Rockford Files / L.A. gun laws

Maybe as a private eye he was required to?

California does have a database of handguns and owners.

However, the only legal consequences happen if a gun that's not registered is used in any sort of "crime" including carrying it concealed (which includes UNLOADED WITH NO AMMO IN THE VICINITY in California). Then, a misdemeanor can be upgraded to a felony, for example.

WRT a permit, AFAIK a private investigator's license automatically allows carry in California, at least while on the job.

But who knows. So much of California gun law is the result of case law, not the plain language of the law. Also, have you read it? Some of it's not decipherable, apparently contradictory, and all of it is ridiculously convoluted.

Rockford Files is fiction, not a documentary. Rockford was a convicted felon, and it would have been illegal for him to own any gun at all, registered or not. Try not to read too much historical fact into TV shows.

Rockford was a convicted felon who was released because the governor gave him an official pardon, technically that gave him a get out of free card, but as a convicted felon any weapon in his possesion loaded or not, would have been an automatic felony.

however, to many felons break that little law.

Don't pardon's normally include a restoration of rights?

I thought pardons removed the crime completely while clemency or commutation merely reduced or removed the punishment.

I know Wikipedia says differently but, that's Wikipedia.....never know about that thing.

I thought pardons removed the crime completely while clemency merely reduced or removed the punishment.

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True. A real pardon means that it's as if the conviction never happened.

However, a TV pardon means that you can only load your gun with prop department blanks.

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As long as you keep it in the cookie jar at your beachfront mobile home

They make a point in the show that he is a convicted felon and cant own guns. That is why is usually did not carry one, and why he kept it in a cookie jar.

Its just fiction.

Family Guy has a talking dog. Is that real?

Family Guy has a talking dog. Is that real?

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You mean he can't talk? Thanks for killing the dream! The next thing you're gonna tell me is that Obama isn't "change you can believe in."

As long as you keep it in the cookie jar at your beachfront mobile home

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Bah! You beat me to it!


Always loved that show.

That and Columbo. "Uhhh...just one more question..."

This was also a time when someone of modest means (remember that he seldom got paid) could afford land in Malibu, and I doubt if it was possible even then.

At least Alf was real...

The Lone Haranguer said:

This was also a time when someone of modest means (remember that he seldom got paid) could afford land in Malibu, and I doubt if it was possible even then.

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But I don't think he actually owned any land in Malibu. His trailer was just sitting on the parking lot on the beach. So where was he getting his electricity, water, phone, etc???

Scott

actually if you watched the tv series in its intirety, and watched the tv movies they made in the 1990s, youd know that;

his trailer was an established residence installed before the big parking lot was put in. in later times its revealed that it has full sewer and water and electric and gas hookups. as if it was installed on the site of the former livein life guards hut.

The next thing you're gonna tell me is that Obama isn't "change you can believe in.

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Oh it's change alright... and I beleive it's happening.

I just don't agree with 99% of it.

Good show. But, moving the trailer to Paradise Cove, in later shows, was bad tactics. Only one way in or out. It's not paradise, but it is a cove with a single narrow road leading to the Pacific Coast Highway.

For those outside California, Rockford lived south of Zuma Beach where they filmed "Gidget", "China Beach" and north of the mall where they filmed "Malibu's Most Wanted".

For those outside California, Rockford lived south of Zuma Beach

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My first trip to California was "tour guided" by a guy in his late 50's and accompanied by his much younger wife. This being my first trip down the PCH, I started recognizing some of the scenery and asked "Where is Rockford's trailer?" He smiled and said that it was a couple of blocks back. His wife then asked "Who's trailer? Is this some friend of yours?"

We had a big laugh.

Rockford Files is fiction, not a documentary. Rockford was a convicted felon, and it would have been illegal for him to own any gun at all, registered or not. Try not to read too much historical fact into TV shows.

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Jim was pardoned

Jim was pardoned

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In the show he was still forbidden from owning a gun... hence the cookie jar.