Mike
Site Co-Founder
imported post
Folks - if you are anywhere near Lebanon, PA, try to attend this hearing and show support - the courthouse will be checking guns, and supporters will be rallying outside the courthouse before and after the hearing.
On October 14 at 2PM Meleanie (“Soccer Mom”) Hain’s appeal of her concealed carry license revocation will be heard by the Chief Judge of Lebanon County in courtroom 1, Lebanon County Courthouse, PA. The address is 400 South Eighth Street Lebanon, PA.
--
http://www.ldnews.com/news/ci_10709883
Sheriff ready for crowd
By JOHN LATIMER
Staff Writer
Lebanon Daily News
Two Lebanon County officials say they are prepared for gun-rights advocates — and their guns — expected to converge on the municipal building tomorrow to show their support for Meleanie Hain.
Hain, who drew national attention last month when she openly wore her firearm to her 5-year-old daughter’s soccer game, is appealing the revocation of her permit to carry a concealed weapon.
Sheriff Mike DeLeo and county administrator Jamie Wolgemuth said that, as of Friday, they had not been officially contacted by anyone, but they are expecting a gathering of Hain supporters.
It was DeLeo who revoked Hain’s license-to-carry permit last month. Hain’s appeal will be heard tomorrow before President Judge Robert J. Eby.
Open-carry advocates led by Greg Rotz have been following the case closely and organizing a show of support on Internet chat rooms, most notably one run by the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association.
Wolgemuth said he was aware of a similar case involving Rotz in Franklin County that did draw a crowd of supporters. Steps are being taken in anticipation of a significant turnout tomorrow, which likely would involve temporarily confiscating many handguns because they are not allowed in a courtroom under state law, he said.
“I’ve spoken with the sheriff about the hearing on Tuesday, and we are prepared to accommodate that show of support,” Wolgemuth said. “It is not a concern. ... We are going to provide
tags and a means of storage in a locker we have downstairs already.”
Although DeLeo said he understood that the open-carry advocates would be making a statement by wearing their firearms to the courthouse, he suggested they leave their weapons in their cars.
JohnLatimer@LDNews.com
--
http://www.ldnews.com/news/ci_10709880
Gun-toting mom set for showdown
By JOHN LATIMER
Staff Writer
Lebanon Daily News
Gun-rights advocates and other supporters of Meleanie Hain are expected to fill a Lebanon County courtroom tomorrow when her case is heard by President Judge Robert J. Eby.
Hain created a sensation that received national attention last month when she openly wore a holstered gun during her 5-year-old daughter’s soccer game at Lebanon’s Optimist Park.
Parents complained to officials of the soccer program and eventually to county Sheriff Mike DeLeo, who took action by revoking Hain’s permit to carry a concealed firearm.
Hain appealed DeLeo’s decision on the grounds that the state does not have a law prohibiting the carrying of a licensed weapon openly, prompting tomorrow’s 2:30 p.m. hearing in Courtroom 1 of the Lebanon municipal building.
Organizing tomorrow’s show of support for Hain is Greg Rotz, a 37-year-old shipping clerk from Chambersburg who faced similar charges after he wore a sidearm to his voting precinct on Election Day last November.
A constable initially tried to prevent Rotz from voting, but backed off after learning that no law prohibits wearing a weapon openly to the polls, according to Rotz.
Several days later, however, Rotz said he received a letter from the Franklin County sheriff demanding that he turn over his handgun for “apparent illegal activities.”
Rotz appealed the action and was vindicated in January when a Franklin County judge threw out the case to the delight of dozens of open-carry advocates who attended the hearing.
Since then, Rotz has become an open-carry advocate working with Rich Banks, founder of paopencarry.org, and members of the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association.
“I received a tremendous amount of support when I was on the other end,” Rotz said. “About 20 to 25 members came to my hearing. But there were actually about 70 people in the courtroom, some from local police agencies and others who were local citizens.”
Word of Hain’s hearing and a call-out for support has been a topic on the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association chat-room site (http://www.pafoa.org) that is monitored by Rotz.
Rotz said he knows Hain through her comments on the Web site and by meeting her once at a shooting event.
Rotz said he was grateful for the support he received at his hearing and knows it will be important for Hain.
So far, six people from outside Lebanon County have confirmed they will attend the hearing tomorrow and another 10 hope to come, according to Rotz. He also expects several dozen local gun-rights advocates to turn out tomorrow. The entire group will meet at a local restaurant to organize and, after the hearing, are planning an outing at a shooting range, he said.
Hain doesn’t know what kind of turnout to expect tomorrow because it is a working day for most people. She said she is grateful for the many communications from supporters she’s already received, which help balance out the negative comments she’s read.
Hain spent yesterday with about two dozen supporters who held a concealed-carry course near Allentown, the proceeds of which went to her defense fund.
“That benefit was very uplifting,” she said. “It was really just what I needed so close to the hearing — to be around supporters and to keep my mind off of things.”
Hain’s supporters do not plan to be confrontational tomorrow, Rotz said, but most will be carrying their weapons by their side when they enter the municipal building. They all understand, however, that they will have to turn in their firearms at the door, because courtrooms are one of the few places under state law where the carrying a firearm is specifically prohibited.
Rotz said he expects that DeLeo’s revocation of Hain’s permit will be overturned by Eby. If it is not, Hain will be able to appeal the decision to the state Superior Court — which, in the long run, could be beneficial to the open-carry movement.
“The Court of Common Pleas is the lowest court, and a ruling there does not set a precedent,” Rotz said. “If Meleanie would lose and it was elevated to a higher court where she would win, then we would have a binding precedent to help in the future. Unfortunately, the situations like mine and Meleanie’s are so ridiculous that their chance of getting to a higher court are very, very low.”
