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In LA - Matt Corwin - All Charges Dismissed!

cato2

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http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum4/2353-1.html



heres the back story:

Free Matthew Corwin! by WolfMansDad @ calguns.net


Wrongfully accused, wrongfully imprisoned, and held for days without even being charged, Matthew Corwin is now a sad testimony to a climate of fear.

In this post-9/11 era, and especially after the recent tragedies at Virginia Tech, it is perhaps natural for people to be afraid. Fear can be a good thing. It keeps us alive and unhurt, prompting us to use another ATM machine, for example, when a group of thugs hangs around your first choice after dark, casting furtive glances at you as you walk by. But fear can consume you, too, and it can grow into a monster. If you were frightened by a young black man in baggy pants outside your ATM machine, would it be right for you to attack - or arrest - a black student on his way to class in the middle of the day? What if he were wearing baggy pants? Can you justify doing that to someone, just because you were frightened by the way they looked? What if this young man, who turns out to be the class president and had committed no crime, were arrested by the police? Would you be angry? Would you feel a sense of injustice? If you wouldn't, you need to have a long talk with yourself.

Yet this is exactly what was done to Matthew Corwin. President of the Associated Student Body at East L. A. College, military veteran, and part-time MP in the US Army Reserve, Matthew was arrested last week on suspicion of having illegal weapons. You see, in addition to his other interests, Matthew is also a gun-rights advocate. That's right, he has guns. He likes guns. He has lots of friends who like guns, and they go target shooting together on weekends. He is no brooding loner or psychopath. He is just different enough to get noticed. And get noticed he did, when he posted pictures of himself and his friends holding their guns on myspace.

Liking guns is not a crime. Having guns is not a crime. Wearing baggy pants is not a crime. It's true, there are some guns that we, as ordinary citizens, are not allowed to have. But Matthew knows these laws. He knows what is and is not legal, and he and his friends work hard to stay within the law. What they do not do is hide. They are not "in the closet" about their hobby. With them, what you see is what you get.

Last Thursday night, Matthew paid for that honesty, that openness, with his freedom. He didn't hurt anybody. He didn't threaten anybody. He just frightened somebody by being himself.

And now he is in jail. His bond is set at $365,000, so he will not be leaving any time soon. Adding insult to injury, he is prohibited from going within 100 yards of his school's campus, if he manages to get out of jail, or from contacting anyone there. How will he pass his classes and finish the term? Who will do his duties as student body president? Was he a threat to anyone, the next Virginia Tech shooter? Of course not. Ask any of his numerous friends, and they will tell you he was not.

Don't let this fear grow into a monster. Free Matthew Corwin.


and

http://cbs2.com/video/?id=38582@kcbs.dayport.com&cid=71
 

cato2

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A Message from Matt:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=79017

Everything was dismissed today!


Hey, I just got home, and of course I had to read through the other thread.

But yes, all of the charges were dismissed today!
jump.gif


This is a huge relief to me and family of course, the whole thing has been a heck of a ride. Anyways, I am meeting with Chuck Michel and team on Wednesday and I won't be able to post more details until I work that out with them. The criminal case is over but... I don't think I have to say more.

It's been killing me waiting to thank everyone, without the support of this community there is no doubt in my mind I would still be in a cell somewhere. Honestly though, even more important to me than the money (which saved my arse!) was the moral support I got when I was in county jail in that first week or so. When the media was happy to make me out to be a terrorist you guys were there to encourage me. It meant a lot. Those that sent letters (and one really cool book), and also the virtual card really propped me up when I was feeling a bit hopeless. I can't possibly thank you guys enough, really.

Of course I also have to thank T&M, especially Chuck Michel, Joe Silvoso and Jessica Hamel. They ARE the best, and if you own even one gun you NEED to have them on speed dial. Seriously, do that right now-(562) 216-4444 (if you are in So Cal). Without them I would never have been able to clear my name.

Anyways, I will post more details when I can, but thank you everybody and Happy Holidays!

P.S. Heck yes I'm down for a party!
smile.gif



__________________
"Those who would give up essential Liberty,
to purchase a little temporary Safety,
deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
-Ben Franklin

Spc. Jeremy M. Campbell
Died 9/1/2005
and the best DS ever
MSG Matthew Ritz
Died 11.23.2005
matthewritz.com

For those who have had to fight for it, Life holds a special meaning that the protected will never know.
 

cato2

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A Calguns Shoot and Q at Burro or Angeles is definitely in order. All my stuff is still in the LASD property lockup somewhere, but as soon as it's released I want to get back to the range. Don't want to get rusty!
smile.gif
There is stuff I did not even get to shoot yet!

