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The Morning Call - Allentown, PA settles with open carrier for $23,500

jpjpjp

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Messages
23
Location
upper, bucks county,pa
inform

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/carpenter/mc-paul-carpenter-gun-right-20101120,0,318503.column

SNIP

The taxpayers of Allentown just got stuck with an unnecessary $23,500 tab.

That may not be much in a city that treats tax money like the water flowing over the Hamilton Street Dam (proposed new budget: $88.5 million), but it might have been avoided if people paid to enforce the law could be persuaded to obey it themselves.

On Oct. 6, 2008, Jerry Corliss, a law-abiding citizen who then lived in Allentown, was carrying a Glock handgun in a holster when he visited the Home Depot store just off Lehigh Street. It appears that somebody there became hysterical over the idea that anyone not in government might exercise his or her right to bear arms.

Soon, according to court documents, Dale Stokes, an Allentown police officer, stormed into the store, detained Corliss for doing absolutely nothing illegal, searched him without a warrant and seized his pistol.

. . .

Corliss was not charged and the weapon was returned, but those actions clashed with both the Bill of Rights and the Pennsylvania Constitution, which will cost the city, or its insurance carrier, $23,500 to settle a federal lawsuit brought by Corliss, who now lives in Lebanon.

City officials do not seem eager to publicize the case and I learned about its resolution last month only when Corliss called me — because, he said, somebody told him I support the Bill of Rights, as if that's something unusual these days.

Even if people can distort the meaning of the Bill of Rights to justify gun control, there is no mistaking the "Declaration of Rights" at the start of the Pennsylvania Constitution. "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the state shall not be questioned," it says.

. . .

Lehigh County District Attorney James Martin said essentially the same thing. "The permit permits you to carry a concealed weapon," Martin said. "You don't need a permit to carry a gun openly."

. . .

we could somehow inform the public of the legality.using tv or radio,pbs?
 

sedstar

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
13
Location
, ,
911...

yeah, this ALL starts at 911. Unless you see a cop nearby and say something word of mouth, 99% of all police business starts with a 911 call...

right THERE, they need to say something. "Man with a gun, ma'am, is NOT an emergency, ok? Not unless the man with the gun is robbing someone. man wth a gun having a cheeseburger is just fine, ok?"

would eliminate 90% of this...
 

thepaulmc

New member
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Messages
1
Location
Pocono's Pennsylvania
That appears to be the case in many stores, including many Sears and Kmarts as well. They just assume they know what's best for their store without regard for corporate policy or the laws within the state.
Don

Sears has an anti firearm policy. They do not allow you to carry in any of their stores nationwide.. I confirmed this by calling their corp. offices..
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
I have OCd for years in Sears and continue to this day to do so w/o any problems ever occurring.

Also OC in their parent company (K-Mart) with not one negative response.
 

ixtow

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
5,038
Location
Suwannee County, FL
I keep hearing/seeing this word "transferred." What is that?

In every case with which I am familiar, a LEO from another state still goes through the academy - benefits generally include higher starting pay based on experience - they are not transferred in, given a badge and sent out on the streets.

I can't vouch for other States, but while this may appear to be the process, it is not followed.

The FDLE will rubber stamp a LEO from somewhere else. Make them wait the time needed for academy and pay the tuition, but they need not set foot in the place or take any tests, etc... They want it to look like they went through on paper, but they don't have to actually do it.

Witnessed this myself, among other egregious and willful breaches of trust and law...

I wouldn't be surprised if it happened around the country.
 

Starrman

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
40
Location
Northern Va.
I think everyone is missing the real crime here....

Paul Carpenter's last sentence:

"I am duty-bound to report that in the $23,500 Corliss settlement, Corliss got $2,500 and Magee's law firm got the rest."

I hope Corliss had plenty of Vaseline.
 
Last edited:

thebigsd

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Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
I think everyone is missing the real crime here....

Paul Carpenter's last sentence:

"I am duty-bound to report that in the $23,500 Corliss settlement, Corliss got $2,500 and Magee's law firm got the rest."

I hope Corliss had plenty of Vaseline.

Wow, they took 89% of the winnings. Does anyone know if that is excessive or average when it comes to civil case fees?
 

Starrman

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
40
Location
Northern Va.
How much will it cost me to hire a lawyer?

Posted on 7 February 2011 by Alexis Steinberg

Lawyers generally have three ways of charging for their services, but it can get a little complicated. Read on.

First, a lawyer will frequently bill at an hourly rate for the time she works. Under this model you will only be charged for the time put into your case. Under this fee-structure, as well as the others, you will be charged for incidental costs like court costs, expert witnesses, and any travel costs.

Second, depending on the nature of your case, a lawyer may base their fee on how much you recover. This is called a “contingency fee” and is often used when the case is complicated, and the size of your recovery hinges on a lawyer’s skill. For instance, this is a frequent billing method in a civil rights case.

Third, you could be billed a flat fee, at the outset of your case. This final method is much rarer, and usually only for very simple cases like a standard ticket or an uncontested divorce, with no children or property.

Lubricants cost extra:eek:
 

rmodel65

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2008
Messages
488
Location
, ,
Wow, they took 89% of the winnings. Does anyone know if that is excessive or average when it comes to civil case fees?

you gotta think the case was probably taken on a contingency basis and how many billable hours(they only get paid if they win) my brother has a case the lawyer has had to fly to Utah and to my town for depositions you gotta think about all the time they cant be working while traveling etc hwo many hours they have researching other cases filing motions etc there is a lot going on behind the scenes
 

Grapeshot

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Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
you gotta think the case was probably taken on a contingency basis and how many billable hours(they only get paid if they win) my brother has a case the lawyer has had to fly to Utah and to my town for depositions you gotta think about all the time they cant be working while traveling etc hwo many hours they have researching other cases filing motions etc there is a lot going on behind the scenes

Blind justice is no street corner beggar!

A good attorney is worth 10X his/her weight in gold, especially if they open Lady Justice's eyes to see the light.

I'd much rather be free and with my rights intact that find that proverbial pot of gold - judgements are not always collectable either.
 
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