Whats next? Having a loaded gun in the child's closet?
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/treasurecoast/content/tcoast/epaper/2008/01/07/0107slgun.html?imw=Y
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Father who has a gun near a child is a criminal?
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Whats next? Having a loaded gun in the child's closet?
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/treasurecoast/content/tcoast/epaper/2008/01/07/0107slgun.html?imw=Y
mljdeckard
Member
I'm thinking the explanation of why he owns a gun was a bit extrapolated and taken out of context. It doesn't make much sense.
You know what? I'm going to have to side with the authorities on this one. 6 is too old to assume they can't fire the gun, and too young to be considered responsible. Add that this household is occupied by violent people, I'm not going to give them the benefit of the doubt.
You know what? I'm going to have to side with the authorities on this one. 6 is too old to assume they can't fire the gun, and too young to be considered responsible. Add that this household is occupied by violent people, I'm not going to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Father arrested for allowing child to sleep with gun under pillow
Listen to this article or download audio file.Click-2-Listen
vs.
Robert Lee Johnson, 39, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of child abuse and domestic battery.
Police were called to the home about 12:30 a.m. Friday because Johnson had come to blows with his stepfather there, the report said.
Sounds like an attention grabbing, bogus headline to me.
Listen to this article or download audio file.Click-2-Listen
vs.
Robert Lee Johnson, 39, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of child abuse and domestic battery.
Police were called to the home about 12:30 a.m. Friday because Johnson had come to blows with his stepfather there, the report said.
Sounds like an attention grabbing, bogus headline to me.
Crunker1337
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Not enough information, and after all the guy was getting into a fight with both a loaded firearm and a child in the house. Not what I'd call responsible gun ownership.
Yosemite**Sam
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If this is true the father doesn't deserve to have a child. Acts of stupidity like this are what further errode our gun rights.
Cosmoline
Member
I think we're missing a chunk of the story here.
scrat
Member
totally agree with yosemite
Zundfolge
Member
If its the kids bed, that might count as being in the child's possession.
The big thing that is missing from the story is whether this guy was a prohibited person BEFORE the police showed up that night.
I agree the "journalists" are trying to hype the story by focusing on the gun under the pillow.
6 may not be too young to be responsible enough to have a gun, assuming the child has been taught well. As noted by other posters, we are likely missing a chunk of the story.
However, according to the article, he was arrested solely for the fact the child had a gun under the pillow, and is charged with suspected child abuse. The domestic battery is a separate issue. The issue I am bringing up is that it is wrong to assume abuse because a kind has a gun nearby.
However, according to the article, he was arrested solely for the fact the child had a gun under the pillow, and is charged with suspected child abuse. The domestic battery is a separate issue. The issue I am bringing up is that it is wrong to assume abuse because a kind has a gun nearby.
3/325
Member
You know, seeing as how guns jump up and attack people with no warning and guns act as a magic talisman that turns the bearer to evil (according to CNN), I would think that Johnson would be afraid of guns.
chris in va
Member
This reminds me of something that happened about 8 years ago.
I got invited to a dinner party at someone's house. As we started passing around the mashed potatoes, the guy jumps up suddenly and asks where his 5 year old is. Mom gets a scared look on her face, both rush back to a bedroom.
Come to find out he had a loaded revolver sitting on top of a tall dresser, and the kid was back there messing around. Yikes.
I got invited to a dinner party at someone's house. As we started passing around the mashed potatoes, the guy jumps up suddenly and asks where his 5 year old is. Mom gets a scared look on her face, both rush back to a bedroom.
Come to find out he had a loaded revolver sitting on top of a tall dresser, and the kid was back there messing around. Yikes.
I can see your concern but I was taught from the time I could motor around on my own that guns were off limits, same as I was taught that I did not put my hand on the stove.
Ever hear of NRA's Eagle Eddie? He has been thrown out of more schools than a truant gang banger! Stop, don't touch, get an adult!
