Think this guy is screwed?

[Nickle]

Really?? So FOPA doesn't apply in MA??

In theory or in practice, Len?

In theory, it applies. In practice is a whole different story.

Many of us that don't live in MA don't trust your LEO's or the Courts to abide by Federal Law, or even your own state Laws.

When traveling with firearms through MA, I don't get off of I-91. That sounds odd, until you realize the only way I'll travel with firearms through MA is if I'm enroute to CT.

Parts of NY State aren't any better, especially Albany Airport.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Gotcha, thanks LenS, my bad.

It's quite understandable. It's all very confusing and sometimes contradictory.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Nickle, I can't disagree with you.

It's also why I'm not sure that I'd ever rely on FOPA if I had an SUV or other vehicle where any guns/ammo wasn't hidden from "plain view" (which becomes fair game for any LEO query).

Way back when I shot bullseye, my pistol box wouldn't fit in that poor excuse for a trunk in my 1973 Mercury Capri, so I used to "strap it in" on the passenger seat. The gun box was locked and I only traveled with it within my own town (where I was friends with the chief) so it was never an issue. Now 30 years later, no way in hell I'd ever do the same thing even in my own town.

 

[cekim]

In theory, it applies. In practice is a whole different story.

I'm thinking that a copy of FOPA gets laminated on the outside of all gun cases and a fresh copy of applicable MGL's gets tossed into the trunk alongside them

I wonder how many volumes I'd need to cover the applicable laws?[sad2]

 

[drgrant]

The shittiest part about this whole thing is that this kid is getting wrung up on a whole bunch of charges that wouldn't even be applicable in most of new england, save for this terrible state.

Was the guy not thinking? Probably not, probably doesn't know how much of a dump this state is WRT gun laws. Maybe he was driving like an ass,
too. Keeping gun related stuff visible in a vehicle is dumb. But merely being a minor moron isn't felony material.

It's hard getting past the fact that in any free state he probably would get bagged for "driving like an ass" and that'd be the end of it, and maybe
a wrist-slap for the brass knuckles, depending on the state.

-Mike

 

[jcr]

No need for FOPA in Massachusetts ?

How about this from the MGL:

-->
Chapter 140: Section 129C
[...]
The provisions of this section shall not apply to the following exempted persons and uses:
[...]
(h) Possession of rifles and shotguns and ammunition therefor by nonresidents traveling in or through the commonwealth, providing that any rifles or shotguns are unloaded and enclosed in a case;
<--

FOPA says locked, but MGL just says in a case. We see one case in the picture, the other could have been in a "sock", but the law doesn't say it need be a hard case.

The storage laws, seem to be covered by the trigger locks.

Of course the section of the law wasn't updated for high-capacity magazine so maybe that will be his fiolation. Then, again, the FOPA doesn't protect them either -- locked in a trunk or not.

 

[Bob P]

You'd think he would have been more careful in his driving...swerving around on the highway?

I.E. he was driving like a d-bag and pissed the Statie off. When he got pulled over there was something visable that shouldn't have been - either ammo or the knife out on the seat next to him or the long guns in the truck bed that gave the cop probable cause to search the rest.

 

[Bob P]

I'm thinking that a copy of FOPA gets laminated on the outside of all gun cases and a fresh copy of applicable MGL's gets tossed into the trunk alongside them

I wonder how many volumes I'd need to cover the applicable laws?[sad2]

I think we need a bigger trunk

 

[Underwhere]

I.E. he was driving like a d-bag and pissed the Statie off. When he got pulled over there was something visable that shouldn't have been - either ammo or the knife out on the seat next to him or the long guns in the truck bed that gave the cop probable cause to search the rest.

You assume he was driving like a D-bag.
Staties can pull you over for any reason. Maybe he was driving perfectly normal.

His truck is tiny. Being a truck owner, I know it's not possible to put a long gun out of view when in a truck that size.

I wouldn't put my guns in a truck bed either. What if I'm at a red light and some walks by and decides to take them.
On a long trip what if you need to make a rest stop? Gonna leave them in the bed?

My guns go in the cabin with me under my direct control.

