Judge criticized over gun permit denials

[ericire12]

ABINGDON, Va. – Bill Hubble’s military discharge papers from 1947 did not pass muster for demonstrating competency with a handgun, a Smyth County circuit court judge ruled in November 2006.

It was not the first time that Judge Isaac St.C. Freeman had denied a concealed handgun permit to an honorably discharged veteran, even though such status qualifies an applicant for a permit under Virginia law.

In the last year, two of Freeman’s rulings on concealed weapons permits have been repudiated by a higher court and by legislators who last month passed a bill clarifying the state code. One lawmaker lodged a formal complaint with the Virginia Supreme Court about Freeman’s demeanor and rulings.

It was Hubble, 78 years old when he applied for a permit, who precipitated the legislative inquiries that tacked on eight words to the state code – which become effective in July.

Hubble had hoped to settle things by meeting with Freeman, but after a testy encounter in which the judge stood by his ruling, Hubble got on the phone to state lawmakers.

Among those he called was state Delegate Joseph P. Johnson Jr., an Abingdon Democrat who himself had been honorably discharged from military service.

"A discharge is a discharge, and the law is the law," Johnson said in a telephone interview.

The Code of Virginia lists proof of an honorable discharge as one of the standards for demonstrating competency with a handgun and states that "no applicant shall be required to submit to any additional demonstration of competence."

"In the code and the law, it’s acceptable," said Johnson. "I don’t know for what reason it was not acceptable" in Hubble’s case, he said. Calling Freeman’s ruling a "misinterpretation, maybe," Johnson introduced a bill adding the following language: "nor shall any proof of demonstrated competence expire."

Hubble, a tall, snowy-haired octogenarian, said: "It shouldn’t have had to go through the legislature. It’s my right as a citizen."

http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/news.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2008-04-21-0011.html

[Outlaw]

Jeez, In Virginia of all places

[DDMac]

Well folks, we only got one side of the story. Age impairments can happen to anyone, even veterans. Sometimes, especially veterans.
Mac.

[kmitch200]

While the judge should be taken out back and stomped for not following Virginia law to the letter, I can't believe that an honorable discharge stood as "competency with a handgun". Good for the vets! 
Many I have shot with were only competent to figure out which end of a handgun the bullets came out of.

[GuyFawkes2008]

Jeez, In Virginia of all places

Very disheartening to see this and other outrages perpetrated in my home state 

[Sponsor]

[Dharmaeye]

So how do you get rid of him? Impeachment?
Obviously mentally incompetent. 

[tombogan03884]

So how do you get rid of him? Impeachment?
Obviously mentally incompetent. 

 


Different states have different ways of appointing and removing Judges, In NH we just got rid of one through the State Supreme court .

[gunman1911]

In Mi  we have a committee that makes that decision.