Tuesday, January 13, 2015

St. Louis Democrat's bill aims to protect domestic abuse victims

A bill filed by Rep. Stacey Newman, D-St. Louis, which would keep weapons from those who have domestic abuse restraining orders could come into conflict with the law passed by the Missouri legislature last year that greatly expanded gun rights, according to Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney Dean Dankelson:

Dankelson says one of the main challenges he sees with this new bill is how it will intersect with existing Missouri law that protects gun owners."

“Last year the Missouri voters approved Amendment II which made ownership of a weapon an inalienable right. How this and law constitutional provision would go together it would remain to be seen,” says Dankelson.

“What it will do if you have been charged you know with an existing gun crime this allows you to contest those charges. And so yes, Amendment II, is not helpful particularly for those we already know are dangerous,” says Representative Newman.

The report is from KOAM News.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Indeed. From the Representative: "And so yes, Amendment II, is not helpful particularly for those we already know are dangerous"

No, we don't know that unless and until they're convicted, even if the current party line is that a woman's accusation is enough for conviction (at least in universities). And laws like this can be used to disarm the woman in a dispute, leaving her clutching nothing but a piece of paper (restraining order) when the man, planning to commit murder, doesn't care about any law that says he can possess a gun.