Actually, this was the first recent case of an otherwise law-abiding out-of-towner caught carrying a handgun in The Big Apple. Last spring, NYC cops arrested Maryland concealed carry permit holder Stephen Grant when maids found a gatt in his Muse Hotel room. Like three other recently nabbed CCW permit-holding tourists, Grant was looking at a mandatory three-and-a-half year stretch. nypost.com reports that the Manhattan DA’s making this one go away. “Prosecutors did not seek an indictment against him, and allowed him to plead guilty to fourth degree weapons possession, a blanket misdemeanor that covers any gun, knife, brass knuckles or the like.” As Beretta used to say . . .

“If you’re travelling into another state with your firearm, know the rules and regulations that apply. THEN if you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.” Or something like that.

Needless to say (’cause we already said it), Mayor Bloomberg’s minions will offer a similar deal to the other three inadvertent scofflaws; so as to avoid providing ammunition for supporters of House-approved H.R.822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act.

No really. Clock this excerpt from yesterday’s nypost editorial by Peter F. Vallone Jr. (D-Queens), chairman of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee [above]:

Don’t get me wrong: I’ve written and helped pass many strict gun-control laws to prevent the flow of illegal weapons into New York, and prevent their possession here. But legal guns, with permits granted here or elsewhere, are not the ones being used to commit crimes, and they aren’t the problem our strict gun laws were enacted to combat . . .

We still need to fix our gun laws, both for the sake of fairness and to head off that bill in Washington. While our carry laws are too strict (only a few thousand people in New York City have carry permits), New York should set its own standards, and not be bound by the actions of states like Florida, which recently gave 1,700 permits to felons (in violation of federal law).

But with cases like Meredith Graves’, we’re giving the rest of the country ammunition to force passage of the House bill. If that happens, we’ll have truly shot ourselves in the foot.

And so, back to today’s deal-cutting denouement . ..

The DA’s office did not comment on whether the same deal would be offered in two related cases which The Post has gone to bat for: Meredith Graves, the Tennesseean tourist busted trying to check her gun at the 9/11 Memorial, and Ryan Jerome, the Indiana jeweler and former Marine tail gunner busted trying to check his gun at the Empire State Building.

It seems likely that Graves and Jerome will take the deal. It seems equally clear that Tea Party Patriots co-founder and California concealed carry permit holder Mark Meckler, nabbed for gun charges at the airport, will fight.

Maybe not. Maybe Graves or Jerome will do the GTFO thing to the DA and become poster children for H.R.822 and Meckler will deal. We shall see.

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38 COMMENTS

  1. They’re done. Their guilty pleas now don’t let them own let alone carry. If I were them I would stick to my guns and make the biggest possible stink about this that could possibly be made to bring light to these draconian conditions that exist. Legal in one state needs to be legal in all states. Drivers licenses anyone? citizenship? The constitution protects all citizens of the United States so how is it possible that a citizens rights are null and void in the people’s republic of NYC(sorry Bloomberg town).

    • Do misdemeanors disqualify for gun ownership?

      ETA: Ah, I see that they can but it depends on the length of sentence. If it’s longer than one year, then that person becomes a prohibited person. If it’s one year or less, then you’re okay. And interestingly enough, the charge he plead guilty to is one where normally it has to be longer than a year, but the judge has some discretion to make it less than that if public safety would not be threatened.

      • Only felonies prevent gun ownership, at least in most states. In some, specific misdemeanor (such as domestic violence) disqualify you from gun ownership.

        • I think excessive DUIs and restraining orders can be added to the list. Correct me if I’m wrong.

        • From the NRA-ILA site, on those prohibited from owning firearms by the Feds:

          Those convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for over one year, except state misdemeanors punishable by two years or less.

          This is a state misdemeanor.

            • Where these people come from, state law is not more restrictive, and I suspect they wouldn’t care about NY too much in any case.

              As far as NY is concerned, it doesn’t make a difference. Unless you are politically connected, you can’t get a carry permit anyway. That’s why there are only a few thousand of them.

