Arizona State Sen. Lori Klein (R) points a loaded gun at a reporter!

reply to post by InvisibleAlbatross


She may have committed a crime in a different state...but no in Arizona.

reply to post by nyk537


Thanks for that, I'm not familiar with Arizona law.

Here is the statute and an opinion on the Florida law...

Improper exhibition of a firearm and or improper display of a weapon are crimes governed by Florida Statute 790.10. This statute is officially titled as "improper exhibition of dangerous weapons or firearms", and the statute states that "if any person having or carrying any . . . weapon shall, in the presence of one or more (other) persons, exhibit the same in a rude, careless, angry or threatening manner, not in necessary self defense, the person so offending shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree".

The offense owes its roots to the common law crime of "brandishing". The case law on this crime is rather sparse, and what type of conduct the statute exactly prohibits is not made very clear by the wording of the statute, either. It is usually applied as a “lesser” of aggravated assault, and leaves the possibility of an aggravated assault being “plea bargained” down to this significantly lower crime. However, it can also be charged because a person displayed a firearm so carelessly that other persons in the immediate vicinity reasonably believed they might get accidentally shot, or displayed a weapon in a manner that was blatantly offensive to most reasonable people.

It would be a 1st degree Misdemeanor in Florida. And it is careless, dangerous, and offensive anywhere!

Originally posted by getreadyalready
And it is careless, dangerous, and offensive anywhere!

I will agree with that point.

Being careless is not a crime for her though. Whether this was in bad taste or not I don't believe it warrants the kind of outrage it's getting.

Originally posted by getreadyalready

Originally posted by Jezus

Originally posted by MrWendal
This women deserves to be prosecuted to the same extent as I would as a private citizen.

I agree, she should not be prosecuted at all, because this isn't a crime.

This is a non-story.

It is a crime.

See the earlier posts about Florida. I don't know about Arizona, but in Florida, even an accidental exposure of a concealed weapon is considered "brandishing." There was legislation up this past June to change that law, but it got stuck and never passed.

Even if this was Florida it wouldn't apply to this context.

This wasn't in the middle of the street to a stranger.

reply to post by Jezus


I've been reading the Arizona law, and I will admit that the only way this would be a crime, even in Florida, would be if the reporter immediately felt they were in danger. If I was in that seat, I would have felt like I was in danger, but I wouldn't have called the authorities, so no crime would have been reported. So, I concede that it would be extremely rare for this situation to result in a criminal charge, even in Florida.

Still, it was careless, dangerous, and she has proven to be irresponsible and exercise poor decision making. Not the best attributes in a Congress woman! She has done far more damage to the pro-gun movement than what she can repair. Still an epic failure.

Originally posted by nyk537

Originally posted by getreadyalready
And it is careless, dangerous, and offensive anywhere!

I will agree with that point.

Being careless is not a crime for her though. Whether this was in bad taste or not I don't believe it warrants the kind of outrage it's getting.

Put it in a personal context.

How would you feel if someone pointed a loaded gun at your chest. I for one would be outraged and it certainly would warrant that emotion.

Obviously you don't know much about firearms. Careless handling of guns kill people. And trying to downplay this and put it in a political context doesn't become you.

Originally posted by getreadyalready
She has done far more damage to the pro-gun movement than what she can repair. Still an epic failure.

This point can't be argued. The action was stupid and out of line...but it wasn't a crime and doesn't warrant this kind of outcry.

I'm still going to hold my opinion that a Democrat in the same position wouldn't make this much news though.

Originally posted by whaaa
How would you feel if someone pointed a loaded gun at your chest.

In that same situation where I knew it was happening and realized I was in no danger? I would feel just fine.

Although if I was a snotty reporter with a political agenda...I might fake some fear and outrage.

Originally posted by nyk537

Originally posted by whaaa
How would you feel if someone pointed a loaded gun at your chest.

In that same situation where I knew it was happening and realized I was in no danger? I would feel just fine.

Although if I was a snotty reporter with a political agenda...I might fake some fear and outrage.

No danger from the careless handling of a firearm? How do you figure?
You admitted that it was careless and stupid!

reply to post by nyk537


A democrat in this position would have the advantage of being contrary to the party line. The other Dems would give them a pass, and the Republicans that are pro-gun would not benefit from criticizing it. The rules aren't the same.

As for my personal opinion, I would be even more outraged. I would say that is exactly why the anti-gun crowd have the opinion that they do. They are uneducated in gun handling, and unfamiliar with gun safety, and therefore they think guns are dangerous, and they are right!

So, we can't compare this woman to a democrat in the same chair.

And as for me, even if I knew she was taking the gun out, and even if I was curious and eager to see it, and even with my decades of gun handling, the minute she turned that thing towards me, I would have had a fit! I would have chastised her on the spot, and given her a quick gun safety lesson, and maybe, just maybe, if she was humble about it, maybe I would have given her the cute little gun back! But that's just me.

