Fun With Guns: Merry Christmas, Neighbor Edition
In Pennsylvania, Richard Carter didn’t get along with his neighbor very well. So, when the neighbor was putting up Christmas lights last weekend, Carter thought it would be a good time to shoot him.
Carter took a couple of shots but thank goodness he’s not wasting his ammo on target practice because he missed both times. The neighbor got a cut lip from a ricocheting bullet. Other neighbors called the police.
It turns out that Carter is very anti-government and often posts signs in his yard stating so. That makes it understandable that he doesn’t want Christmas lights competing with his political thoughts.
Carter hats the government so much that he held the SWAT police in a stand-off for three hours. He finally gave himself up.
Munhall Police, the SWAT team and negotiators were brought in to get Carter to surrender. Police say Carter had more than two dozen firearms and thousands of rounds of ammo inside of his house.
Police also say they had been called to his home several times and were aware that he had “mental health issues.”
That’s good to know.
A black guy is selling individual cigarettes and is choked to death by a police officer. A white guy holds off an entire SWAT team for 3 hours … and comes out without so much as a scratch. Is there a pattern here?
1I can only imagine the entire neighborhood going up in one huge bang if there were ever a fire in this guy’s house with all the ammo lying around! Just hope the judge sees fit to stash him in a rubber room where he can’t hurt himself or anyone else! But, judicially speaking, is that asking too much?
2An angry, armed, conservative with mental issues?
Aren’t they all?
3Brian, you took the words right out of my mouth. The nuttiest white guy gets arrested. And black guys aren’t safe leaving their houses. I’m really sick of this.
4@ Brian … Yes, a definite pattern is emerging … has emerged for anyone paying attention.
Totally disgusting!
5Police also say they had been called to his home several times and were aware that he had “mental health issues.”
But there was no problem with his having two dozen guns and thousands of rounds of ammo.
Thank you, NRA and their fully-purchased politicians, for putting the rest of us in fear of our lives at any time.
6Leave him alone, he’s a loyal Tea Partier.
7One could conclude it isn’t the content of the character’s gun locker,it has more to do with the color of their skin. Whitey wingnut is afforded a judge and a jury. The gentleman from New York got an executioner before due process.
But,then, they do say cigarettes are bad for your health. Back in the 60s they claimed smoking dope led to violence and to fulfill that prophecy,they showed the cops assaulting hippies.
8I know that there’s a good reason to label most Tea Partiers as paranoids, but not all paranoids are Tea Party members or even conservatives. This dude sounds like his brains are too scrambled to have much of a political agenda.
9@Maggie
10Maggie has a valid point. While we were in college, a friend’s mobile home burned up. He had a few hundred reloads and a small amount of powder that went up during the fire. Rather like July 4th except for the little lead missiles.
I’m with you, Rhea. That armory should have been emptied as soon as the police became aware of the “mental health issues”.
11This what the tea party has encouraged and law enforcement has turned a blind eye to. This isn’t politics, it’s INSANITY!
I know that there’s enough evidence to label most Tea Partiers as paranoids, but not all paranoids are Tea Party members or even conservatives. This dude sounds like his brains are too scrambled to have much of a political agenda.
12Sorry for the repost. The comments were acting a bit hinky a minute ago.
13The media is good at dog whistles. We all know what “urban,” nudge, nudge, means. By now, we all also know what “anti-government” means, too. Every time I hear it I visualize a poor, white, uneducated, die-hard, Tea Party Wing Republican clinging to his guns and religion. Then I look at the picture and surprise…
14As a fellow iowan,when I hear urban,I immediately start detesting Ohio State Buckeyes,just because.
15Brian E and Lynne recently PA brought in a cop killer after a huge manhunt of weeks, alive. Believe me, not complaining, when the police do their jobs right and there is no loss of life. Ruby Ridge, Kent State, Waco to name a few complete FUBARs due to skittishness and rushing the objective.
Bundy Ranch? Again no problems with LE not lighting up the place and killing women & children. But that the ranch denizens feel free to come and go now? No. Time to tighten the perimeter on those nuts.
So, yes, Marcia in CO and others, there is a huge problem, when an individual citizen is not given every opportunity for a peaceful resolution.
Imagine. Had Trayvon Martin been offered a ride to protect him from the rain, or Michael Brown and his friend simply been asked, “if they would please use the sidewalk for their own safety.” Community police training? Nah. Test them for basic human decency, before they ever enter a police academy.
16East Texas has a big head start but Pennsyltucky is beginning to close the gap.
17Rhea brings up a real good point. My knowledge of weapon ownership is related to ATF requirements to purchase weapons in a retail environment. I’ve never heard of a Judge ruling during a Non compos mentis hearing that the mentally ill person’s weapons should be removed, but it is a really good idea. All of us have dealt with taking the car keys from mom or dad or both when they get too old to drive safely. But we never talk about taking mom or dad’s handguns, rifles, and shotguns.
18Micr & Rhea, judges have been known to arbitrarily remove children from their homes. Why any sane judge would not remove guns from a home, when there is ample evidence for the wisdom of doing so is just insane. If an insane person cannot purchase weapons, it’s not a stretch of existing law for a judge to actively prohibit the person from owning guns, confiscate their guns, until proof is given that same person is not a danger to themselves and others.
While state laws vary, it doesn’t seem that any judge in any state is prohibited from acting in the safety of the public.
In the specific case of Richard Carter, while he faces charges of attempted murder, his armament should be secured in an evidence locker.
19@PKM
I have seen denial of not only weapon ownership as a condition of probation or parole, but also the probationer/parolee’s prohibition from being in places where weapon owners resided. It isn’t farfetched for me to see denial of weapons as a condition of bail in a criminal case for the defendant.