    • I’m pretty sure these people would rather take the deal and avoid doing some jail time. I agree with all your points, but most people aren’t willing to give up their freedom in order to prove the law sucks.

    • You guys need to find out the maximum theoretical prison term for a conviction under the statute to find out if he will become a prohibited person as a result of the plea deal. The website linked in the main article is N O T clear on this point.

  2. I’ve stayed at the Muse a couple of times. Convenient, stylish and good service. Left my guns at home, though. Bet Mr. Grant wishes he had, too. He should thank his lucky stars that 822’s an issue now. Otherwise, he’s be wearing orange for a while.

    • My biggest question is: Why did the guy leave the gun where maids could find his gun in his room?

    • The Muse is an awesome hotel. I’ve stayed there, and as best as I can recall, there was an in-room safe. I don’t understand why the owner didn’t keep it there. But then again, I don’t understand why he brought it to NYC.

  3. NRA, SAF, GAO, JFPO, Gura, Kopel, Hardy, Cramer, Halbrook, etc., et al, really need to get these defendants together, back them to the hilt, and put the brightest possible spotlight that they can muster on Bloomberg and his fellow cockroaches.

    Suzanna Gratia Hupp did tremendous things in getting concealed carry laws liberalized in Texas. New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Illinois, California and Hawaii all need similar champions to carry the fight for equal protection and civil rights reform in their respective states. Political power all too often comes from the barrel of a gun. The ammunition for that gun, in this instance, is money, legal talent and publicity. Back them up and turn it up to eleven.

    Imagine, for a moment, if the gun rights community really came together as a single voice and did a very focused legal defense fund money bomb campaign. Eighty million gun owners at $10/head, average. Picture an $800M war chest. Hit the courts with a seemingly endless barrage of suits. Picture Bloomberg, Menino, Hennigan, Horowitz, MikeyB and their fellow travelers having collective and simultaneous grand mal aneurysms and/or strokes. How friggin’ sweet would that be?

    If someone reputable can get it together you can put me down for $100 to start. That’ll cover me and nine other gun owners who either don’t care or didn’t get the message.

  4. I simply can’t get past one simple, indisputable fact: people have been arrested and incarcerated for exercising a Constitutional right. Every person involved in their imprisonment, from the police to the judges, are bigger criminals than these people could ever be.

    • It wasn’t his fault. It was the fault of there being no 822-type law. And the only reason he’s not doing hard time, since that’s the norm, you poor gun owners are generally persecuted beyond reasonableness, is because 822 happens to be on the table.

      This blog has recently become the home to the Spin Doctor On-line University. I’d like to enroll for a degree program. I don’t think I could ever aspire to the heights that some of you have reached, but I’m willing to try.

      • “This blog has recently become the home to the Spin Doctor On-line University.”
        —–
        *SPLURT!* Dangit, Mike. Coffee all over the place.

      • You still didn’t address the simple, underlying fact that an Amendment, seated right there next to such revered rights as free speech, is being trampled upon and has landed people in jail. The utter apocalyptic outrage that would erupt if a state made free speech a crime is unthinkable, and yet an Amendment of no greater or lesser importance is shunted off daily. No spinning that, it’s simply what’s happened. If you let one Amendment be raped, don’t be surprised when the others follow.

        Regardless, as I’ve said many times and as I’m sure even the right and left can somewhat agree on, just because something is law doesn’t make it right.

        • Silver, Justice Scalia already said the part about “shall not be infringed” is bullshit.

          You’re sacred Amendment is already “infringed” upon.

          • Saying it’s already infringed like it’s a valid excuse for more infringement is like saying it’s ok to murder anyone you want because other people have done it before. It is not because it is still illegal.

            • No it’s not jake. It’s just to show that you blustering shall-not-be-infringed guys are full of it. You’re the ones who keep talking like NO infringement is acceptable, when that’s obvioulsy not the case.

              I have more respect for the total whack jobs who live in caves in Montana.