 

[Bob P]

You assume he was driving like a D-bag.
Staties can pull you over for any reason. Maybe he was driving perfectly normal.

His truck is tiny. Being a truck owner, I know it's not possible to put a long gun out of view when in a truck that size.

I wouldn't put my guns in a truck bed either. What if I'm at a red light and some walks by and decides to take them.
On a long trip what if you need to make a rest stop? Gonna leave them in the bed?

My guns go in the cabin with me under my direct control.

Assumption based on the article which stated he was pulled over for weaving in and out of traffic.

 

[Underwhere]

Assumption based on the article which stated he was pulled over for weaving in and out of traffic.

Yes I realize it stated that in the article.

But from personal experience I have been pulled over driving perfectly normal before, just strange times at night (also for speeding and what I think are legitimate reasons). What did he say? Swerving in and out of lanes which I was definitely not doing. It was late at night an no cars on the road. There's no way to prove I was or wasn't (unless he has a dash cam in which case it would prove that I wasn't)

My point: None of us were there so we don't really know what happened.

If any of us were on the way to an NES shoot in a truck like that, the article could have read very similarly...but we'd have more firepower with us.

 

[Bob P]

Very valid point. I was just coming at it from the angle that if he WAS driving through MA with guns in the car and was driving agressivly/erratically it was a seriously dumb move.

OTOH, he may have been as innocent as snow and the LEO saw something he didn't like and pulled him over.

 

[atek3]

Hi. Former NH resident here, infrequent poster.

Does anyone have contact information for Luke? A friend of mine made a similar mistake while driving from CT to VT through MA. His lawyer was a miracle worker. I'd like to suggest that this poor guy hire the same one.

please PM me.

atek3

 

[jkelly]

Hi. Former NH resident here, infrequent poster.

Does anyone have contact information for Luke? A friend of mine made a similar mistake while driving from CT to VT through MA. His lawyer was a miracle worker. I'd like to suggest that this poor guy hire the same one.

please PM me.

atek3

Which miracle worker was he?


Respectfully,

jkelly

 

[terraformer]

Hi. Former NH resident here, infrequent poster.

Does anyone have contact information for Luke? A friend of mine made a similar mistake while driving from CT to VT through MA. His lawyer was a miracle worker. I'd like to suggest that this poor guy hire the same one.

please PM me.

atek3

I would take the mom's name and look her up in the white pages and give her a call.

 

[Underwhere]

Hi. Former NH resident here, infrequent poster.

Does anyone have contact information for Luke? A friend of mine made a similar mistake while driving from CT to VT through MA. His lawyer was a miracle worker. I'd like to suggest that this poor guy hire the same one.

please PM me.

atek3

Good luck in finding him. I hope you do. Poor kid.

 

[atek3]

I called my friend who lives in Danbury, but he couldn't find an Amye or Luke Huizinga in the white pages. Google and facebook were also fruitless. I've exhausted my regular channels. He had his arraignment, so he must have some representation. I wish him the best.

atek3

 

[atek3]

I called my friend who lives in Danbury, but he couldn't find an Amye or Luke Huizinga in the white pages. Google and facebook were also fruitless. I've exhausted my regular channels. He had his arraignment, so he must have some representation. I wish him the best.

atek3

And to all the fellow gun folks who bag on this kid for being stupid or ignorant of local (dumb) laws, I still hope you never get nailed by some ridiculous law.

atek3

 

[Spanz]

edited. pm me if you need the info again.

 

[terraformer]

I called my friend who lives in Danbury, but he couldn't find an Amye or Luke Huizinga in the white pages. Google and facebook were also fruitless. I've exhausted my regular channels. He had his arraignment, so he must have some representation. I wish him the best.

atek3

Whatever representation he has, it sucks because the kid is actually still in jail last I heard. The post above this has his dad's company. Call, ask to leave a message for him (don't ask to speak with him) and leave your number. Hopefully he calls back. If he doesn't, leave a second message with the lawyers number and the message that he was able to help your friend out in the same predicament.

 

[atek3]

could be. but there are 3 male huizinga's who aren't Luke.

