Tennessee’s New Gun Law
Speaking of felonies, Adam Groves says:
A new law effective Jan 1 will make criminals who use guns in the commission of a crime serve mandatory jail time without parole. According to the legislation, on Jan. 1 anyone employing a firearm during the commission of a felony will face a charge punishable by “the service of 10 years in the penitentiary at 100 percent,” meaning the defendant shall be required to serve the entire sentence and the sentence shall not be reduced for any reason.
Any felony or violent ones? You see, I’d hate to see someone get ten years for selling orchids. In celebration, I’ll make sure that the last time I go tear off mattress labels while armed will be on 12/31/2007.
As you were.
Update: AC: Are all gun owners really in favor of taking desecration (sic) away from the judges and parole boards or do they just recognize that as a PR move “getting tough” on crimes committed with guns helps insure (sic) citizens get to keep their guns.
Well, really getting tough on crime involves money, people and resources. It’s hard to do. Symbolically getting tough on crime requires but a few idiots to vote and a signature.
December 28th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
“desecration”?
December 28th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
I feel safer now.
When I was in law school, it was legal for a cop to shoot a fleeing felon (but not a fleeing misdemeanant).
But the law ostensibly applied to all felonies (e.g. armed robbery and assault, as well as securites fraud, tax evasion, etc.).
Now, all the perps need is a pair of Aisics running shoes and an out-of-shape cop (not hard to find, just go to the gun show tomorrow).
December 28th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
third, desecration may not have been what was intended but may accidentally be a more accurate description of the entire system.
December 28th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
This “extra time for using a gun” business bugs me. I think it’s just another way of further demonizing guns. Is it somehow a worse crime if the thug demands your money with a gun in is pocket than if he thumps you on the head with a pipe then takes your money?
Think of it this way, would this law make sense, be moral, or be tolerated if the criminal received extra time in jail because of the color of their skin?
This type of thing has nothing to do with justice or crime and punishment it has to do with treating gun owners differently (worse) than non-gun owners. In other words its bigotry based on whether you own a gun or not.