In civil cases I’m not sure what latitude a Judge has in this matter. Or where an individual Judge might be willing to go given this fact set.
20Micr, in the specific case of Richard Carter, justice will not be served, if he isn’t facing some serious felony charges for the attempted murder of his neighbor and his standoff with LE.
In a “simple” civil case of similar facts, again, a judge has wide latitude in terms of public safety. Whether he or she exercises it is another question.
However, in all 50 states and under federal law, there is not a statute that would allow Carter to keep his guns, if (that big word) the judge rules in the interest of public safety.
Wayne “little gohmert” LaPierre might whine, but precedence is not on his side. May he choke on his own words, “responsible” gun owners.
21@PKM
My long range assessment is that Richard Carter isn’t mentally competent to stand trial. I’d expect that he’ll be locked away and maybe we’ll never hear about him again, until institution announces his demise.
Y’now really sane people don’t consider the hanging of Christmas decorations a provocative or life threatening act.
22Micr, that would be an interesting outcome, given the seriously insane people who have been denied the insanity defense under the McNaughton Rule.
I’m with you Micr, any idiot who shoots at his neighbors for any reason is pretty much insane, as are the majority of people who kill.
Imagine the distress at Fox Not-the-News over this case. While Carter was exercising his 2nd Amendment rights, he took a shot at Christmas. What to do, what to do: defend the gun or the Christmas bulb. And, we can expect from Fox, a screw the people whichever direction Fox takes.
23@PKM
24Yeah I’ll play my little violin for Faux News and drip some crocodile tears for ’em. Consider it done!
Finally, A real example of the war on Christmas!!
Bet you won’t see this one on O”Reilly.
25Micr, I can always count on you to understand that life and liberty come before any misinterpretations of the Constitution!
Sorry NRA and any little gohmert Waynes; embrace as is your right, responsible gun owners, but haul your heads out of your sandy loins and face the reality of ammosexuals assaulting and killing innocent people. If you truly believe guns are not a problem, then step forward and pay the bill every time LE has to spend $$$ to subdue one of your gun owners and pay the funeral costs of every victim of gun violence, sponsor emergency rooms that deal with victims of gun violence. Hell, call AETNA or someone and ask about insurance to cover your costs.
26@PKM
27The thing about this is the decision a peace officer makes to stop a violator by killing them is the easy decision. It is much more difficult to confront them with open hands and a refusal to budge from duty.
I’m glad this guy is in custody, but I also do feel sorry for him. He must be in a constant state of terror to feel that he has to defend himself this way. He is dangerous and needs to be restrained, but his pain is real.
The real villains here are the pundits who deliberately stir up irrational fears, but always refuse to take weapons away from or provide mental health services to the fearful people.
28The guy is mentally competent to have a bunch of guns in his possession and knew what they are used for. Forget insanity and fry the SOB! Maybe the lesson about actions and consequences will finally start to sink in these fake noise misled pea brains.
29PKM-Trayvon Martin’s murderer left his vehicle behind after the dispatcher told him not to follow Martin. He couldn’t very well offer a ride,except in an ambulance,which is what happened.
What if Zimmerblimp did as he was told and left the kid alone? Zimmerblimp was guilty of pre-meditated murder,imho,because he told dispatcher Martin matched descriptions of thugs who previously had gotten away and he was gonna see that Martin didn’t get away. How did that turn out?
30e platypus onion, agreed: Zimmerman did not follow instructions.
Was thinking to a kinder, gentler time, when instead of calling 911, he might have taken a saner route and offered the young man a ride home out of the rain. Just as Wilson could have politely asked Michael Brown and his friend to use the sidewalk for their own safety. Respect. Treat young citizens with respect, before going all Rambo and escalating to tragedy.
As for Ricky Retardo Carter? The NRA owns that one. Good point, EPO, his accumulation of weapons/premeditation pretty much nullifies an insanity defense.
And, had any of the young men become belligerent and cussed them out. So what? Suck it up, buttercup cops. With your track record, it might take some time before you can offer cookies without evoking suspicion.
31“The guy is mentally competent to have a bunch of guns in his possession and knew what they are used for.” I don’t think that actually argues a very high level of mental competence.
Mentally ill people can be in constant, deep pain that they are unable to control. Punishing the mentally ill for irrational behavior misses the core problem. They should be given professional treatment early on and most definitely kept away from guns.
The first mass U. S. killings I recall were the University of Texas Tower sniper attack. The sniper’s brain is one of those that recently did a bunk in Texas. Of interest was the brain tumor they found. Charles Whitman was very skilled in the use of guns (unfortunately), but that did not make him mentally competent.
http://www.westernjournalism.com/university-of-texas-tower-sniper-killings-more-questions-after-46-years/
32People with “mental health issues” can own guns. I feel sooo safe.
33“Christmas” Carol @ 25, FTW!
34At a number of times in my life I have been on the receiving end of gun violence. Handguns. I see no reason that they be allowed, because they kill so many people–especially children.
35If you are a hunter, then rifles may be appropriate–or a rancher—coyotes and such.
My family is from England, and there they have managed for many years to avoid even police having to carry (I am not sure now with the drug problems, if Bobbys carry) I think that almost all of the problems can be attributed to booze, other drugs and mental issues.
I see no reason why regular citizens need to be armed. It leads to bad results more often than not.
Polite Kool Marxist: I personally know people who have removed firearms from a house when a family member became demented (from various causes.) So it happens. OTOH, I was also the paradmedic on a run where a mentally ill person, home on leave from a psychiatric hospital, was allowed to take a shotgun down to the stock tank to “hunt ducks.” To avoid causing people to lose their most recent meal, I won’t give details of what suicide by shotgun to the abdomen looks like. But I had Thoughts about that family…like whether mental illness was in every one of them.
36