A side note on a more serious topic: Don't be too harsh on the DA's office. While all my stuff was completely legal, from their point of view the DOJ, which is supposed to be responsible for interpreting the law (to at least some extent) was saying I had very illegal stuff. Stuff I went and posted pictures of on the internet. Stuff which reportedly terrified the more "progressive" students at my college, who happened to already be terrified by my libertarian ideas.


The fact is, it's very obvious that the DOJ is responsible for the entire situation by making it nearly impossible for anyone, even the DA, to figure out what is legal. This goes double for the cop or detective on the street that has to try and enforce this law along with 5,000 others. Sure in a perfect world they would at least know the laws they are arresting and prosecuting people for allegedly violating, but perfect it's not.

When it comes down to it, the DA (and deputies assistants ect.) and the Sheriff's Dept. really were caught up in the same mess as me. A mess created entirely by the DOJ FD. Once the situation got started, it was very difficult for anyone directly involved to back down. Pride and ego and all that. In other words, when the bandwagon started rolling lots of otherwise good folks jumped on blindly, and by the time they realized where it was headed it was too late to get off. Also, while it's not an excuse, consider that there was a very horrible and tragic incident that occurred on a college campus VERY shortly before I was arrested. Understandably folks wanted to do anything possible to prevent some sort of repeat, and so might have jumped without looking.

Now some things fall outside of this, like persons making slanderous statements in reference (which became libel in national newspapers, or were aired locally), certain civilian investigators for the DOD that somehow became confused about what is soldiers are supposed to be issued, certain ATF agent(s) that don't know a machine gun from a legal replica, and various persons that don't seem to interpret the words "handle" and "plate" the way I do. But none of those issues ever would have been issues if the DOJ FD agents had not been doing everything possible to prevent gun owners in this state from following the law.

Top person(s) there communicated with a radical anti civil liberties organization about which would be the most effective method(s) to deprive us, Californian gun owners, of our civil rights. In the long term they hoped to get legislation passed, or even quasi laws enforced, that would prevent us from owning OLLs. In the short term they hoped to use confusion and threats to prevent us from doing was and is perfectly legal to do. They are bullies plain and simple. What (almost) happened to me is exactly what they wanted, a gun owner with OLLs gets publicly arrested, prosecuted and is unable to fight the system. They get to sit back and watch while the responsibility falls on the local DA, no risk to them.

Only they have failed, as they have since the beginning. Just as Calgunnners did not allow their threats, FUD and made up policies to stop lawful OLLs from entering this state and being built into legal and functional firearms, when I was down Calgunners did not let me stay down. And they lost. Instead of Californian gun owners being more reluctant to build OLLs, California DAs will be more reluctant to listen on the DOJ FD.

Our community is stronger and more active than ever. It's a bit like when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, they though they would take the fight out of us, and instead they woke the real fight up.

And this fight is not over. Los Angeles is no place to fight in the court system over gun laws. The Right People will fight this fight, but we must pick out battles as well as the place and time. We are the underdog here, but we have far better minds on our side, and a far stronger will. The DOJ FD and its agents will be forced to defend themselves in court. And they will lose. Again.

Also, I know some of you want to know what my legal bill is (truth is I don't even know yet myself), I appreciate every cent I have received, but please don't forget we have other battles to fight. T&M has posted that they need money for legal action that will have even greater impact in the long run for everyone than my case (and that money is tax deductible!). So I would at least ask that you give at least as much to that fund as to help me, even if it means splitting what you would have donated. They need that money (experts, research, travel ect. isn't free) to fight for our rights. I don't think I'd be able to rest easy otherwise.

Thanks again, and keep your powder dry.

Matt Corwin
Blackwater OPS
__________________
"Those who would give up essential Liberty,
to purchase a little temporary Safety,
deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
-Ben Franklin

Spc. Jeremy M. Campbell
Died 9/1/2005
and the best DS ever
MSG Matthew Ritz
Died 11.23.2005
matthewritz.com

For those who have had to fight for it, Life holds a special meaning that the protected will never know.
 
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