JohnLatimer@ldnews.com
Folks - if you are anywhere near Lebanon, PA, try to attend this hearing and show support - the courthouse will be checking guns, and supporters will be rallying outside the courthouse before and after the hearing.
On October 14 at 2PM Meleanie (“Soccer Mom”) Hain’s appeal of her concealed carry license revocation will be heard by the Chief Judge of Lebanon County in courtroom 1, Lebanon County Courthouse, PA. The address is 400 South Eighth Street Lebanon, PA.
--
http://www.ldnews.com/news/ci_10709883
Sheriff ready for crowd
By JOHN LATIMER
Staff Writer
Lebanon Daily News
Two Lebanon County officials say they are prepared for gun-rights advocates — and their guns — expected to converge on the municipal building tomorrow to show their support for Meleanie Hain.
Hain, who drew national attention last month when she openly wore her firearm to her 5-year-old daughter’s soccer game, is appealing the revocation of her permit to carry a concealed weapon.
Sheriff Mike DeLeo and county administrator Jamie Wolgemuth said that, as of Friday, they had not been officially contacted by anyone, but they are expecting a gathering of Hain supporters.
It was DeLeo who revoked Hain’s license-to-carry permit last month. Hain’s appeal will be heard tomorrow before President Judge Robert J. Eby.
Open-carry advocates led by Greg Rotz have been following the case closely and organizing a show of support on Internet chat rooms, most notably one run by the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association.
Wolgemuth said he was aware of a similar case involving Rotz in Franklin County that did draw a crowd of supporters. Steps are being taken in anticipation of a significant turnout tomorrow, which likely would involve temporarily confiscating many handguns because they are not allowed in a courtroom under state law, he said.
“I’ve spoken with the sheriff about the hearing on Tuesday, and we are prepared to accommodate that show of support,” Wolgemuth said. “It is not a concern. ... We are going to provide
tags and a means of storage in a locker we have downstairs already.”
Although DeLeo said he understood that the open-carry advocates would be making a statement by wearing their firearms to the courthouse, he suggested they leave their weapons in their cars.
JohnLatimer@LDNews.com
--
http://www.ldnews.com/news/ci_10709880
Gun-toting mom set for showdown
By JOHN LATIMER
Staff Writer
Lebanon Daily News
Gun-rights advocates and other supporters of Meleanie Hain are expected to fill a Lebanon County courtroom tomorrow when her case is heard by President Judge Robert J. Eby.
Hain created a sensation that received national attention last month when she openly wore a holstered gun during her 5-year-old daughter’s soccer game at Lebanon’s Optimist Park.
Parents complained to officials of the soccer program and eventually to county Sheriff Mike DeLeo, who took action by revoking Hain’s permit to carry a concealed firearm.
Hain appealed DeLeo’s decision on the grounds that the state does not have a law prohibiting the carrying of a licensed weapon openly, prompting tomorrow’s 2:30 p.m. hearing in Courtroom 1 of the Lebanon municipal building.
Organizing tomorrow’s show of support for Hain is Greg Rotz, a 37-year-old shipping clerk from Chambersburg who faced similar charges after he wore a sidearm to his voting precinct on Election Day last November.
A constable initially tried to prevent Rotz from voting, but backed off after learning that no law prohibits wearing a weapon openly to the polls, according to Rotz.
Several days later, however, Rotz said he received a letter from the Franklin County sheriff demanding that he turn over his handgun for “apparent illegal activities.”
Rotz appealed the action and was vindicated in January when a Franklin County judge threw out the case to the delight of dozens of open-carry advocates who attended the hearing.
Since then, Rotz has become an open-carry advocate working with Rich Banks, founder of paopencarry.org, and members of the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association.
“I received a tremendous amount of support when I was on the other end,” Rotz said. “About 20 to 25 members came to my hearing. But there were actually about 70 people in the courtroom, some from local police agencies and others who were local citizens.”
Word of Hain’s hearing and a call-out for support has been a topic on the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association chat-room site (http://www.pafoa.org) that is monitored by Rotz.
Rotz said he knows Hain through her comments on the Web site and by meeting her once at a shooting event.
Rotz said he was grateful for the support he received at his hearing and knows it will be important for Hain.
So far, six people from outside Lebanon County have confirmed they will attend the hearing tomorrow and another 10 hope to come, according to Rotz. He also expects several dozen local gun-rights advocates to turn out tomorrow. The entire group will meet at a local restaurant to organize and, after the hearing, are planning an outing at a shooting range, he said.
Hain doesn’t know what kind of turnout to expect tomorrow because it is a working day for most people. She said she is grateful for the many communications from supporters she’s already received, which help balance out the negative comments she’s read.
Hain spent yesterday with about two dozen supporters who held a concealed-carry course near Allentown, the proceeds of which went to her defense fund.
“That benefit was very uplifting,” she said. “It was really just what I needed so close to the hearing — to be around supporters and to keep my mind off of things.”
Hain’s supporters do not plan to be confrontational tomorrow, Rotz said, but most will be carrying their weapons by their side when they enter the municipal building. They all understand, however, that they will have to turn in their firearms at the door, because courtrooms are one of the few places under state law where the carrying a firearm is specifically prohibited.
Rotz said he expects that DeLeo’s revocation of Hain’s permit will be overturned by Eby. If it is not, Hain will be able to appeal the decision to the state Superior Court — which, in the long run, could be beneficial to the open-carry movement.
“The Court of Common Pleas is the lowest court, and a ruling there does not set a precedent,” Rotz said. “If Meleanie would lose and it was elevated to a higher court where she would win, then we would have a binding precedent to help in the future. Unfortunately, the situations like mine and Meleanie’s are so ridiculous that their chance of getting to a higher court are very, very low.”
JohnLatimer@ldnews.com
