The Result Of Chicago Dragging Its Feet

Chicago resident Jesus Duenas has a FOID card and after the New Chicago Gun Law was enacted in response to the city’s loss in McDonald v. Chicago, he purchased a handgun legally. (As an aside, my guess is that his handgun was a Taurus Judge as the story mentions it fired a .410 shotgun shell.) However, at the time because he couldn’t find a range in the City of Chicago to get the required training, he didn’t get a Chicago permit nor did he register the handgun with the city. Of course he couldn’t find a range in the city because they were forbidden by law at the time!

Fast forward to March of this year. After neighbors called the police because of a party at his house, he was arrested when the police entered his home without a warrant in search of a firearm. When they asked him where his gun was, he showed them where it was in the bedroom in a locked case. His arrest was for being in violation of Chicago’s gun laws.

Yesterday, a judge in Chicago dismissed the charges against him. While he now has his Chicago registration card, the police are now trying to revoke it because he purchased the gun before he got the permit.

While the story doesn’t say anything about this, it is my impression that many in Chicago purchased handguns as soon as the city lost McDonald and enacted the New Chicago Gun Law. All they heard in media reports from the time was that the city now had to allow handguns and the onerous requirements to get a permit were glossed over. Of course, ignorance is no excuse but neither is creating so many impediments to lawful compliance that virtually no one could own a handgun legally within Chicago.

Man Wins Handgun Lawsuit Against Chicago: MyFoxCHICAGO.com

H/T Josh

The First Chicago Civilian Certified To Teach Chicago Firearm Permit Class

Colleen Lawson, one of the plaintiffs in McDonald et al v. Chicago et al, is now officially the first civilian from Chicago to be state-certified to teach the Chicago Firearm Permit class.

Colleen announced the good news on her Facebook page.

Congratulations to Colleen who is a wonderful person and who is dedicated to advancing gun rights in the face of huge obstacles. It is a designation that took a lot of hard work and dedication to attain.

UPDATE: Colleen emailed with a correction to this story. I had Colleen as the first civilian certified to teach the Chicago Firearm Permit class. She corrects this to be the first civilian living in Chicago – in other words a Chicagoan – to be certified. Colleen notes that ISRA instructors Richard Pearson, Doug Mayhall, and Lee Goharing are all civilians but live outside the City of Chicago.