Vernon Ferrier - GROUNDBREAKING Ohio gun rights activist, dies

[BB62]

Vernon Ferrier, 64, one of the plaintiffs in the groundbreaking Ohio firearm civil rights case, Klein vs Leis, is dead of a presumed heart attack. He left his wife, children, and other relatives.

Vernon was a hairdresser in the Hyde Park area of Cincinnati.

Here is an extensive obituary in the Cincinnati Enquirer: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060303/NEWS0104/603030409/1060/NEWS01

And the death notice: http://dunes.cincinnati.com/classifieds/obits/obitDisplay.aspx?id=562633

As you may or may not know, Vernon Ferrier, Chuck Klein, and Pat Feely (and a fourth plaintiff?) filed suit against the Hamilton County Sheriff, Simon Leis. Their claim was that concealed carry was illegal, but that open carry, though supposedly legal, would subject the carrier to police stops and potential charges of disturbing the peace, menacing, disorderly conduct, etc.

Vernon's irritation with the the Ohio Supreme Court's lengthy delay in ruling in the Klein vs Leis case caused him to arrange the first "Open Carry Walk" in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Northside. As it happened, the OSC released its ruling a few days before the Northside Walk took place.

Vernon's first Walk was patterned statewide by local organizers in the weeks and months which followed, as the vaunted open carry "Defense Walks".

The Walks preceded and in my mind, were a critical element in the process of passage of Ohio's "shall-issue" concealed carry legislation.

Besides talking to him on various occasions, I had the privilege of open carrying with him one night in his neighboorhood, on empty streets, and visiting various shopowners. It was just me, his attorney, Tim Smith, and Vernon and his tactical shotgun.

I miss him: who he was as a person, and what he did for the gun rights movement in Ohio.

**NEW INFO from Chuck Klein (as reported on OFCC's website) - The following was not reported in the newspaper (but came to me from Tim Smith, lead attorney in the subject suit): Vern was carrying a handgun under his Ohio license and was in compliance with the Ohio requirement to have the gun exposed while in a motor vehicle. While he lay dying in his car - with his gun exposed - a person or persons unknown stole his handgun from his still warm body. Now there is another "illegal" handgun out there all because of the outrageous requirement of the licensee to expose his firearm while in a motor vehicle. **

Stories at http://buckeyefirearms.org/article3006.html and http://www.ohioccw.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3621


BB62

 

[Henry Bowman]

I am proud to have participated in that first open carry walk and grateful for what he did to bring CCW to Ohio.

Thank you. Farewell. Rest in peace.

 

[gunsmith]

????

While he lay dying in his car - with his gun exposed - a person or persons unknown stole his handgun from his still warm body. Now there is another "illegal" handgun out there all because of the outrageous requirement of the licensee to expose his firearm while in a motor vehicle. **

The Ohio press, by leaving this out is allmost as vile as the cretin who stole the gun rather then give aid.

 

[BB62]

Additional info and a link to the Cincinnati Enquirer can be found at Ohioans for Concealed Carry and the Buckeye Firearms Association.

See http://buckeyefirearms.org/article3006.html and
http://www.ohioccw.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3621

As for the gun, there is some speculation that the police may have taken it for safekeeping. Time will tell, and I'm sure Ohio's RKBA organizations will be on top of it when it is appropriate.

A good man is gone.


BB62

 

[Standing Wolf]

Vern was carrying a handgun under his Ohio license and was in compliance with the Ohio requirement to have the gun exposed while in a motor vehicle. While he lay dying in his car - with his gun exposed - a person or persons unknown stole his handgun from his still warm body.

That's what happens when you let cops write CCW and shall issue laws.

 

[BB62]

Bump

 

[BB62]

I've got to vent this, and copies will be sent to various organizations.

Allow me a moment to get to my point...

Yesterday I attended Vernon Ferrier's layout at the Jon Deitloff Funeral Centre ("centre" sounds so 2000's, huh?) at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati. Today I attended the eulogy and service at graveside.

Although my exposure to Vernon was limited to concealed carry/Second Amendment issues, and I appreciated his devotion to the cause, I also greatly liked him as a person. His outgoing personality, his humanity and his ability to see the world seemingly through very few filters (all as brought out at the past days events) astonishes and humbles me.

Now to my point... Spring Grove Cemetary is an HUGE, old cemetery, no doubt "home" to many of Cincinnati's blue blood families, with large grave markers, family mausoleams, large old trees, etc. - an impressive place. The enormous JD Funeral Centre is relatively new.

As one drives in the gate, one might notice a small ghostbuster sign on it. I was astonished when I saw it, thinking "The whole parking lot, plus more, is full of people paying their last respects to a man, who leaves as part of his legacy a crucial and continued presence in matters of effective self-defense via legal concealed carry."

Needless to say, I was sickened.

It turned out that Jon Deitloff himself was at the entrance door this morning. I had to ask him about ceremonial matters, but also used the occasion to mention to him that I noticed the signage. Here was his explanation (not his exact words):

"The reason we have those signs up is that we have funerals for various types of people, and mourners sometimes come armed. We've had situations before where the police have had to be called to deal with things."

I responded "Yes, but people like the ones you describe aren't going to pay attention to those signs anyway."

He agreed, but went on to say "We talked with legal counsel and were advised that persons found carrying here could be charged additionally with a felony (gasp!) for carrying there, ADDED TO the other charges which might be levied against them."

Sensing that it would be a LONG conversation (if I was allowed to continue it), and since I did not want to lose my place in the long line of people paying their respects to Vernon, I thanked him and walked off.

Let me translate what he said: "We have situations here that involve undesirable people carrying (and using?) firearms, so we put signs up for the following reasons: 1) we are not legally liable to CHL holders for injuries related to our decision, 2) undesirables can be charged with even more crimes!, and 3) if you, the law abiding citizen, gets caught in the crossfire, too bad!"

Thoughts? Suggestions?


BB62