Justice: Retired Army Vet Gets $15,000 From City After Being Threatened By Police

[Jeff]

Anyone that can legally carry know your laws because it seems many on the police force dont


Over the past couple of months open carry (http://bearingarms.com/ar-15-open-carry-is-it-outreach-or-antagonism/) has become a form of protest for pro-gun owners wanting to have their voices heard. The process is usually peaceful, and requires extensive knowledge of your local carry laws. But what happens when you’re carrying just for self-defense?
KiroTV (http://bearingarms.com/ar-15-open-carry-is-it-outreach-or-antagonism/) reports on how a chance encounter can turn dangerous:

John Laigaie (lah-GAY’) III is a 64-year-old, retired U.S. Army master sergeant and Second Amendment advocate. He says he was walking his dog in the park on Dec. 19, 2011, and openly carrying his 9 mm handgun on his hip when an officer approached him, demanded identification and told him it was illegal to have a gun in the park.
Laigaie says that when he told the officer it wasn’t illegal and offered to show him a copy of the state law, the officer drew his gun and pointed it at Laigaie’s chest from three feet away.
Laigaie was eventually allowed to leave the park with his gun. His attorneys, with the Lustick Law Firm of Bellingham, say the city also agreed to provide police and 911 operators with additional training to prevent similar confrontations in the future.
Lawyers say Bellingham agreed to pay $15,000 to Laigaie.

http://bearingarms.com/justice-retired-army-vet-gets-15000-from-city-after-being-threatened-by-police/

[fj1200]

KiroTV (http://bearingarms.com/ar-15-open-carry-is-it-outreach-or-antagonism/) reports on how a chance encounter can turn dangerous:
Lawyers say Bellingham agreed to pay $15,000 to Laigaie.

http://bearingarms.com/justice-retired-army-vet-gets-15000-from-city-after-being-threatened-by-police/


Why?

[Kathianne]

Why?

Civil Rights violation:

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/bellingham-man-wins-15000-settlement-after-city-co/nZPdj/


...Laigaie knew that Washington is an "open carry" state where it is allowed. He even offered the officer, Allen Bass, a copy of that law when Bass asked for his identification. When Laigaie refused to hand over his ID, he said the officer pulled out his own weapon and pointed it at him. "A couple of times, he had it right in my chest and that was 6, 7 inches from muzzle to flesh," Laigaie said. Laigaie demanded that the officer put the weapon away. "I wasn't breaking the law, I was well within the law and he had no right to do that. I don't like being bullied," he said.


Laigaie said he never touched his own gun, just continued to clutch the leashes of the dogs he was walking. He said everything calmed down after two other men in the park approached the pair, and told the officer that carrying a holstered weapon in Washington was legal. Laigaie filed a complaint against the city claiming his civil rights were violated. As part of a civil settlement, Laigaie was awarded $15,000. He was also told that all police officers and 911 dispatchers in the city will be trained in open carry laws.

...

[Marcus Aurelius]

Not only was the veteran smart enough to know his states open carry law, he was smart enough to know there was no exclusionary zone in the park (some municipalities, businesses, etc. can still ban open carry in their localities, depending on the state, but it has to be posted in most cases).

[fj1200]

Civil Rights violation:

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/bellingham-man-wins-15000-settlement-after-city-co/nZPdj/

Hmm, didn't seem like his rights were violated but good on him. Ignorance of the law shouldn't be free for the law either.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Hmm, didn't seem like his rights were violated but good on him. Ignorance of the law shouldn't be free for the law either. Really? He is out walking not breaking any law and an ignorant police officer falsely accuses him of a criminal act and points a gun at him . I don't know about you but if its me I'm going to feel like my rights have been violated all to hell and back. Ever had a loaded pistol pointed at you and the guy pointing has hostile intent? I have and all three times it wasn't even a cop. Trust me you feel your right to the pursuit of happiness and old age has been violated.:laugh: Should that happen to me now I might just crap a brick but back then I took it in stride and was very damn lucky not to have got filled full of lead.. These were not pansy ass people... -Tyr

