more concealed weapons in cars and restaurants. The Senate voted 25-15 to override Kaine's veto of a bill that would have allowed people who don't have a concealed weapons permit to transport a gun in a locked glove box or other interior compartment of a vehicle. Senators voted 22-18 to override the veto of a bill to allow permit holders to carry concealed weapons into restaurants and bars as long as they didn't drink alcohol. A two-thirds vote of both chambers - 27 votes in the 40-seat Senate and 67 in the 100-member House of Delegates - is required to override a veto. http://www.wmal.com/Article.asp?id=608224&spid= Related Article: http://www.winchesterstar.com/article_details.php?ArticleID=5095 --- More Virginians Carrying: A year ago, it would have been unthinkable. A chapter of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus has taken up residence at Virginia Tech. Membership after just one month: 110. Before Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people, the idea of condoning guns on campus "never had a chance," said Ken Stanton, a doctoral student and leader of the new chapter. "Campuses are traditionally liberal environments," Stanton said, "but politics go out the window when it comes to self-protection." http://hamptonroads.com/2008/03/caught-arms-race-virginians-pack-more-guns --- Oklahoma Could Lower CCW Age: A bill that would lower the age at which people can carry concealed weapons from 21 to 18 is headed to the state House for consideration. "In my district when you turn 18, you already have 16 years of experience with a gun," said Rep. Jerry Ellis, who added that he was exaggerating to make his point. Ellis, from southeastern Oklahoma, is the author of House Bill 2232, which was approved 15-1 on Monday by the House Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. The bill was requested by the Oklahoma Rifle Association, the state affiliate of the National Rifle Association, said Ellis, D-Valliant. Charles Smith of Yukon, executive director of the state association, said the reason for passing the bill is simple. "If people can vote and serve in the military at age 18, they should be able to carry a concealed gun," he said. http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080305_1_A9_spanc82287 --- Georgia Christians Back Expanded CCW: The Georgia Christian Coalition is getting behind a state bill to expand gun-carry laws into company parking lots and churches. State Rep. Tim Bearden is sponsoring the bill with the support of the National Rifle Association. It is being opposed by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce as a violation of private property rights. The bill is currently in a House-Senate conference committee. Christians began recognizing the threat for mayhem in the pews after an armed rampage in Colorado recently. After killing two people at a Christian training center in Arvada, Colo., 24-year-old Matthew Murray went to Colorado Springs intending more murder and mayhem. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=58125 --- Indiana City Council Rejects Weapons Ban: The City Council killed an ordinance Tuesday night aimed at prohibiting citizens from carrying weapons into city buildings, despite an eloquent attempt by one councilman to persuade council members to jump to his side. "I'm not fooling myself. Opposition is strong to this," 2nd-Ward Councilman Marc Espar said. "There are arguments that it will deny the citizens their 2nd-amendment rights and would make buildings less safe. "I'm not an advocate of any of those arguments." Espar wrote the ordinance - which failed 7-2, with only him and 5th-Ward Councilman Willie Milsap voting in favor - more than a month ago with Milsap's support. http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=10623&TM=55798.73 --- Florida Official Wants Retired Officers To Carry: Before Monday's shooting rampage at a Wendy's restaurant in suburban West Palm Beach, County Commissioner Bob Kanjian began inquiring into why more retired police officers from out of state aren't carrying guns. After seeing the restaurant in shambles from gunfire, Kanjian, the son of a retired police officer, says he's convinced that county funds should be used to help ex-officers from out of state get the necessary background checks so they can pack a weapon wherever they go. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpcopguns0305pnmar05,0,4521172.story --- Federal Agent Will Not Faces Charges In Negligent Shooting: The Customs and Border Protection pilot who shot a contract worker at an office will not face criminal charges, a Tucson police report said...The criminal investigation, conducted by Tucson police, revealed that the pilot was showing a new personal gun, a Colt .45-caliber pistol, to a co-worker when it discharged Feb. 18 at the headquarters of Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine branch near East Golf Links and South Swan roads. The pilot, in his account to police, said he pulled back the slide to check the chamber but didn't see a round inside. He didn't remove the magazine before checking the chamber, the police report said. The pilot said he let the action go forward, then depressed the trigger to "decock" the pistol, according to the report. The hammer slipped and the gun discharged, sending a bullet through a map stuck to the pilot's cubicle, through the west wall of the open work area and into the building's briefing room, the report said. http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/78681.php --- Idaho Gun Shop Challenges BATFE In Court: A Twin Falls gun shop stripped of its license by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms had repeated chances to fix problems but failed to, a bureau inspector testified Tuesday in federal court. "It was just a lack of internal controls - things were just overlooked," John Hansen told U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge. But the owners of Red's Trading Post tell a different story - that any violations were inadvertent and unintentional, and that simple human imperfection virtually guarantees a minor error in paperwork now and then...Of 970 sales records reviewed, roughly 150 had errors, Hansen said. But most of those errors were where would-be gun purchasers put a "Y" or an "N" to indicate yes or no answers to a required questionnaire, Hansen acknowledged on cross-examination. Writing out the full words "yes" or "no" is required under federal rules, he said... http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/314371.html --- Pelvis Shot Failure?: A Sioux Falls man accused of trying to burglarize Larry's I-29 Truck Plaza near Tea was shot in the buttocks by the business owner early Wednesday morning. According to Lincoln County Sheriff Dennis Johnson, the plaza's owner was working in a back office at about 1:15 a.m. when he heard a noise coming from somewhere in the building. Carrying a loaded handgun, the owner went to investigate and when he opened the door to his office, another door beside it opened and "he finds himself face to face with the intruder wearing a mask and holding a prybar," Johnson said. The owner fired one round at the intruder, later identified by authorities as Austin L. Yesda, 22, of Sioux Falls. The bullet hit Yesda in his backside and he fled the building. (It's not clear the caliber of the bullet and there's room to debate whether a shot to the buttocks really qualifies as a pelvis shot. Then there's the issue of how the burglar was shot in the buttocks in a face-to-face confrontation.) http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080305/UPDATES/80305022/-1/nation --- From AzCDL: Two CCW reform bills will be heard in the Senate Committee of the Whole (COW) on Thursday, March 6, 2008. http://tinyurl.com/2r6dgn . Information on these bills and other legislation that AzCDL is tracking can be found at: http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html . SB 1070 is an AzCDL requested bill that proposes changes to ARS 13-3112 regarding the process for obtaining a concealed weapons (CCW) permit. The proposed legislation makes it easier for lawful gun owners who have satisfactorily completed training to obtain a permit, or renew an expired one. It also assists those wishing to obtain a permit by removing the statutory barrier requiring instructors to create a training organization, and expands the pool of available instructors to automatically include certain NRA certified instructors passing the required background investigation. SB 1106 is Senator Chuck Gray's bill that provides for an optional lifetime CCW permit while capping permit fees at $99. Please take the time to send a polite note to your Senator urging them to vote for the passage of SB 1070 and SB 1106. You can find your Senator here: http://www.azleg.gov/alisStaticPages/HowToContactMember.asp . Stay tuned! As relevant legislation is introduced and progresses, we will keep you up to date via these Alerts: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AZCDL_Alerts/ These alerts are a project of the Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL), an all volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots organization. Join today! AzCDL - Protecting Your Freedom http://www.azcdl.org/html/join_us_.html Copyright © 2008 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights reserved. -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .