California Gun Owner Fed up With System Kills Himself

[Ter]

Here is his suicide letter:

http://www.mountain-news.com/news/article_a5e490da-eaab-11e0-bedb-001cc4c002e0.html

Randy Rusciolelli
Journey Man Plumbing

An open letter to the Mountain Communities

I was a collector of fine firearms both military and commercial. The actual value of the firearms and ammo taken from me was $283,000.00. The terrorist threat charge was made against me by a girl I broke up with over 4 months ago. She had called at all hours of the day and night and the Sheriff’s have the evidence in both our phone records. I called for help over 3 different months to no avail. Recently she broke into my house through a dog door and changed my email password and stole several items of mine. I never threatened her life and had only called her 2 times in the last 3-4 months. To her ever increasing attacks on me, all I can say to the Sheriff’s is “Total shame on you”.

When I was arrested, they had already possessed both our phone records and recordings of my alleged threats and no corroborating witnesses. The explosive charges against me are for possessing more than 1 pound of sporting (Goex) black powder, possessing military tracer rounds illegal in California, but legal in Arizona, Nevada and other states, and for a destructive device that is a $250.00 black powder golf ball commercially manufactured and clearly stamped for “Black Powder Only” with a fuse hole in the base.

I possess only 1 California Assault weapons license that was issued to me in 1990. Notice that the enclosed license is marked temporary as no permanent one was ever issued. I can only fire one rifle at a time but regardless, they discovered an additional 5 banned rifles without permits.

In 47 years, I have absolutely no criminal or civil record. My bail was set at half a million dollars and most likely will be raised to 1.5 million in my next court appearance. I am not a survivalist, paramilitarist, nor a right or left-winger. I am an American citizen who loves to go into the desert to shoot rifles, pistols and shot guns. I wished I could have had a 155mm Howister canon too, but I did not. My guns have never killed any living thing, and in my 31 years of target shooting, no harm has ever been inflicted upon any beings.

I read the articles about my arrest, and I am astounded by the fact that these officers lied about how they even came to arrest me. Please re-read the articles again.

I found out this 47 year old girlfriend has a history of attacking and suing her last 3 boyfriends. This is a fact that I have found out too late. The police have recording of her on tape admitting to have broken into my house. During the breach, she managed to open my computer and proceeded to change my email, passwords and other devious things.


I have owned my house on Firwood drive in Running Springs for 20 years, and in one day I lost my house, closed my business and had every item taken from me of significant value that I had collected over the span of my lifetime. I spent 6 days in jail and after posting bail of $500,000.00, I got out and spent time with my parents, family, and my dog. Within days of this, I had to go back to court and the judge immediately issued a criminal restraining order against me. “Amazing”!

I cannot let my freedom be placed in control by our present justice system. I have consulted with many top lawyers, and all advised me that 10 years ago, this search warrant would have been illegal; not anymore.

We Americans are losing too many of our rights under the guides of terrorism laws. The bottom line is that the above stated violations will result in a 6 year stay in state prison with the lowest end being a 1 year term with felony conviction. I apologize to all that know me, but I cannot handle that I am now penniless, homeless and about to lose my freedom over my zealous collecting. Thank you for all the times we had. It is better to die a free and armed man than a broke, imprisoned and un-armed one.

[SteveM]

1. $500,000 bail? Nice. Proportional. In line with murders. nt

[pipoman]

17. Bail is determined by means and flight risk,

If one is worth $10 million and have a vacation home in Guatemala, expect a higher bail than a homeless person.

[DissedByBush]

29. Or determined by whatever BS they can get the judge to swallow

Remember, they kept Kevin Mitnick, computer hacker, without bail in solitary confinement by getting the judge to believe he could launch nuclear missiles by whistling into a pay phone.

For those who don't know computers, that's absolutely impossible.

They probably got the judge to believe this guy was the second incarnation of Timothy McVeigh, hiding the fact their case was based on the word of a psycho ex girlfriend.

[SteveM]

52. I don't think this guy had a vacation home in Guatemala. nt

[Owlet]

2. A Uniquely American Tragedy (n/t)

[baldguy]

3. A nutty Teabagger threatens his ex then kills himself, and I'm supposed to fell sorry for him?

Sounds like he was a danger to both himself & those around him. Posterboy for EXACTLY the type of person who SHOULD NEVER have a firearm.

[TheWraith]

5. Your reaction is horribly inhuman.

I am, frankly, appalled that you decide to take the side of the stalker ex-girlfriend.

[baldguy]

8. The idea that suicide is a valid alternative when your guns are lawfully taken away is inhuman.

This is a little extreme, even for the gungeon.

[TheWraith]

16. If you had bothered to read the letter, you would recognize that it was because his life was ruined.

Because of his one crazy stalker ex who claimed he threatened her, despite providing evidence, his business was shut down, he lost his home, and the collection that was the bulk of his net worth was confiscated, likely never to be returned. He was middle aged, unemployed, homeless, penniless, and looking at jail time because his ex decided to ruin him.

So the fact that you're obsessed with his guns, and have divined magically that since he collected guns he clearly was an evil teabagger who deserved to die homeless, is rather over the top.

[baldguy]

21. The idea that he had a "crazy stalker ex" comes from one source - him.

Not the most objective of sources, wouldn't you say?

His life was certainly ruined - but it was by his own actions, not anyone else's. And though he tried to spread the blame around to just about everyone but himself - in a typical, pathetic RW-loser fashion - the police, the prosecutors and the judge disagreed. The fact that he killed himself really confirms that their reaction was correct.

[PavePusher]

23. Right..... 'cause government persecution never caused anyone to commit suicide before,,,,

Note that I'm not defending this guy, because I don't have enough facts one way or the other. But your assertion is pretty stupid and your evidence scanty.

[krispos42]

30. A very Republican reaction

"We made the law. If you break it, we will crush you. You are not allowed to question the rationality of the laws. You are not allowed to question the enforcement of the laws. You are not allowed to question the goal of the laws. Simply obey the laws."


I take it you're on the side of the NYPD?

[baldguy]

36. And yet all the teabaggers, anti-govt types, and RWers on the net are painting this guy as a hero.

Google is your friend, failboy.

[krispos42]

57. And why aren't you?

If he was the subject of a malicious prosecution, or the subject of a prosecution from a malicious and conniving "victim", you should be just a wee bit cranky.


Instead, you're no better than the "teabaggers, anti-govt types, and RWers on the net" because you don't give a shit about the judicial abuse because it results in an outcome that you, personally, get pleasure and/or satisfaction from.


"Another gun-nut stripped of his guns by the government. A societal good, ergo process doesn't matter. Let's move on."

"Another gun-nut dead without taking anybody else with him. A societal good, ergo process doesn't matter. Let's move on."


That's what's going through your mind, right?


And you still haven't addressed the question of the legitimacy and rationality of the laws the man broke.

[SteveM]

53. You are such a humanitarian. Peace, luv and all that. nt

[Hoopla Phil]

10. Such is the face of those supporting draconian gun control.

How about this quote from another thread?


"There is simply no common ground on this.

You and I are simply enemies. That is all there is to it.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=118&topic_id=466057&mesg_id=466133

[crim son]

6. Apparently he did have firearms for decades with no problems.

I despise guns (sorry!) and would never own one. It also seems that he may not have had the proper documentation for the weapon(s) he did have. However he was badly treated and he saw no way out. Is it so hard to feel sorry for another man's despair, teabagger or not?

[iverglas]

12. "he may not have had the proper documentation"

I think if you said that about people present in the US without status, it would be quite rightly pointed out to you that it isn't a matter of "documentation", it's a matter of obeying the law. The "documentation" is proof of compliance with the law; the absence of it is proof of law-breaking.

Is it so hard to feel sorry for another man's despair, teabagger or not?

Actually, yes. Despair over the consequences of his own actions here, that's his problem.

The fortunate thing is that he didn't decide to take someone with him. Not a few with similar grievances do just that.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[PavePusher]

15. "despair over guns"?

Wow, reading mis-comprehension, much?

Vile, putrid mouth-defecation from you.

[AtheistCrusader]

33. Given another ten years of bashing at this issue at the supreme court level

We'll likely see stupid shit like the 'law' he was afoul of in the state of California, overturned. What he had was totally legal in every other state on the West Coast, and every state that borders California.

[iverglas]

39. and it's legal for a person authorized to solemnize marriages in Canada

to marry same-sex couples. Does this mean that such persons in border states may do the same?

If these laws are within the authority of states in the US, then state laws apply, and people within the state must comply with the state laws. Simple.

[AtheistCrusader]

54. The Second is incorporated against the states.

Though, to be honest, I'd rather spend my effort legalizing gay marriage, or Marriage, as I like to call it, than overturning California's stupid laws. (this is the same state that tried to pass a constitutional amendment banning Same Sex Marriage)

Overturning their AWB is a job for the residents of that state.

I would have to destroy or sell (or store out-of-state) about 85% of my rifles, if I wanted to move to Cali.

[Remmah2]

46. "documentation"?

I think you mean gun registration. Many of his firearms can be freely owned in many other free states. Clearly his girlfriend is as crazy as the legislators in California.

[iverglas]

49. I didn't mean a damned thing

See the quotation marks in the header of the post you replied to?

I wasn't the one who said "documentation".

The poster who said it may well have meant what you suggest. Which would demonstrate my point: that the individual in question wasn't missing some documentation, he was breaking the law.

Too many people saw Fatal Attraction, I fear. This notion that there are crazed women stalking men around the countryside ... just not encountered much in real life, sorry to say.

[GreenStormCloud]

19. His letter says that he was neither RW or LW. How did you decide he was a teabagger? N/T

[ileus]

44. because he owned guns.....everyone knows this. Guns = Rude totebagger

It's a rule in the "How to be the one true progressive." handbook. Turns out you can't be a democrat or progressive without hating firearm freedoms.

[Euromutt]

18. Where do you get all of that background information?

Did you pull it out of the place where your head appears to be firmly lodged? Yeah, the guy owned guns so the worst you could possibly think of him must ipso facto be true, even though there's no immediately discernible reason why it should be. Bravo.

[GreenStormCloud]

20. What makes you think that he was a Teabagger?

Or do you consider anybody who owns guns to be one?

[oneshooter]

26. I see that your politics has overridden your humanity. n/t

[friendly_iconoclast]

60. Funny you should mention that:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3031131#3032492

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=118&topic_id=431371#431380

I await the explanation of why it's different when "our guys" do it...

[crim son]

4. The poor man.

Why some people faced with gross injustice stick around and fight while others despair is a mystery. I can't help but believe he was probably grappling with other issues and this terrible series of events put him over the edge.

Our system is broken. I hope the man's family has some recourse to clear the man's name and punish those who were complicit in his arrest and charging. It won't bring him back, though.

[nichomachus]

7. I'd like to hear the other side of the story n/t

[Abq_Sarah]

9. We don't have all sides of the story

But I find it odd that he killed himself instead of going after the Ex girlfriend if he'd been threatening to kill her.

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Let's hope more comes out soon.

[AtheistCrusader]

34. I'm glad he didn't, even if everything he said was true.

He's opted out of the legal process. I won't begrudge him that, but if the allegations were true, I want to see the justice system handle it.

[iverglas]

13. hm

From the article:

Authorities obtained a search warrant and arrested Rusciolelli after he reportedly tried to flee on foot, reportedly armed with a loaded pistol. Rusciolelli's letter did not comment on why he attempted to flee.

Approximately 50 weapons were found in his home, along with thousands of rounds of ammunition, including tracer rounds, whose possession is illegal in California, deputies said.

Rusciolelli, who court records say had no prior criminal charges, was free on $500,000 bail at the time of his death. He faced seven felonies, including threatening a crime, three counts of possessing an explosive device in a public place and three of possessing an assault weapon.

I suppose the facts will never be clarified now.

[ileus]

22. That's what you get for living in Ca....oh and women are the devil.

[Glassunion]

50. I thought fools ball was the devil?

[jmg257]

51. I thought it was Ben Franklyn & Dick Clark. nt

[billh58]

24. The solution...?

Ban women!

[petronius]

25. Suicide is a tragic choice, filled with pain before, during, and after the fact for the

victim and everyone around him. We'll probably never know the full story here - despite all the 'certainties' displayed above - but it really doesn't matter: I see no reason here not to empathize and grieve for a man who saw no other way out, and for those around him, even if he was less than perfect in some ways.

Honestly, I've seen some pretty shitty behavior at DU over the years, but this thread makes me sadder than any I can remember...

[iverglas]

27. did Hitler not commit suicide?

If one's heart would not ache for a person during their life, why would it if they decide to kill themself? What do I know about this man that would have made him deserve my sympathy when he was alive? Nothing that I can see. That doesn't mean there wasn't something. I just don't see it now. Maybe somebody will come up with some reliable account of the facts that preceded his death that would prompt sympathy; it's possible.