[fj1200]

Really? He is out walking not breaking any law and an ignorant police officer falsely accuses him of a criminal act and points a gun at him . I don't know about you but if its me I'm going to feel like my rights have been violated all to hell and back. Ever had a loaded pistol pointed at you and the guy pointing has hostile intent? I have and all three times it wasn't even a cop. Trust me you feel your right to the pursuit of happiness and old age has been violated.:laugh: Should that happen to me now I might just crap a brick but back then I took it in stride and was very damn lucky not to have got filled full of lead.. These were not pansy ass people... -Tyr

Your pursuit of happiness is not a right, your life, liberty and property are rights and only one of which was briefly detained. And I'd say the gun pointer has different intent if he's a cop or not. But he got $15k and taught the po-po a lesson so all is well and good.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Your pursuit of happiness is not a right, your life, liberty and property are rights and only one of which was briefly detained. And I'd say the gun pointer has different intent if he's a cop or not. But he got $15k and taught the po-po a lesson so all is well and good. -------------------------------------------------- I BEG TO DIFFER ON THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS PART.............................................. .................................................. ................
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new guards for their future security — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. — The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world. SOURCE http://www.usconstitution.net/declar.html ------------------------------------------------------------


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The Declaration of Independence

[fj1200]

I BEG TO DIFFER ON THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS PART

OK, but the DoI carries no force of law and "the pursuit" is not reiterated in the Constitution where property is. I would suggest that pursuit is redundant and instead of articulating the role of government in property that TJ came up with an alternative phrase because things just sound better in threes. :poke:

[Marcus Aurelius]

Your pursuit of happiness is not a right, your life, liberty and property are rights and only one of which was briefly detained. And I'd say the gun pointer has different intent if he's a cop or not. But he got $15k and taught the po-po a lesson so all is well and good.

It is, according to the Founding Fathers of this country...


We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness

[fj1200]

It is, according to the Founding Fathers of this country...


OK, but the DoI carries no force of law and "the pursuit" is not reiterated in the Constitution where property is. I would suggest that pursuit is redundant and instead of articulating the role of government in property that TJ came up with an alternative phrase because things just sound better in threes. :poke:

Sure but I prefer my rights be a bit less vague.

[Larrymc]

Anyone that can legally carry know your laws because it seems many on the police force dont


Over the past couple of months open carry (http://bearingarms.com/ar-15-open-carry-is-it-outreach-or-antagonism/) has become a form of protest for pro-gun owners wanting to have their voices heard. The process is usually peaceful, and requires extensive knowledge of your local carry laws. But what happens when you’re carrying just for self-defense?
KiroTV (http://bearingarms.com/ar-15-open-carry-is-it-outreach-or-antagonism/) reports on how a chance encounter can turn dangerous:
John Laigaie (lah-GAY’) III is a 64-year-old, retired U.S. Army master sergeant and Second Amendment advocate. He says he was walking his dog in the park on Dec. 19, 2011, and openly carrying his 9 mm handgun on his hip when an officer approached him, demanded identification and told him it was illegal to have a gun in the park.
Laigaie says that when he told the officer it wasn’t illegal and offered to show him a copy of the state law, the officer drew his gun and pointed it at Laigaie’s chest from three feet away.
Laigaie was eventually allowed to leave the park with his gun. His attorneys, with the Lustick Law Firm of Bellingham, say the city also agreed to provide police and 911 operators with additional training to prevent similar confrontations in the future.
Lawyers say Bellingham agreed to pay $15,000 to Laigaie.

http://bearingarms.com/justice-retired-army-vet-gets-15000-from-city-after-being-threatened-by-police/


I find it hard to believe this officer didn't know the law, more like he didn't think the vet did.