Police Injustice Pawtucket, RI

[Thunderbolt]

Just received this bit of info, I figured I would pass it along. I had just purchased a firearm from Bill back in April from the dealer he was working at.

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About 3 weeks ago, William Bannon of Pawtucket, RI was returning home to leave his concealed handgun at his house before going to the hospital. Bill had to go to the emergency room because his tracheotomy was bleeding. Bill has a valid RI Pistol Permit allowing him to carry concealed in the State of Rhode Island. At the time that he was dropping off his handgun, which he placed on his kitchen table, his wife was receiving an oxygen delivery. The individual who was making the oxygen delivery saw the handgun on the table and saw Bill bleeding from the throat. He ran out of the house and called the Pawtucket Police.

The Pawtucket Police arrived. They forced their way into Bill’s house. They searched his house and confiscated his extensive firearms collection, which included ammunition, military style firearms, handguns, knives, and other memorabilia. More police arrived. As they were removing his ammunition, they were dividing it amongst themselves. The Police ransacked Bill’s house.

These are the problems:

At the time that the Police arrived and entered his house, Bill was not charged with any crime, and he was not read his Miranda Rights.
Bill was not given a receipt for any of the ammunition, guns, knives, or memorabilia that was taken.
Bill was denied medical treatment until the Pawtucket Police had finished removing whatever property they desired to remove.

A few days later, the Pawtucket Police charged Bill with possession of a stun gun and possession of sparklers (the type used on the 4th of July).

Bill’s rights were severely violated. Rumor has it that Pawtucket officials wish that this incident never happened.

We need to collectively support Bill Bannon so that these types of horrific invasions by government entities never occur again. History reminds us that these were the same tactics used by the Nazi SS before and during World War II. Without our action and support, this could happen to any of us.

For further information and how to provide support to Bill, you can contact us or our affiliate store in Pawtucket, RI – Competition Shooting Supplies.

 

[SKS Ray]

I'd say Bill has them over a barrel and should screw them in the ass with the biggest lawsuit he can afford.
Makes me want to start documenting everything firearm related I own, even knives, and keep them secured in a safe depost box in case JBTs come in and try passing off that "I didn't see nuthin'" crap.

 

[Admin]

possession of sparklers (the type used on the 4th of July).

Hmmm...... Sounds like they need some fluff on the charge sheet...

NH is a short drive away.

 

[dwarven1]

Hmmm...... Sounds like they need some fluff on the charge sheet...

+1! I recall an arrest report where it was claimed that someone had "bomb-making instructions". It was actually a Paladin Press catalog.

 

[zenprop]

Hey Bill, don't leave your CCW on the kitchen table. Why didn't you just put it away in the first place, isn't that the whole reason you went home?

 

[Jose]

Hey Bill, don't leave your CCW on the kitchen table. Why didn't you just put it away in the first place, isn't that the whole reason you went home?

How in the hell could you even hint at this being Bill's fault?

I sincerely hope you are joking.

 

[stinx]

Miranda is only required if you are in custody and being questioned. The entry probably was not illegal, You have a known party reporting an injured person possibly shot and a gun on the table. Most likeley the entry would be ok. Once it was determined nobodys life was endanger and the gentleman was properly licensed, the police should have explained the situation and left. The search after the fact would not be valid. a known complaitant, an injured/bleeding person and a gun in plain sight are enough exigency for the police to enter.

Imagine the out cry if the police blew off the delivery guy and then it turned out the person had been shot and the police did nothing. The initial entry under these circumstances would be ok, the search after and trumped up charges would not. The police should have provided medical care and the property owner has a right to a receipt. THe reciept protects all parties,involved. the reciepts lists all property removed and specifically spells out what was and was not there. The Police were foolish to not provide documentation of the property. doing that is as stupid as hiring a mover who does not inventory your propoerty before they move you. With no inventory whats to stop a person from making all kinds of bogus claims to missing or damaged property.

