Man arrested for carrying at church (and felon in possession)

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http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/GUNNGAT15_20090315-213402/232366/

Aman with a BB gun stunned parishioners during this morning's service at Macedonia Tabernacle Church in Ettrick.

Pastor Stacey M. Roberts said church members became alarmed when they saw the man holding a gun.

"He was disarmed by one of our people and we called police," Roberts said this evening, adding that churchgoers initially seemed surprised but welcoming when the well-dressed young white man said he wanted to attend services at the primarily black church.

Christopher Smith, 24, of the 100 block of Hanover Avenue in Colonial Heights, is charged with possession of a dangerous weapon on church grounds and possession of a weapon by a felon. He faces a preliminary appearance tomorrow morning in Chesterfield County General District Court.

"We don't think he intended to cause any harm but he made the mistake of carrying a weapon into the service," said Chesterfield police Capt. David Stone.

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I, for one, would never carry at church unless I had good & sufficient reason.

Of course, without good & sufficient reason, I wouldn't bother carrying at all.

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Carpetbagger wrote:

http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/GUNNGAT15_20090315-213402/232366/

Aman with a BB gun stunned parishioners during this morning's service at Macedonia Tabernacle Church in Ettrick.

Pastor Stacey M. Roberts said church members became alarmed when they saw the man holding a gun.

"He was disarmed by one of our people and we called police," Roberts said this evening, adding that churchgoers initially seemed surprised but welcoming when the well-dressed young white man said he wanted to attend services at the primarily black church.

Christopher Smith, 24, of the 100 block of Hanover Avenue in Colonial Heights, is charged with possession of a dangerous weapon on church grounds and possession of a weapon by a felon. He faces a preliminary appearance tomorrow morning in Chesterfield County General District Court.

"We don't think he intended to cause any harm but he made the mistake of carrying a weapon into the service," said Chesterfield police Capt. David Stone.

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Sure would like to see the cite on that one. Doesn't it say while services are being conducted, and without good and sufficient reason?

Before you jump - yes, I read it was during service. I'm simpy remarking at the way the article was written, as if carry of a weapon on church grounds were illegal in itself.

Mind you, possession by a felon doesn't endear him to me in any way, shape, or form.

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A felon having a BB gun is not a crime unless specifically denied by a court order or something. Air guns are not firearms under no federal or state code, nor should they be considered so. Having a weapon as a felon is also not a crime, having a bb gun at church is not a crime unless posted, so unless he was brandishing or threatening in some way, no real crime has been committed.

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This article did not mention this, but the report on the local TV news this morning said that another attendee noticed the gun in his bag, so no indication of brandishing.

In some ways I wish this involved a more sympathetic defendant, so we could possibly have a test case and some guidance from the court on the meaning of good and sufficient reason.

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Carpetbagger wrote:

http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/GUNNGAT15_20090315-213402/232366/

Aman with a BB gun stunned parishioners during this morning's service at Macedonia Tabernacle Church in Ettrick.

Pastor Stacey M. Roberts said church members became alarmed when they saw the man holding a gun.

"He was disarmed by one of our people and we called police," Roberts said this evening, adding that churchgoers initially seemed surprised but welcoming when the well-dressed young white man said he wanted to attend services at the primarily black church.

Christopher Smith, 24, of the 100 block of Hanover Avenue in Colonial Heights, is charged with possession of a dangerous weapon on church grounds and possession of a weapon by a felon. He faces a preliminary appearance tomorrow morning in Chesterfield County General District Court.

"We don't think he intended to cause any harm but he made the mistake of carrying a weapon into the service," said Chesterfield police Capt. David Stone.

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brandishing?

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I think there was a case here in Virginia in which a fellon convicted of carrying a firearm was able to get the conviction overturned because the appealse court ruled the gun was nat a firearm as described in Virginia statutes and was in fact a "gas gun" (BB gun ?).

Will try to find decision and post it later.

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mobeewan wrote:

I think there was a case here in Virginia in which a fellon convicted of carrying a firearm was able to get the conviction overturned because the appealse court ruled the gun was nat a firearm as described in Virginia statutes and was in fact a "gas gun" (BB gun ?).

Will try to find decision and post it later.

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True, IIRC, but didn't they pass new legislation that makes carrying airsoft guns illegal in public by minors? I seem to remember there was a line about concealing them too. The reasoning was theat they are *very* real looking and could be used in a crime so it may be an offense for a felon to have one.........

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http://www.vcdl.org/static/2009leg.html

VCDL web site indicates HB 2227 possibly defeated for the year. This bill would make it illegal to conceal a gas operated "firearm" that expels a projectile over 250 fps. This would include paintball guns as well as BB guns without a permit.

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Tess wrote:

SNIP >>> I'm simpy remarking at the way the article was written, as if carry of a weapon on church grounds were illegal in itself.

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Don't you think the media words the story like that so that the sheeple will conclude " gun at church = illegal " ?

I do.

The media all the time tells the sheeple that "he sprayed bullets from his semi-automatic assault rifle" And the sheeple conclude "semi-auto = bullet hose"

As for "good and sufficient reason" Watch the news. Church shooting here, Church shooting there. That pretty much establishes my "good and sufficient reason". That is... if I went to church.

Last time I was in a church I got married. I'm not going back.

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doug23838 wrote:

SNIP Last time I was in a church I got married. I'm not going back.

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Just tell the pastor you're not there to get married. Should be safe enough.