Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL)

Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc.
PO. Box 513, Newington, VA 22122 • 804-639-0600 • 703-372-3285 • 757-271-3705 • 540-446-5783

11/06/09 - VCDL Update 11/6/09 - Part 2

by many to be a crucial factor in their association with catastrophic case failures (kB!'s) in such pressure-disparate calibers as .45 ACP and .40 S&W. Note that the .40 S&W and .357 SIG left the starting gate pretty much loaded balls to the wall, hence no SAAMI +P standards in these newer calibers. Thus, while a standard-pressure 9x19mm may only get up into the +P or +P+ range, which may be okay for some modern pistols in good condition, I will stand by my advice to exercise caution about rounds making repeated trips up the feed ramp. Look, for example, at the low-pressure 9x17mm (.380 ACP round). It is generally fired in direct-blowback pistols where a pressure increase could easily result in a catastrophic case failure. On the other hand, there are a minority of models in this chambering that use a locking system that would make them much more tolerant of an increase in chamber pressure. I hope this answers your question which, admittedly, requires a certain amount of speculation. I don't know if you followed the link to my own web page, where I also bring up the possibility that loosening the neck tension could result in decreased pressure and performance. I think that those who must routinely load and unload their handguns are better served with revolvers unless they can afford to shoot off their carry ammo after a few cycles of doing so. Stay free and stay in touch! -- Stephen P. Wenger ************************************************** 15. U.K.: Gun crime goes up by 89 percent in a decade (despite gun ban) ************************************************** http://tinyurl.com/yk6joka http://www.dailymail.co.uk Culture of violence: Gun crime goes up by 89% in a decade By JAMES SLACK Last updated on 27th October 2009 Gun crime has almost doubled since Labour came to power as a culture of extreme gang violence has taken hold. The latest Government figures show that the total number of firearm offences in England and Wales has increased from 5,209 in 1998/99 to 9,865 last year - a rise of 89 per cent. In some parts of the country, the number of offences has increased more than five-fold. In eighteen police areas, gun crime at least doubled. The statistic will fuel fears that the police are struggling to contain gang-related violence, in which the carrying of a firearm has become increasingly common place. Last week, police in London revealed they had begun carrying out armed patrols on some streets. The move means officers armed with sub-machine guns are engaged in routine policing for the first time. Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Grayling, said last night: 'In areas dominated by gang culture, we're now seeing guns used to settle scores between rivals as well as turf wars between rival drug dealers. 'We need to redouble our efforts to deal with the challenge.' He added: 'These figures are all the more alarming given that it is only a week since the Metropolitan Police said it was increasing regular armed patrols in some areas of the capital'. More... a.. The raid that rocked the Met: Why gun and drugs op on 6,717 safety deposit boxes could cost taxpayer a fortune b.. Motorcycle police with machine guns to patrol violent gang hot spots The gun crime figures, which were obtained by the Tories from official Parliamentary answers, do not include air weapons. But they provide the first regional breakdown of the increasing use of firearms. Lancashire suffered the single largest rise in gun crime, with recorded offences increasing from 50 in 1998/99 to 349 in 2007/08, an increase of 598 per cent. Only four police forces - Cleveland-Humberside, Cambridgeshire and Sussex - recorded falls in gun crime. The number of people injured or killed by guns, excluding air weapons, has increased from 864 in 1998/99 to a provisional figure of 1,760 in 2008/09, an increase of 104 per cent . The figures follow a warning by Mr Grayling that U.S.-style gang culture has reached some parts of the UK. In August, he made a controversial speech warning that a collapse of 'civilised life' had allowed a brutal drug and gun crime culture - like that of the U.S. TV show The Wire - to flourish in Britain. The hit TV series tracks the nightmare of gangs and organised crime in inner city West Baltimore and the futile efforts of police to deal with them. The Met's decision to employ armed officers on the streets has attracted criticism. But the force, which has already begun the scheme, insists that the unprecedented tactic is a proportionate and temporary response to prevent armed gangs from controlling estates. Last month, police warned that teenage girls were now being dragged into the gun culture by hiding weapons for their boyfriends. Police are targeting girls between 15 and 19 with an advertising blitz warning them that they can expect