Man who posed his daughter in photo with gun is sentenced

[ericire12]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/09/29/roxbury_man_who_posed_his_daughter_with_gun_is_sentenced/

A Roxbury man was sentenced to prison yesterday after he admitted he posed his 17-month-old daughter with a firearm in photos taken earlier this year, said Jake Wark, spokesman for the Suffolk district attorney.

Michael Majors, 20, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment of a child and unlawful possession of a Cobray MAC-11 9mm firearm. Wark said Majors posed his daughter with the weapon and an extended magazine in the photos, which were taken in January.

Majors also pleaded guilty to additional gun charges, including unlawful possession of a large-capacity weapon; a large capacity magazine, or gun chamber; a .38-caliber Colt Government handgun; and various loose rounds of ammunition, Wark said.

A Superior Court judge sentenced him to three to five years in prison with three years’ probation. “It’s not just chilling but incomprehensible that a person would do such a thing with a child,’’ District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said in a prepared statement.

Boston police found the photos and weapons at the home of Majors’s mother Jan. 15 after his child’s mother, Kismauri Pena, 21, called police to the home. Pena told police Majors was armed and had stolen $100 from her and hit her.

Majors was taken into custody, and police searched the home and found four firearms, ammunition, and a bulletproof vest, Wark said. During the search, police also found several photographs in which the child was holding the Cobray MAC-11.

Pena faces a charge of reckless endangerment of a child for leaving the toddler in Majors’s care while knowing he was in possession of multiple firearms, and a perjury charge for allegedly telling a Suffolk County grand jury that the child in the photograph was not hers, Wark said. Pena is scheduled to return to court tomorrow.

Majors’s lawyer, Richard Doyle, could not be reached for comment.

[WatchManUSA]

This appears to have two separate issues intertwined.  The article indicates that he owed a gun he was not authorized to own.  That will get you in trouble.

However, the disturbing part is that the story focuses on the reckless endangerment of the child.  The highlight of the story is the quote from the DA, “It’s not just chilling but incomprehensible that a person would do such a thing with a child.’’

To me the focus should have been illegal possession along with the apparent theft of the $100 and domestic dispute.

Instead the author puts the focus on the wrong issue.

[MikeBjerum]

This is complex, and there is are lot of intertwined issues happening here.  However, how is posing a child with a gun "reckless endangerment?"  Can't dispute that the gun may be illegal at this time, or that he may have posessed the gun illegally, but that does not make it endangerment.  And, I would like to hear the reasoning behind the charges against the mother for reckless endangerment for leaving the child in a home with guns.

Please, Please, Please, don't every leave your children with me or come visit me, because I do not want to go to jail or send you to jail for reckless endangerment.

By the way, why is it such an evil thing to have body armor in this world    I'm required by law to wear a motorcycle helmet in many states, but some states won't allow me to even own body armor, and most media types think it is wrong for me to want it 

[Timothy]

And, I would like to hear the reasoning behind the charges against the mother for reckless endangerment for leaving the child in a home with guns.

MA law requires that any firearm "Not in direct control of a licensed, legal individual" will be unloaded and locked up with the minimum required by the law such as a trigger lock or padlock or other of an "approved type by the Firearms Bureau."

She left her child with someone who was illegally (whether you agree or not) in possesion of a firearm.  It doesn't matter what type or caliber the firearm.

[MikeBjerum]

I'll just crawl back in my corner right after I add my name to the list of millions that state "MA laws suck!!!"

[Sponsor]

[Timothy]

I'll just crawl back in my corner right after I add my name to the list of millions that state "MA laws suck!!!"

Yes it does but it's still light years better than Kalifornia, New York, New Jersey or Illinois!  Did I miss any?