 

[Len-2A Training]

You can use Zabasearch to give a call to the Huizingas in Danbury. Bet most/all are related.

http://www.zabasearch.com/query1_za...me_style=1&city=danbury&name_style=1&tm=&tmr=

Good luck, I'd like to see this kid walk too and he needs an expert lawyer or it'll be a long time 'til he walks free again . . . with a lifetime conviction over his head.

 

[CrossFrire]

I routinely drive from MA to my family home in PA, crossing RI, CT and anti-gun NY.
I have CCW permit for PA and MA and always have several weapons and ammo in the vehicle. I have all locked in cases and ammo locked in seperate containers.
No loaded magazines. I also carry printed copies of the Federal laws allowing interstate transport to hand out as needed.
This has saved me from ending up like this kid from CT on two occassions, but then I was only in NY and not the Sheeple's Socialist Republic.
The posts that LEOs are horribly ignorant of firearms laws is an understatement. Most see a weapons bust, legal or not, as a career booster and would rather nail a suburban gun owner that a downtown crack dealer any day of the week. A crack dealer might fight back.

 

[atek3]

Once, I got pulled over passing through MA with a trunk full of guns. I gave him the ole, "yes officer, sir" routine for about 5 minutes and I was on my way. Thank you 4th amendment, and thank you, FOPA86.

atek3

 

[Coyote33]

Anyone know what became of this case?

Anybody going to attend the hearing (can anybody go)?

Is GOAL going to get involved?

 

[terraformer]

Anyone know what became of this case?

No, I have a news alert on his full name set up so if it hits the news I should see it. But these things take time. I hope he got out of jail at least.

 

[terraformer]

Update as promised:

An op-ed ran in a local CT paper blasting the paper for it's coverage and MA in general.
It doesn't say much more than what we already know, but it gives a personal account of the kid. I love this line of his though.

Massachusetts has historically persecuted and harassed gun owners. I think they learned it from the British, who have now knighted the chief Massachusetts gun hater.

With a little better grammar and a trim, that would make one hell of a sig line.

http://www.newstimes.com/ci_12019128

Huizinga's weapons were legally obtained
Newstimes
Updated: 03/28/2009 02:18:05 PM EDT

I was both saddened and angered by your front-page story about Luke Huizinga. Only days earlier, I personally supervised Luke, his friends and many others at a shooting range.
He conducted himself in a responsible and adult manner and never required any warning. His guns, which were the same he had at the range, were legally obtained and he worked hard to obtain the money for them.

I remember him at the workplace the day he turned legal age to buy those guns and how exciting a time it was for him to be reaching another level of responsibility as he grows into adulthood.

Seeing him cuffed on the front-page of your newspaper reinforced my opinion of your liberal bias. Calling two guns and five knives an arsenal is really nothing more than an exaggeration.

On any given day in Connecticut, there are perhaps hundreds of people with two guns legally in their cars on the highways, and some from out of state.

I do not believe showing him cuffed was necessary and only made him look bad, which he wasn't, but there's your bias.

Under federal law, anyone qualified to possess guns in their home state can legally transport guns across a state line, provided they are also qualified to possess those same guns at their destination.

Massachusetts has historically persecuted and harassed gun owners. I think they learned it from the British, who have now knighted the chief Massachusetts gun hater.

Sportsmen traveling to Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire to hunt or participate in shooting events are always fearful of being stopped and harassed.
Police charge you and it's your turn to prove your innocence to the judge, at a personal cost. When vindicated and released, that never gets reported.

Bill Guiffredo

NAUGATUCK

 

[VinS]

Has anyone seen anymore about this case?

 

[Len-2A Training]

He plead out and was damn lucky. Long "end discussion" on it at ARfcom including responses by the guy who got arrested. Not sure if it is in the "public" area or in the Team Members forum however.

 

[terraformer]

He plead out and was damn lucky. Long "end discussion" on it at ARfcom including responses by the guy who got arrested. Not sure if it is in the "public" area or in the Team Members forum however.

Pleading to anything doesn't seem like he was lucky.