good open carry advocacy and support

[SmarterthanYou]

http://now.msn.com/now/0612-gun-toting-protest#scptm2

On April 13, a high school student named Sean M. Combs walked through downtown Birmingham, Michigan, with an M-1 rifle strapped to his back — apparently just because he thought he could legally. He was arrested, though, and charged with brandishing a weapon, obstructing police, and disturbing the peace — accusations that have local gun advocates, uh, up in arms. On Monday, they marched, carrying guns, into the city's commission chambers to protest the charges against the 18-year-old, arguing that Combs has legal right, under "open carry" laws, to carry a firearm in public. Police Chief Don Studt conceded that Combs was exercising his constitutional right, but said he was also "creating a disturbance."

bullshit Chief. the exercise of a right cannot be converted in to a crime.

"The claim and exercise of a constitutional right cannot be converted into a crime." Miller v. US, 230 F 486, at 489

[SmarterthanYou]

http://troy.patch.com/articles/we-up...und-not-guilty

Rifle-Toting Teen Found Not Guilty; Jury Says: 'We Upheld the Law'

A seven-member jury found Troy's Sean Combs not guilty of disturbing the peace and brandishing a firearm after the 18-year-old was discovered carrying a firearm in downtown Birmingham in April.

After nearly five hours of deliberation on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning at the 48th District Court, many on the seven-member jury were confident in their final decision.

"We upheld the law," said Rev. Julius DelPino, a jury member from Rochester Hills. "Based on how the law is written, (Combs) was not breaking the law."

Combs was arrested on April 13 after he was stopped by two Birmingham Police officers while he had his loaded M1 Garand rifle slung over his shoulder. When officers asked for identification, Combs refused.