hugh jarmis
Centurion
imported post
http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/45268287.html
It demonstrates how unreasonable the police reaction to the AG's memo and right of wisconsinites to open carry. Known drug dealers, they don't even think about the school zone violation. But when it comes to law-abiding open carriers, they are all armed with their school zone map with intent to snare everyone they can.
I'd be interested to see the data, perhaps we can do an open records request of all citations issued for concealled weapons in Milwaukee and see if ANY of those over the past 3 years resulted in the school zone felony charge?
http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/45268287.html
If you go look at the school zone map, 51st blvd is almost entirely within a school zone.One night in October he and his partner spotted Lock on N. 51st Blvd. and pulled him over for an unpaid citation.
Lock told Newport he was coming from church. He mentioned that his brother and cousin were Milwaukee police officers.
Newport and his partner found a loaded 10 mm Glock handgun under the front seat and arrested Lock. They took the case to John Chisholm, then an assistant district attorney and head of the gun unit.
Chisholm told them that to convict under Wisconsin law, he had to prove Lock knew the gun was there, with a glance or other gesture. Fingerprints also could prove it. The cops didn't have any of that.
They also didn't know about Lock's entire criminal résumé. By that time, other investigators had gathered evidence tying Lock to big drug deals, money laundering and prostitution.
Chisholm wasn't aware of any of that. All he saw was a guy with a mostly clean record.
The best Chisholm could have gotten was a conviction for carrying a concealed weapon, a misdemeanor. A first-time conviction typically brings probation or a short jail sentence.
Newport wasn't happy. He argued that all indications were that Lock was a major criminal. This would be a way to gain leverage.
Chisholm said if that were true, Newport needed to bring him a better case.
Today, the veteran prosecutor stands by his decision not to charge Lock.
It demonstrates how unreasonable the police reaction to the AG's memo and right of wisconsinites to open carry. Known drug dealers, they don't even think about the school zone violation. But when it comes to law-abiding open carriers, they are all armed with their school zone map with intent to snare everyone they can.
I'd be interested to see the data, perhaps we can do an open records request of all citations issued for concealled weapons in Milwaukee and see if ANY of those over the past 3 years resulted in the school zone felony charge?