Sure enough -- I'd surmise that this one was a little unbalanced and could have done with some psychotherapy/medication, probably. He doesn't seem to have been delusional or to have suffered from an affective disorder other than his emotional response to his problems, though, so who knows what anyone could have done to help him avoid that decision/act.

If this thread makes you sadder than any you can remember ... I'm really at a loss for words. This individual made choices throughout his life, including the choice to break the law and the choice to kill himself. And I just am not seeing what is causing you such distress.

Absent any information that would make me sympathise with him as a victim of something real, I'll probably direct my grief somewhere a little more deserving. Like toward the women killed by abusive men, the children killed by stray bullets, the ordinary people killed by violent criminals with guns they should not have had ...

[petronius]

28. You're never at a loss for words; sometimes, you'd come off as a

better person if you actually were... :eyes:

[krispos42]

31. Godwinned out by Post #23.

Nice.

[iverglas]

38. it worked

I knew somebody would do it.

Now go talk to the person who said I was the same as the pre-war Nazi sympathizers in England.


ps -- I assume you meant "28" ... post 23 is just plain weird.

I think you know you failed, but it should probably be pointed out.

You know perfectly well that I didn't compare anyone to Hitler.

[krispos42]

56. Looks like I meant Post #27.

:shrug:

You state that you don't see a reason for the article's subject to commit suicide immediately after saying "Hey, Hitler offed himself too" (paraphrase). So...



Doubtless your defense will be something along the lines of "how silly can you be to let the fact that I mentioned Hitler in the subject line have any bearing at all on your interpretation of the content of the message. You should totally ignore the Hitler reference because it has absolutely no bearing on my message. If you don't, you're not arguing the facts."


Whatever.

[Union Scribe]

32. Maybe if he'd died in the process of committing home invasion

you'd have a little more sympathy. Hitler, indeed.

[ileus]

45. he'd be forgiven the one minor fault, this guy owned guns don't you know.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hoyt]

35. I'm sorry he died like that. But, he clearly should no have been allowed to buy guns.

And people with similar mental issues buy guns every day, maybe even two guns, then walk into public areas.

[oneshooter]

40. No I don't believe that you are. You are really happy that another"gunny toter" is gone.

This shows your real feelings "And people with similar mental issues buy guns every day, maybe even two guns, then walk into public areas."

Once again, you allowed your politics to override your humanity.

Oneshooter
Armed and Livin in Texas

[iverglas]

41. what IS wrong with you?

This shows your real feelings "And people with similar mental issues buy guns every day, maybe even two guns, then walk into public areas."

Yeah. It shows the feelings of many that people with the problems this individual appears to have had should not be in possession of firearms in public. (Or at all, obviously.)

Now you tell us how this shows that anyone is really happy that another"gunny toter" is gone.

Put your money where your grubby mouth is.


typos, typos, typos ...

[ileus]

42. look on the bright side, not only another toter gone, but one less carbon footprint.

see I worked in the green angle along with the gun toter hate.

[Hoyt]

48. I'll tell you what is sad -- some here would slip into a similar depression if they lost their guns.

Besides this is some old, BS story.

[Atypical Liberal]

43. Why not?

What mental issues did this guy have?

[PavePusher]

47. Your second sentence is useless....

without the pictures you continue to fail to provide.

[Glassunion]

55. In the words of the great General John Stark

Live Free Or Die; Death Is Not The Worst Of Evils.

[Catracks]

58. From a friend of Randy's:

I would like to thank all those who had the compassion to understand or at least grieve for a life lost so tragically. It was true that he never hurt anyone with his collecting and target shooting. He was also pretty much non-political except for having a libertarian bent.

Randy was a son, a brother and a friend. We loved him and we miss him terribly.

It is true what he says of his ex-GF. She had ruined the lives or at least two previous ex-boyfriends. Basically the search warrant was based on the ravings of a stalker and a personal hatred of Randy by the investigating detective. I saw videotape of her breaking in to his house and heard some of the endless phone messages she left each day.

It is also true that he loved guns. It was a passion. He loved to collect and target shoot. He didn't even hunt.

It wasn't all about the guns. Over this he lost his home, his business and his very freedom. When the judge upped his bail to 1 million he knew that thing were about to be blown out of proportion. He was no flight risk. He spent his last days around family and friends.

Thank you again for those with compassion regardless of the fact of whether you you do or do not approve of firearms in the home. Just remember when you post that these are real and sometimes decent people you are discussing.

[X_Digger]

59. Sorry to hear about your friend. n/t