imported post
NavyLT,
Thanks for the support.
In the future, I plan to condition myself to handle these types of situations differently. Like I said in my first post, I am used to working along side of law enforcement, not below.
As to the attorney fees, well, in either case of where the money ultimately comes from - for the sake of putting these types of issues behind us - I think it is well worth it.
To say I cannot openly carry a firearm, and to also say I can only carry a firearm concealed, and only then with a permit or license, is to say I do not really have a constitutional right to bare arms; I am merely afforded a privilege.. My right to bare arms is not a privilege, nor is my right to free speech, or freedom of religion, etc..
As to me typically concealing or carrying openly; I more often carry openly - that particular day I was not wearing a holster with positive retention, and the store was quite busy, so I decided to conceal it. If I was wearing my serpa holster, I would have been certainly open carrying.
As for the rest of what you said; to my knowledge I was not charged with anything. I was never placed under arrest (that is, they never said I was under arrest), and I was never read my rights or taken 'down town'. My understanding is that the officers 'educated' me, and sent me on my way - only after dis-arming me, patting me down, frisking me, and telling me to sit in a chair while they rummaged through my wallet and checked if my firearm was stolen.
In any case, I will be consulting an attorney with 2a experience.
BTW: If your name is any indication to a current or previous occupation; Thank you for your service. I myself was a Navy bratt growing up. So my summertime activities were watching the Blue Angels with my dad and his jarhead friends. good memories.. =c )