 

[AntiqueWeapons.org]

I'm not surprised one bit. Pawtucket has a history of this sort of thing.

Bill's ammo is long gone & probably most of his collection is in the homes of the officers involved. My bet is that less than 1/5 of the property stolen from Bill was placed into the evidence locker.

 

[zenprop]

Jose, not a joke. If he went home and put it right away Bill could have taken his bleeding traech directly to the hospital and not to jail. I'm not familiar with RI law but wouldn't have been easier to go directly to the hospital and legally store the firearm in his car or could he have taken it into the hospital with him (law permitting)? I'm not saying what the cops did was right, because it's not by any means, but it's his own fault they got called in the first place.

 

[AntiqueWeapons.org]

I remember a few instances in my life when police were at my home & guns were in plain sight & there were never any issues or disasters.

When I lived in Springfield, I was in a very bad neighborhood that had all sorts of scum & thugs.. Anyway, on one night, a car was parked out front of my house & they started shooting bbs at the house, so I grabbed a rifle, went to the door & pointed it at the driver & ordered him to not move or else.. police came 45 minutes later.. while they were approaching in their vehicles, I unloaded, laid weapon on ground, stepped back & stood with both hands palm up by my side & waited for instructions... Nothing happened to me,, they asked what's going on, asked for id, etc & they arrested the two kids in the car.. I was allowed to pick up my weapon & go back in the house.. (this incident occured several months after my car windows were smashed, otherwise I may not have been so irate as to go & point a loaded rifle at a human being, but it detained the bastards long enough to get arrested for blasting my apartment windows)


On another occaison, same house, police were there again, this time in pursuit of someone on foot who kicked in a door to one of the vacant units in the building I lived in, apparently trying to evade or hide. After they detained him, they came to my apartment because I was the only tenant occupying building,, I let them in my apartment. guns on the wall, etc.. not once did they ask or mention anything about the guns, only to talk about the damaged door & what happened.


Well, I left springfield for CT.. my apartment was next to a bar room.. one night I looked out my window & saw some guy urinating on my 69 Pontiac, so I opened the door & told the idiot that the bar had a bathroom, but this jerk became combative & tried to force his way in my apartment with his buddy, but a chop from a japanese sword stopped them & they took off when a neighbor yelled that police were called.. Again, they were invited into my home & again, guns in plain sight.. not once was an issue made.. they just asked about the incident they were called for & I informed them that one of them was cut & I even offered them the edged weapon to inspect, but they declined & left.....

Another day, I called police because a bar patron hit my parked car & left.. the door was wide open & the officer saw a gun case... (small apartment).. he asked what was in the case & I told him rifles, but he did not go further.. I asked if he wanted to come in & look or check anything out, but nope.. nothing at all..

I'm glad I wasn't in Pawtucket.

 

[bpm990d]

but it's his own fault they got called in the first place.

That's a stretch.

 

[matt1956]

Jose, not a joke. If he went home and put it right away Bill could have taken his bleeding traech directly to the hospital and not to jail. I'm not familiar with RI law but wouldn't have been easier to go directly to the hospital and legally store the firearm in his car or could he have taken it into the hospital with him (law permitting)? I'm not saying what the cops did was right, because it's not by any means, but it's his own fault they got called in the first place.

sorry... I dissagree.

he was obviously in no rush as he was still there when the delivery guy came in and when the PD arrived.

By your account,

If I were home, and cleaning my gun, or just holding it and admiring the pretty shinny stainless finnish. And some how injured myself (not from the fire arm) lets say I cut myself making snow flakes out of paper. So now... not wanting to get blood on my beautiful gun, I do not touch it... in the mean time my wifes delivery of ornimental sea shells arrives via UPS. As she answers the door... the UPS guy notices the blood dripping from my hand and sees the glow of the SS 1911 on the table and runs off like a little b*tch to call the PD.