              • So Mike; what infringements of all the OTHER Amendments do you consider acceptable?
                Or is it just the one that specifically rules against infringement by the State which deserves such contempt?

              • So it’s OK for you to state a law is worthless & meaningless but not OK for anyone whose views are at odds with yours.
                Typical socialist hypocrisy; “do as I say, not as I do”.

      • What part of “the right of the people to keep & bear arms, shall not be infringed” is beyond your comprehension Mike?
        It doesn’t say “except in New York” there or in any other Amendment.
        When are you going to admit the truth: the possession of firearms by law-abiding citizens helps reduce & prevent crimes & helps protect citizens from harm.
        We’ve had seven shot dead here in the UK so far this year, despite far more draconian restrictions on firearms than even you advocate.
        Tell me again how more restrictions on the legal possession of firearms will stop people from getting shot……

  5. States trying to dictate their own view of the Second Amendment is akin to States trying to dictate their own view of the First Amendment. It doesn’t happen with the First and sure as hell shouldn’t happen with the Second.

  6. The constitution and bill of rights protect no one anymore. It is often quoted and and lauded by politicians and judges who then do their best to destroy as much of it as they can. It is inconvenient to them and they hold themselves in higher regard than freedom and the founders of the country. What they want, is more important than the rights of the people. They abuse the average citizen a hundred different ways daily and often go out of their way to do so, as a matter of duty. When was the last time any of them, did one thing to increase your freedoms and liberties, or repealed a tax to help you pay your bills, during hard times? When was the last time they found in favor of the average citizen when police power was exercised in an illegal search and seizure or wiretap?

    But they can be trusted and are really good guys and girls, we are assured.

    I see scant evidence of that assertion. I see voluminous and mounting evidence of the contrary condition and now, I also see a smirking face which says to me, “what are you going to do about it?”

    • I see scant evidence of that assertion. I see voluminous and mounting evidence of the contrary condition and now, I also see a smirking face which says to me, “what are you going to do about it?”

      The only thing that has kept those smirking faces from going WAY further than they have so far is the thought of several million armed citizens crying “ENOUGH!”

  8. Gun Proabitionists (Mikey) take note. Evan a leftey like Vallone is saying “But legal guns with permits granted here or elsewhere are not the ones being used to commit crimes…” and “We still need to modify our gun laws…” (which are too strict). The VPC and Brady’s must be wetting themselves.

  9. Silver, you have the correct slant on all this and I don’t know why everybody else doesn’t. And just because there is a LAW doesn’t make it LEGAL, RIGHT, or CONSTITUTIONAL. What about ALL the things we U.S. Citizens expect to be operable no matter which state we visit: Marriage (except gay); driver licenses; freedom of speech; divorce; right to move to wherever you need to or wish to; license plates; and a host of other things I can’t even think of at the moment. Yet, the SECOND amendment has been trashed totally in NY, CA, NJ, HI, IL, DC, and partly in every other place in the U.S. At this point one wonders HOW IN HELL DID WE AND THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN? The concept of absolute safety is a pipe dream, and gun control laws certainly don’t perform as advertised. Congress could easily repair the damage by going back to square one: pass a law that repeals all state, local, and federal gun laws. Then rely on the rest of the legal system to punish and incarcerate miscreants, and there are plenty of laws on the books to do this.

    • Mike the Limey said, “So it’s OK for you to state a law is worthless & meaningless but not OK for anyone whose views are at odds with yours.”

      Would you mind telling us where in the hell you got that idea? It is OK for me to state whatever I want, but did I say you shouldn’t.

      Why is it so hard for you go disagree with somebody without getting all weird?

      • You state the 2nd & 3rd Amendments are worthless & meaningless but when proponents of self defence say the same about New York’s elitist & dysfunctional firearms regulations you are quick to condemn them as scofflaws.

        I think that’s quite clear & not in the least weird.

        You really should spend some time in a “gun free” society like here in the UK in order to experience the increased level of personal crime it engenders – it isn’t pretty & criminals still have guns.

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