a five-year prison sentence if they are caught. The number of women charged with firearms offences in London has increased six-fold in the past year - 12 have been charged since January. Seven of them were teenagers, including a 16-year-old arrested after a 9mm Browning self-loading pistol was found in her bedroom. ************************************************** 16. N.J. Court Says Americans Have No Right To Buy Handguns ************************************************** http://tinyurl.com/ygcfkjh www.cbsnews.com October 28, 2009 N.J. Court Says Americans Have No Right To Buy Handguns Posted by Declan McCullagh A New Jersey appeals court has concluded that Americans have no Second Amendment right to buy a handgun. In a case decided last week, the superior court upheld a state law saying that nobody may possess "any handgun" without obtaining law enforcement approval and permission in advance. That outcome might seem like something of a surprise, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year in the D.C. v. Heller case that the Second Amendment guarantees "the individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation." But New Jersey Appellate Division Judge Stephen Skillman wrote on behalf of a unanimous three-judge panel that Heller "has no impact upon the constitutionality of" the state law. That's because, Skillman said, the Supreme Court did not strike down the District of Columbia's de facto handgun ban but instead simply ordered the city to issue a permit. In other words, while Americans may have the right in general to possess arms, the exact contours of that right have not been mapped, especially as the Second Amendment applies to state laws. (The court's majority opinion last year said: "We therefore assume that petitioners' issuance of a license will satisfy respondent's prayer for relief and do not address the licensing requirement.") Look for the Supreme Court to revisit this question in a few months when it hears a case called McDonald v. Chicago. It's a constitutional challenge to Chicago's restrictive gun laws, which prohibit anyone from possessing firearms -- even in their homes -- "unless such person is the holder of a valid registration certificate for such firearm." New Jersey's laws are similar. They say: "No person shall sell, give, transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of, nor receive, purchase, or otherwise acquire a handgun unless the purchaser, assignee, donee, receiver or holder... has first secured a permit to purchase a handgun as provided by this section." Another section dealing with licensing says: "No person of good character and good repute in the community in which he lives, and who is not subject to any of the disabilities set forth in this section or other sections of this chapter, shall be denied a permit to purchase a handgun or a firearms purchaser identification card, except as hereinafter set forth." Some of the exceptions involve criminal records, for instance. What prompted the current lawsuit was a request for a handgun purchase permit that Anthony Dubov submitted to the East Windsor Chief of Police. The police chief denied Dubov's request without giving any reason, in what the appeals court later ruled was a violation of state law. The current East Windsor police chief is William Spain. Oddly, the trial judge upheld that denial, without asking the police chief to testify to explain himself (another violation of state law) and after taking the unusual step of contacting Dubov's previous employers to ask about his background. Dubov's attorney, Michael Nieschmidt, argued that the state licensing scheme was unconstitutionally vague and therefore violated the Second Amendment. Skillman concluded that while the Second Amendment doesn't apply, state law and precedent nevertheless required that Dubov receive more due process than he did. The appeals court wrote: "Accordingly, the trial court's affirmance of the police chief's denial of appellant's application for a firearms purchase permit is reversed, and the case is remanded for an evidentiary hearing in conformity with this opinion." ************************************************** 17. Armed off-duty security officer saves doctor ************************************************** Off-duty guard shoots patient who stabbed therapist http://tinyurl.com/ybnleo6 http://policelink.monster.com Special Officer Hailed as Hero After Saving Psychiatrist Boston Herald via YellowBrix October 29, 2009 PROVINCETOWN, MA -- The hero special officer who came to the rescue of a psychiatrist under attack by a rampaging madman is a former seasonal Provincetown cop and champion boxer who is on the list to be considered as a Boston cop. Paul M. Langone, 33, of Reading was described as an academy-trained, licensed special officer who was armed while off duty when he encountered a horrific scene: a patient brutally stabbing Dr. Astrid Desrosiers at the Massachusetts General Hospital Bipolar Clinical and Research Program on Tuesday afternoon. Officer InvolvedRecords