A handgun may have saved Harold Williams’ life, but it could also send him to prison.
“I feel justified,” Williams said. “If I had it to do over again, I would do it the same way”.
Williams, who is a convicted felon, is now charged with possessing a firearm. He said he used it against a couple of armed robbers who stormed in through the front door of his home last week and kicked open the bedroom door.
“They kicked in my bedroom door,” said Williams. “One took a low stance. One took a high stance. Both were armed and wearing masks. I grabbed the gun and did what I can do.”
…Williams says his felony charge was for possessing stolen property in 1989.
via Fayetteville man faces charges for protecting himself during home invasion | abc11.com.
I touched on this before and will continue to do so. Specially with the decriminalization of pot, it feels dumb that non-violent felons should be subjected to such a harsh refusal of rights. If you commuted a non-violent felony, served your time and have been a good member of society, we cannot in good conscience support that he remains unarmed. Restore his/her rights.
+1
I’m with David Codrea on this. If they can’t be trusted with a gun, they can’t be trusted without a custodian. I believe that every one of us makes mistakes. I know I have and by the grace of God I was never charged with anything. For years, I carried a gun and the law be damned. Waking up on the side of the road will give you a perspective that a law book can’t.
This guy did something stupid 26 years ago and paid his due to society. Now they are going to prosecute him for exercising a basic human right, the right of self defense. As far as the possessing stolen property charge, did he even know it was stolen or was he a dupe for someone.
One of the commentors keeps saying that owning a gun is a “privilege”. WTF?? In the copy of the Constitution I have, it’s a inalienable right. Well, it’s supposed to be.
Miguel,
Chucky Schumer will never allow the restoration of gun rights. He and his fellow Marxists in the Senate have ensured it is so. That would have to be overturned, as well as the provision you refer to in the GCA ’68.
I agree that it might not be a bad idea for non-violent felons to have rights restored after a period of ‘good living’ in society.
But until that happens, he shouldn’t be bitching about the consequences and asking for a pardon. He knew full well he was re-breaking the law. Clearly shows he can’t make smart decisions.
There is a legal term/thing, I forget the name which is basically “The lesser of two evils” as in you were forced to do one bad thing because the consequence of not doing would have been a much bigger bad thing. I think it gives a DA the leeway to ditch the charge if the person has otherwise has been proven to be good.
After having served time you mean? Yeah – I envision it a system like they have in the military. People that get separated/discharged with a General under Honorable conditions can petition after 1 year to upgrade it to Honorable if they’ve not been in trouble with the law.
Well, yes he broke the law. However, would we not make the same choice, break a law and stay alive or follow the law and be killed. We should remove gun rights only from individuals that police accept the responsibility to provide individual protection (e.g. security detail)
So a stupid but nonviolent act back in 1989 should FOREVER mean that this man’s Constitutional Right to firearms is null and void? How many of us have done “stupid” things WAY back in our past? How many of us simply got away with it instead the charges we may have deserved? I, for one, haven’t been a devil nor have I been an angel. I’m all for violent felons and sexual predators spending the rest of their lives in jail but nonviolent ones should have their rights restored after some point after their punishment has been completed.
How about if we just couple the right to vote with the right to possess firearms. If you get one, you get both. Seems only fair. I recall back when you get convicted of a felony, you lost it all. Was supposed to be something to be avoided.
Now its like the drinking age. You’re an adult at 18, but not a complete adult till you’re 21.
Correct thinking. Now, at the same time we should make the process for ID and background check exactly the same. If no voter ID then no id to purchase a gun.