ETA:
I would be similarly offended if she handed me the loaded gun to examine. I would have immediately unloaded it, and handed it back in that condition, and asked her to please wait until I am gone before reloading.

reply to post by whaaa


It was careless and stupid to do this to a reporter.

If I knew she was showing me the weapon and that I had no reason to fear this woman during an interview...then NO...I wouldn't have been scared.

Golden rule with firearms for protection. Never take it out unless you fully intent to empty the magazine into the opponent with only an act of God stopping it from happening. Guns are not tools for intimidation. That's just my 40 year military mindset welling up.

reply to post by getreadyalready


Personal account of a similar situation....

My brother and I have had guns since we were very young boys. My brother once had a girl in his apartment that was eager to see his gun. He dropped the magazine, cleared the chamber, pointed it at the floor, cleared it again and looked in the chamber, and handed it to the girl. What did she do next???? She pointed it at his face, said, "how does it work?" and PULLED THE TRIGGER!!!!

Anyone that doesn't think gun safety is important is doomed to find out the hard way! Luckily my brother was meticulous in his gun handling. Imagine if he had just handed it to her for a second while he closed up the case or grabbed a drink, or turned to answer the phone?

ETA:
Local stories that didn't end as well as my brothers....
FSU Student accidentally shot and Killed
Better Article

A shooting incident at Florida State University’s recently constructed Greek Park has left one dead, one wounded and a third under arrest, KnightNews.com has learned.

The FSU student who lost her life in the apparent accidental shooting, Ashley Cowie, was a member of Chi Omega sorority and a former homecoming queen of her high school, St. Country Day School near Jacksonville, according to the Florida Times-Union. She was 21.

Lakeland Cops gun accidentally discharged by child .... .and it wasn't even his child, it was a kid he coached on the football team!

I am an avid gun supporter, but I am also deeply saddened by so-called accidents. There is no such thing as an accident when a life is at stake. There is only carelessness and irresponsibility!

reply to post by getreadyalready


I can't say that you are wrong to feel that way...because you are not. I've lived around guns my whole life and for whatever reason I tend to trust someone else with gun experience.

It was a stupid action...but personally I think I would have been cool with it. That's not to say, however, that wouldn't be different in the heat of the moment.

Originally posted by nyk537
reply to post by getreadyalready

 

I can't say that you are wrong to feel that way...because you are not. I've lived around guns my whole life and for whatever reason I tend to trust someone else with gun experience.

It was a stupid action...but personally I think I would have been cool with it. That's not to say, however, that wouldn't be different in the heat of the moment.

People with plenty of experience with firearms kill themselves and others thru carelessness all the time. Trusting someone with a loaded gun doesn't sound real smart to me. And if Ms Kline had of had real experience she would have know better then to have been flashing her piece. That show lack of experience.

Trying to put the political spin on this is really just wrong.

reply to post by whaaa


The political spin adds itself...it's not my doing...or my fault for pointing it out.

The truth is...I can say that I would be alright in this situation based off of prior experiences and my personal viewpoints. However, I wasn't in that situation and I could be wrong about how I would have reacted. These things are always different, and it really would have depending on the mood of the room and the attitude of the senator.

reply to post by nyk537


I added a couple of recent and local stories to the bottom of the earlier post.

I get pretty passionate about this discussion, because I am an avid gun supporter, but I do not believe any accident is acceptable. I am not a very forgiving person, and I put myself in the shoes of those grieving fathers, and I just don't think, "it was an accident" would suffice for me. I think I might lose my mind if it ever happened to a loved one of mine.

If you wouldn't be scared for your own safety, imagine the little red dot on a child of yours! Would you still be so comfortable? As for me, if a very experienced, very close, very trusted friend of mine put the laser dot from a loaded weapon on one of my children, he would be enjoying liquified food through a straw for several weeks!

reply to post by getreadyalready


You've got me here. Point a weapon of any kind at my kids and you're toast. End of discussion.

I'm not exactly sure why I think I'd let this slide in this situation...but part of me honestly does for whatever reason....all politics aside.

i was always told to not point a gun at anyone unless you are prepared to fire. so if it is pointed at me this is how i think. so i point mine with intent to harm. period. would say she didnt have very good upbringing.

How do people like this get permission to carry a weapon in the first place? Apparently she didn't pay attention to a single thing being taught in her gun safety classes. She's lucky that the reporter wasn't carrying a handgun as well. Here in Texas, he could have interpreted her pointing the gun at him as a threat and responded accordingly, with deadly force. Bottom line is that you shouldn't pull out your gun unless you have every intention of using it. She broke the golden rule and she should be punished for it. Here in Texas, you'd immediately lose your license to carry for such irresponsible behavior.