Houston Chronicle Editorial: Tommy gun

[brooklynite]

The concealed gun law passed by the Texas Legislature in 1995 couldn't be clearer. A citizen's license to carry a handgun may be suspended if the holder is charged with a Class A or Class B misdemeanor or indicted on felony charges. The right is restored if the person is acquitted or the charges dismissed.

In the intervening 11 years, the statute has been enforced without controversy. Who would want an accused robber or murderer packing heat while awaiting trial? During that time plenty of Texas politicians were charged with felonies, but none went to court to defend his right to carry a concealed weapon while under indictment.

Now comes Sugar Land Congressman Tom DeLay, under indictment on felony money laundering charges in Travis County. He is appealing the action of a Fort Bend County justice of the peace suspending his right to carry a concealed firearm. When the ruling was made in January in response to a Department of Public Safety request, DeLay did not appear in court to contest the action.

...snip...

Like those erstwhile DeLay allies in Washington, the author of the Texas concealed weapon statute favors changing the law to accommodate DeLay's wishes. Land Commissioner and former state Sen. Jerry Patterson told the Chronicle's Eric Hanson that the requirement that persons awaiting trial lose their right to carry guns "is clearly not rational, not called for." He favors eliminating the provision, arguing that it violates the presumption of innocence defendants deserve and likened the right to carry a concealed firearm to freedom of speech.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/3760616.html

[BOSSHOG]

1. I wonder if it was "not rational" and "not called for"

before delay got indicted? And would someone please tell me why delay needs to carry a gun now. I think its fair to say the man is mentally unstable and that could easily be proven by a professional. The man needs help, there is no doubt.

[yellowcanine]

2. No doubt that provision was put in there to make it easier to pass the

right to carry law in the first place. It is amusing and dishonest for the author of the law to now suddenly discover the presumption of innocence rights of defendents. How does "presumption of innocence" work for someone that gets shot by a concealed hand gun carrier?

[brooklynite]

4. There is, of course, a simple solution...

all the Texas legislature has to do is repeal that portion of the law, and the Governor simply has to sign it. I'm sure they won't mind going on the record as being in support of suspected criminals carrying weapons.

[catnhatnh]

3. Aww,give poor Tommy his gun back.....

after all,he may need to eat it when the judge passes down a sentence....

[splat@14]

5. The only way he should get a gun is if he goes to Iraq, even then

we should hide the bullets. This dude is an idiot, a very dangerous idiot.

[megatherium]

6. And why should a man's right to self defense be taken away

from him, simply because a politically-motivated prosecutor has a vendetta against him? :sarcasm:

[yellowcanine]

7. Republicans coddle criminals....