Henry Bowman
Senior Member
Giving credit where credit is due:
At least a kitten didn't have to die for them using the word "clip."
damien
Member
We hear of an unfortunate woman who, during an nighttime asthma attack, confused the small handgun she kept under her pillow with an asthma inhaler and proceeded to relieve her symptoms. It was not a fatal mistake, partly because she used a .25 ACP, which everyone knows is not sufficient to clear sinuses. -- Jeff Cooper
FourNineFoxtrot
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Vermont asked:
I have slept with a gun (Kahr MK9) under my pillow that contained a full magazine, but did not have a round in the chamber (I do think that would be unsafe). I tend to keep my go-to guns this way, full mag, empty chamber. I don't sleep this way at the moment, as it's rather uncomfortable. Physically, I mean; the hard lump of metal under my head gave me headaches, sometimes. Mainly I did it for a while after we had a rash of incidents in the neighborhood where police sirens and shouting (yes, shouting, not shooting) would wake me up in the wee hours.
Paranoid? Probably, especially since I also had another gun (Sig P226) on the bookshelf within arm's reach. It made me feel a little better, though (if also slightly melodramatic), having a gun I didn't need to make the bed springs screech to get at. Mainly, I chalk it up to experimenting. I don't think the gun-under-the-pillow thing works well for me, at least until I can get some better pillows.
I have slept with a gun (Kahr MK9) under my pillow that contained a full magazine, but did not have a round in the chamber (I do think that would be unsafe). I tend to keep my go-to guns this way, full mag, empty chamber. I don't sleep this way at the moment, as it's rather uncomfortable. Physically, I mean; the hard lump of metal under my head gave me headaches, sometimes. Mainly I did it for a while after we had a rash of incidents in the neighborhood where police sirens and shouting (yes, shouting, not shooting) would wake me up in the wee hours.
Paranoid? Probably, especially since I also had another gun (Sig P226) on the bookshelf within arm's reach. It made me feel a little better, though (if also slightly melodramatic), having a gun I didn't need to make the bed springs screech to get at. Mainly, I chalk it up to experimenting. I don't think the gun-under-the-pillow thing works well for me, at least until I can get some better pillows.
tnieto2004
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If what is reported is correct .. there IS enough information to make a judgement (IMHO of course) .. There is no reason a 6 year old should have a loaded handgun under his pillow
If the magazine was found next to the empty holster, was the gun under the pillow actually loaded? I know a lot of us keep two mags, but...
And I wonder if the kid, hearing all the fighting, might not have grabbed the gun herself, thinking (in a scared, panicked 6-year old way) to protect herself.
Just things to wonder about while the whole story develops.
And I wonder if the kid, hearing all the fighting, might not have grabbed the gun herself, thinking (in a scared, panicked 6-year old way) to protect herself.
Just things to wonder about while the whole story develops.
The mag they found must have been a spare . This also does NOT say it was the child's bed .
Reading what was reported , stepfather hears man yelling at kid , confronts him , and they get into a fight .
Now , since when is yelling at your kid "abuse" . Since when is 2 grown men duking it out "domestic battery" .
There's more to the story I'm sure , and possibly things left out for effect .
I'll reserve my judgment for the time ALL the facts are presented .
ChopperKen
Member
I will probably get flamed for this, But...I sleep with a 1911 cond.1 under the pillow. It has come in handy 2 times so far and I find it uncomfortable to not have the lump there now.
As for a 6 year old having a loaded gun...My daughter started shooting my 22 single 6 when she was 5. Teach them and they learn better than an adult.
As for a 6 year old having a loaded gun...My daughter started shooting my 22 single 6 when she was 5. Teach them and they learn better than an adult.
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
While I'm all for starting the little'uns early with their gun-handling...allowing unsupervised access of a loaded pistol to a 6 year-old is a bit off the scale.
A responsible, well-tutored 12 or 13 year-old who has proven to be safe and mature? Maybe. 6 years old? Not a chance. Not in my house. The man needs to have his head examined.
A responsible, well-tutored 12 or 13 year-old who has proven to be safe and mature? Maybe. 6 years old? Not a chance. Not in my house. The man needs to have his head examined.
Bazooka Joe71
Member
Ahhh, no unecessary bandwidth will be wasted today on a 16 page thread from THR members frothing at the mouth about how this reporter has no idea what he is talking about because used the word "clip".
(and no kittens died)
Harley Quinn
Member
And if the 6 year old saved someones life, or was not molested/raped because she had the pistol she would be a celebrity/heroine. 
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lucky_fool
Member
If they live in the same house it's technically domestic battery in this state and at least a few others. The domestic battery statutes tend to be worded along the lines of "cohabiting adults" rather than "spouses" to account for non-married couples.
Unfortunately that also means that if you get into a drunken fistfight with your off-campus college roommate you could be looking at domestic battery charges and all the extra penalties that come with them.
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