4 ms·

I'm an NRA member, and not totally opposed to multipliers for carrying a gun while committing a crime. With great power comes great responsibility, and all that

I'm an NRA member, and not totally opposed to multipliers for carrying a gun while committing a crime. With great power comes great responsibility, and all that. Although I do think 55 years is excessive in this case.

pstuart 11y ago
The gun(s) were not used in the commission of a crime.
- brandonmenc 11y ago
  According to the witness, he was carrying during the sale. The testimony may not be reliable, but that's another discussion.
vacri 11y ago
As an NRA member, shouldn't you be outraged that merely having a gun in your home should count against you in a trial?
- brandonmenc 11y ago
  It depends on the crime and where it was committed. Should having a gun at home get you extra punishment on a speeding ticket? No. But carrying a gun while breaking and entering? Absolutely.
  - hga 11y ago
    However the common crime or sentencing enhancement of breaking and entering with a firearm has clear and important motivations, it's a signal the criminal is entirely willing to use lethal force against others while in the commission of that sort of crime. Those and the more direct sort of forcible felonies have an inherent element of violence in them. Merely selling drugs---a voluntary transaction---while armed is a different thing.
    - brandonmenc 11y ago
      The logic is that you're more likely to use the gun during a crime - regardless of the crime, whether or not it's victimless, or even if the law is unjust. Yes, a drug purchase is a voluntary transaction, and yes, I believe drugs should be decriminalized. However it's undeniable that black markets are violent and that innocent bystanders get caught in the crossfire. The sentencing guidelines are there to punish and/or deter that.
  - vacri 11y ago
    "Carrying a gun during a crime" is not "having a gun at home", unless you're doing the crime at home. It's particularly hard to do the crime of breaking and entering at your own home.
    - brandonmenc 11y ago
      There's some confusion in this sub-thread. I was originally replying to the comment: > Since the anti-gun lobby cannot outlaw them completely they tack on automatic sentence multipliers for any crime where a gun is found even if the gun was not directly used. which is about carrying a gun while committing a crime. In general, I don't think you should get a harsher sentence for having a gun at home, away from the crime scene. However it's a grey area when you're running a continuous illegal operation using your home as a base.

pstuart 11y ago

The gun(s) were not used in the commission of a crime.

brandonmenc 11y ago
According to the witness, he was carrying during the sale. The testimony may not be reliable, but that's another discussion.

vacri 11y ago

As an NRA member, shouldn't you be outraged that merely having a gun in your home should count against you in a trial?

brandonmenc 11y ago
It depends on the crime and where it was committed. Should having a gun at home get you extra punishment on a speeding ticket? No. But carrying a gun while breaking and entering? Absolutely.
- hga 11y ago
  However the common crime or sentencing enhancement of breaking and entering with a firearm has clear and important motivations, it's a signal the criminal is entirely willing to use lethal force against others while in the commission of that sort of crime. Those and the more direct sort of forcible felonies have an inherent element of violence in them. Merely selling drugs---a voluntary transaction---while armed is a different thing.
  - brandonmenc 11y ago
    The logic is that you're more likely to use the gun during a crime - regardless of the crime, whether or not it's victimless, or even if the law is unjust. Yes, a drug purchase is a voluntary transaction, and yes, I believe drugs should be decriminalized. However it's undeniable that black markets are violent and that innocent bystanders get caught in the crossfire. The sentencing guidelines are there to punish and/or deter that.
- vacri 11y ago
  "Carrying a gun during a crime" is not "having a gun at home", unless you're doing the crime at home. It's particularly hard to do the crime of breaking and entering at your own home.
  - brandonmenc 11y ago
    There's some confusion in this sub-thread. I was originally replying to the comment: > Since the anti-gun lobby cannot outlaw them completely they tack on automatic sentence multipliers for any crime where a gun is found even if the gun was not directly used. which is about carrying a gun while committing a crime. In general, I don't think you should get a harsher sentence for having a gun at home, away from the crime scene. However it's a grey area when you're running a continuous illegal operation using your home as a base.