You are saying that I should now loose ALL my firearms and ammo and anything firearm related?

Ok... I'll give you the moron that called the PD instead of simply asking, "is everything ok?"

And Ill give the PD response and them securing the OUT IN THE OPEN firearm and questioning Bill and Mrs. Bill.

THAT my friend is where this case should have ended.

And come on... Even sparklers are Legal in MA!!!

I can smell the bullshit form RI up here

 

[zenprop]

I never said Bill should lose all of his firearms, and I did say I thought the cops were way out of line. So no Matt, you should not lose all your guns, but people need to take and/or let Bill take responsibility for things he could have prevented.

If I'm cleaning my gun and I need to answer the door I simply throw a towel over it so nobody can see it. My wife (who has applied and is waiting to receive her LTC) knows better than to show and/or allow people to see the guns in our house.

All I'm saying is if he had just put it away nobody would be having these conversations. It was an unfortunate and entirely preventable incident.

 

[JonJ]

Is there a link to this "story" for a newspaper article or something?

 

[KMaurer]

If I'm cleaning my gun and I need to answer the door I simply throw a towel over it so nobody can see it.

So a bunch of people force their way into your house while you're bleeding from the throat, and your automatic reaction is to throw a towel over your gun???

Ken

 

[Mattitude]

Bill is in his house...why the hell does he HAVE to put away/conceal/hide a legally owned firearm IN HIS OWN HOUSE???? WTF is the world coming to if you can't even have a gun out in your own damn house!!! Just because some asshat saw a firearm on a table doesn't give the police the right to burst through the door. Hell, even if you call 911 the police knock first. This is such a giant pile of stinking crap.

 

[dwarven1]

Tell me, Zenprop... are you usually BLEEDING while you're thinking to cover your gun? I'm guessing that Bill had a few other things on his mind... and it occurs to me that he might have thought that the Fourth Amendment kept him safe in his own house.

 

[matt1956]

I never said Bill should lose all of his firearms, and I did say I thought the cops were way out of line. So no Matt, you should not lose all your guns, but people need to take and/or let Bill take responsibility for things he could have prevented.

If I'm cleaning my gun and I need to answer the door I simply throw a towel over it so nobody can see it. My wife (who has applied and is waiting to receive her LTC) knows better than to show and/or allow people to see the guns in our house.

All I'm saying is if he had just put it away nobody would be having these conversations. It was an unfortunate and entirely preventable incident.

Yes... if I was simply cleaning my gun and the pizza delivery guy showed up... I'd cover it. But again... I think Bleeding from the neck... you may be more concerned about the blood then hiding your legally owned and possesed firearm.

 

[sksguns]

everyone knows where this should have ended.

cops come in and secure the scene....get an explanation of what's going on...

call the paramedic..

verify the story with wife

check credentials..

assist to secure the firearms and get the guy to the hospital.

Doesn't seem that any of that happened.

 

[vellnueve]

If I'm bleeding from the throat, I drive straight to the hospital, park on a public street with my gun locked in a strongbox, and get treated. I don't detour home.

 

[Len-2A Training]

If I'm bleeding from the throat, I drive straight to the hospital, park on a public street with my gun locked in a strongbox, and get treated. I don't detour home.

That sounds like the most sensible thing to do.

Secondary, in the Northeast (maybe excluding Northern NH, ME and VT) you do NOT leave guns out, visible by anyone not a household member!! The sheep are terrified by them and the end result is not likely to be pretty. Keep in mind that CT has a "turn in your neighbor with guns" law . . . anybody calls saying that they are in "fear" of a neighbor who has a gun and the police swoop down and confiscate everything. I recall reading about it when it was passed a few years ago. Thus, yes this poor guy should have known better.

BTW, no need for a pizza delivery guy/gal to even get a glimpse of anything in your house. You go out, take the pizza from him/her with the door shut behind you! The logic here has NOTHING to do with guns, but everything to do with personal (and home) safety 101.