indicate Langone was on a list of eligible Boston police candidates as of January. The doctor's son had a heartfelt message for Langone yesterday: "I would just like to thank you - you saved my mother's life." The college-aged son indicated Desrosiers - a celebrated Haitian community leader - has a long rehab ahead. "We all have prayers for her and hope she fully recovers," he said. Jay Carciero, 37, also of Reading, was identified by Boston police as the attacker. He died after being shot once in the head and twice in the torso, authorities said. Langone and Carciero did not know each other, officials said. "I know he feels bad about doing it deep down, but he had to do it. I'm sure it bothers him," said Denis Murphy, of Woburn, who coached Langone to a 1998 Lowell Golden Gloves title in the 156-pound novice division. Murphy described the former pugilist as shy, tremendously athletic - and one of the nicest kids he'd ever met. ************************************************** 18. Who needs a gun in a national park? ************************************************** Coyotes kills woman on hike in Canadian park http://tinyurl.com/yz4jpgh http://news.yahoo.com Coyotes kill woman on hike in Canadian park By ROB GILLIES, Associated Press Writer - Thu Oct 29, 1:01 am ET TORONTO - Two coyotes attacked a promising young musician as she was hiking alone in a national park in eastern Canada, and authorities said she died Wednesday of her injuries. The victim was identified as Taylor Mitchell, 19, a singer-songwriter from Toronto who was touring to promote her new album on the East Coast. She was hiking solo on a trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia on Tuesday when the attack occurred. She was airlifted to a Halifax hospital in critical condition and died Wednesday morning, authorities said. Coyotes, which also are known as prairie wolves, are found from Central America to the United States and Canada. Wildlife biologist Bob Bancroft said coyote attacks are extremely rare because the animals are usually shy. Bancroft, a retired biologist with Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources, said it's possible the coyotes thought Mitchell was a deer or other prey. "It's very unusual and is not likely to be repeated," Bancroft said. "We shouldn't assume that coyotes are suddenly going to become the big bad wolf." Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokeswoman Brigdit Leger said other hikers heard Mitchell's screams for help on Tuesday and called emergency police dispatchers. Police who were in the area reached the scene quickly and shot one of the animals, apparently wounding it. But the wounded animal and a companion coyote managed to get away. Paul Maynard of Emergency Health Services said Mitchell already was in critical condition when paramedics arrived on the scene and had multiple bite wounds over her entire body. "She was losing a considerable amount of blood from the wounds," he said. An official with Parks Canada said they blocked the entrance to the trail where Mitchell was attacked and were trying to find the animals to determine what prompted such an unusual attack. "There's been some reports of aggressive animals, so it's not unknown," said Helene Robichaud, the park's superintendent. "But we certainly never have had anything so dramatic and tragic." Mitchell was an up-and-coming folk and country musician who was nominated for a 2009 Canadian Folk Music Award in the Young Performer of the Year category. "Words can't begin to express the sadness and tragedy of losing such a sweet, compassionate, vibrant, and phenomenally talented young woman," Lisa Weitz, Mitchell's manager, said in an e-mail. "She just turned 19 two months ago, and was so excited about the future." ************************************************** 19. Who needs a gun in a restaurant? ************************************************** Hooters shootout leaves one wounded http://tinyurl.com/ylqlctm www.dailypress.com UPDATE: Police arrest suspect in Hooters shooting BY MIKE HOLTZCLAW October 26, 2009 HAMPTON - An employee of a Hooters restaurant in Hampton is recovering after being shot during an altercation in the parking lot involving a group of customers who had been asked to leave. Police this morning arrested Shawn Ohiraki Lucas, a 23-year-old Hampton resident, and charged him with maiming, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, carrying a concealed weapon and the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The 29-year-old shooting victim, who has not been identified to the media, was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening. Police spokeswoman Paula Ensley said that just before 11 p.m. on Sunday, an altercation began inside the Hooters restaurant on West Mercury Boulevard, and several people were asked to leave. The employee was moving the customers outside when he was shot in the parking lot. ------------------------------------------- ***************************************************************************