Jailed for shooting at private range

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s&w 24

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I got an odd call from my parents on sunday. My friend that lives in Ely MN was thrown in jail for shooting guns on his rural property! I got a chance to call him myself later that day and the full story is that his the people that moved in next to his home are anti hunting and anti gun and for the last 2 years have been harassing My friend Dale(nick name Limey) because the new people next door want his land and he will not sell. In there latest ploy The people next door convinced some one at the county level that Limey is unstable and dangerous with firearms. The county then sent there swat team to observe the property and eventualy arrested Limey for shooting a handgun on his private range that he has been using for 15 years without any issues. The range points 90 deg away from any buildings and has a safe backstop there is no way that any projectiles could have landed anywhere out of the range area.

I met Limey back in 1991 wen I was in college there. He soon became a great friend of the whole family and taught me and my dad how to reload and safe and accurate use of all types of firearms. In the years I've known him he has done more for new shooters and getting people to join the NRA than anyone I know. He survives on SSI due to a cronic back injury and making a few knives here and there. He needs legal help and finantial help as well. If this goes bad he could loose his home and his daughter. As soon as I have more detailed info I will post it.
 
Certainly post more information, however the first thing he NEEDS to do is SUE the people that live next door for slander / defamation, harrasement and then sue the local police department for violating his civil rights.

Seriously, this isn't a laughing matter. He needs to get a lawyer and sue these folks for doing what they are doing. A lot of people don't want to be someone who sues someone... That is one of the ways that we can gain RELEIF from the government and others, by suing.

Also, he needs to document (Carefully) their behaviour toward him. If they are doing intimidation type techinques, then if he has them documented, he can have them arrested for stalking or get some kind of restraining order on them.
 
OK, was this a private gun club's range or one set up on his own property? And, what were the charges?
Click to expand...

Did you even read his post? :banghead:




To the original poster,
Tell him to get a criminal lawyer immediately and to not speak with the police any further.

But there is a problem here that I see. You say these cops/SWAT staked out his property BEFORE arresting him? They must have seen something out of the ordinary because rural police general are aware that country folk like to shoot guns on their property.
How close to where he shoots is the accusers homestead? A lot of places are 1/4 mile from any occupied building and can't be within city limits.
 
Malicious prosecution is what you're looking for. It'd be ironic if he ended up with their house instead of the other way around.
 
SWAT was used because...?

As someone who also has and frequently uses a private range, this hits close to home.

The NRA Legal Defense Fund defends individuals against federal, state, and local authorities who, while enforcing unfair gun laws, violate citizens' rights under the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments.

Your friend needs to get an attorney, have him contact the NRA and see if they will accept his case.
 
There's always more to the story, me thinks. What is he charged with? Do you have a link to a local news story?

K
 
He is obviously guilty, of being old and and not rich. How dare he shoot a gun on his own land. click(sarcasm off)

He has no money=no lawyer
They want his land=they have money.
I have seen this before, I can only wish him the best. and I'll send prayers.
 
Outlaws said: Did you even read his post?
Click to expand...

I certainly did. Thread starts out as describing it as a private range. Then goes onto say its his rural property. I'm assuming this is something akin to a backyard range, but I'm not assuming anything. I must have a different idea of what a private range is than you.


Kentak said: There's always more to the story, me thinks. What is he charged with?
Click to expand...

I'd like to know as well. There is more to this story.
 
Keep us posted on this one. It sounds like a case of blatant violation of your friend's rights, but I cannot help but think there is more to the story or some facts are left out. I too have seen what happens when somebody with money and influence wants something that someone without money or influence owns. It is not nice. I wish your friend all the luck and hope it works out for him. And get him a lawyer ASAP.
 
Jeez. Lots of aggressive legal advice given with zero knowledge of any specific confirmed facts. It goes without saying that anyone arrested should have a lawyer. Perhaps he could be hooked up with some legal aid society in the area. If this is a case of someone with connections using the system to crap on the little guy, well, that's despicable. Other than that, I don't know enough to storm the Bastille.

K
 
The people next door convinced some one at the county level that Limey is unstable and dangerous with firearms. The county then sent there swat team to observe the property and eventualy arrested Limey
Click to expand...

Since when is there a singular complaint that results in a SWAT team staking out property (observing) it and then arresting for
shooting a handgun on his private range
Click to expand...

There is no law of this nature. Something is hokey with the story. He may have been arrested, but not for the claimed offense.

that he has been using for 15 years without any issues
Click to expand...
The length of time isn't salient if the activity for which he was actually arrested was illegal. In other words, just because he has been shooting there for 15 years with no problems doesn't mean what he was doing was always legal or was legal at the time of arrest.

What are the actual charges? Was he actually arrested for shooting a pistol on his own private range or was he arrested for something like weapons violations, assault, or some such other aspect that happened maybe while he was shooting on his own range?
 
Jeez. Lots of aggressive legal advice given with zero knowledge of any specific confirmed facts. It goes without saying that anyone arrested should have a lawyer. Perhaps he could be hooked up with some legal aid society in the area. If this is a case of someone with connections using the system to crap on the little guy, well, that's despicable. Other than that, I don't know enough to storm the Bastille.
Click to expand...

I should have disclaimed "if this is indeed what happened"

gave no specific legal advice other than getting a lawyer and seeing if the NRA wants anything to do with it, again, if this is indeed what happened.
 
I should have disclaimed "if this is indeed what happened"
Click to expand...

Understandable. We all are inclined to be sympathetic with someone whose legitimate rights may have been violated. But, keep in mind that all we know about this is the OP's account of what the guy himself said. Not exactly an unbiased source. I'd want to hear the authorities' side of the story as well.

K
 
Get a damn good lawyer, one to impress and scare the liberals that live next door.

tell him to stock up, that SWAT team can't be good for firearms freedom.
 
I am a friend of S&W 24. He will post more later. But the range from what I understand, is in the guy's back yard. So not a private range with members.

S&W 24 and I were supposed to go black bear hunting there this year. That didn't happen because of work so I haven't met Dale yet, but it is rural enough to hunt on his land.

S&W 24 has told me when him and his dad were bear hunting up there on Dale's land, the neighbor's kids would drive thru on ATVs (tresspassing on Dale's land).
 
What Bouis said.

False arrest, malicious prosecution; these are criminal charges in most States and widely under used IMO. A civil suit against those neighbors making the false report can be initiated as well.

-------------------------------------

http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstates.org
 
2 cents from experience: Zoning Regulations. Someone may have property
that is zoned residential up by the county road and about XXX yards back
before it becomes Agricultural on the county block interior.

If he was shooting in his "back yard" and it was actually zoned "residential"
there could be a problem.
 
Shoot - I don't know about MN, but even in NY you only have to be 500' from a privately owned residence in order to shoot, and your load can't cross a public street. How rural is "rural"?

What was he charged with? SomeONE somewhere signed a complaint...alledging what?
 
First thing I would do is call or visit the county courthouse and inquire as to the laws about shooting in the county/city limits , perhaps even ask to speak to the PA . After that call a lawer and make sure it is a Criminal defense one not a traffice ticket specialist .

Just because your friend was arrested doesn't mean he will be prosecuted .

My nephew many years ago got a ticket for having concealed weapons in his car , it was a hatchback job and he was on his way home from the shooting range . All the guns were unloadded and cased but he got a cop who didn't know the state laws , when he went to court the judge tossed the whole thing out and chewed the cop up one side and down the other .
 
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