SAF SUES IN MARYLAND OVER HANDGUN PERMIT DENIAL

[Hazcat]

SAF eagle logoNEWS RELEASE
Second Amendment Foundation
12500 NE Tenth Place  • Bellevue, WA   98005
(425) 454-7012  • FAX (425) 451-3959  • www.saf.org
SAF SUES IN MARYLAND OVER HANDGUN PERMIT DENIAL
For Immediate Release:   7/29/2010

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation and a Baltimore County, MD man today sued Maryland authorities in federal court because the man’s handgun permit renewal was turned down on the grounds that he could not demonstrate “a reasonable precaution against apprehended danger.”

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Joining SAF in the lawsuit is Raymond Woollard, who was originally issued a carry permit after a man broke into his home during a family gathering in 2002. Woollard’s permit was renewed in 2005, after the man was released from prison. That man now lives about three miles from Woollard. Defendants in the case are Terrence B. Sheridan is the Secretary and Superintendent of the Maryland State Police, and three members of the Maryland Handgun Permit Review Board, Denis Gallagher, Seymour Goldstein and Charles M. Thomas, Jr.

SAF and Woollard are represented by attorneys Alan Gura of Virginia and Cary J. Hansel of Joseph, Greenwald & Laake of Greenbelt, MD.

The lawsuit alleges that “Individuals cannot be required to demonstrate that carrying a handgun is ‘necessary as a reasonable precaution against apprehended danger’ as a prerequisite for exercising their Second Amendment rights.” Plaintiffs are seeking a permanent injunction against enforcement of the Maryland provision that requires permit applicants to “demonstrate cause” for the issuance of a carry permit.

“Laws that empower bureaucrats to deny the exercise of a fundamental civil right because they cannot show good cause to exercise that right can’t possibly stand up under constitutional scrutiny,” said SAF Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “We are supporting Mr. Woollard in this action because constitutional rights trump bureaucratic whims.”

The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven, CT; and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers and an amicus brief and fund for the Emerson case holding the Second Amendment as an individual right.

http://www.saf.org/viewpr-new.asp?id=334

HMMMM and the NRA is doing what?

[Jrlobo]

As a Marylander, this is the first I've heard of this lawsuit. It is great news and hopefully successful. But it is just a start in this state, which believes that if a gun "looks like" an assault weapon you may need to get the permission from the State Police to buy it. Does a Mauser K98 qualify? Get'em SAF! Then maybe we can get the right to import a case of wine from another state, too. One painful step at a time in the "Old Line State", eh?

[tt11758]

HMMMM and the NRA is doing what?

Besides endorsing Harry Reid, you mean?

[Hazcat]

Besides endorsing Harry Reid, you mean?

And originally trying to block the Heller case

[jnevis]

Good deal!!

I was wondering how long that would take.  Maybe I should send them some of the paperwork that I started to get mine that was denied too. 

[Sponsor]

[Hazcat]

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