tagged w/ Connecticut
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Using a unique state law, police in Connecticut have disarmed dozens of gun owners based on suspicions that they might harm themselves or others.
The state's gun seizure law is considered the first and only law in the country that allows the confiscation of a gun before the owner commits an act of violence. Police and state prosecutors can obtain seizure warrants based on concerns about someone's intentions.
State police and 53 police departments have seized more than 1,700 guns since the law took effect in October 1999, according to a new report to the legislature. There are nearly 900,000 privately owned firearms in Connecticut today.
Opponents of a gun seizure law expressed fears in 1999 that police would abuse the law. Today, the law's backers say the record shows that hasn't been the case.
"It certainly has not been abused. It may be underutilized," said Ron Pinciaro, coexecutive director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence.
Attorney Ralph D. Sherman has represented several gun owners who had their firearms seized under the law. His latest client was denied a pistol permit because the man was once the subject of a seizure warrant.
"In every case I was involved in I thought it was an abuse," said Sherman, who fought against the law's passage.
The report to the legislature shows that state judges are inclined to issue gun seizure warrants and uphold seizures when challenged in court.
Out of more than 200 requests for warrants, Superior Court judges rejected just two applications — one for lack of probable cause, and another because police had already seized the individual's firearms under a previous warrant. Both rejections occurred in 1999. The legislature's Office of Legislative Research could document only 22 cases of judges ordering seized guns returned to their owners.
Rep. Michael P. Lawlor, D-East Haven, is one of the chief authors of the gun seizure law. In his view, the number of warrant applications and gun seizures show that police haven't abused the law.
"It is pretty consistent," said Lawlor, the House chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
Robert T. Crook, the executive director of the Connecticut Coalition of Sportsmen, questioned whether police have seized more guns than the number reported to the legislature. Crook said the law doesn't require police departments or the courts to compile or report information on gun seizures. The Office of Legislative Research acknowledged that its report may have underreported seizures.
"We don't know how many guns were actually confiscated or returned to their owners," Crook said.
Police seized guns in 95 percent of the 200-plus cases that the researchers were able to document. In 11 cases, police found no guns, the report said.
Spouses and live-in partners were the most common source of complaints that led to warrant applications. They were also the most frequent targets of threats. In a Southington case, a man threatened to shoot a neighbor's dog.
The gun seizure law arose out of a murderous shooting rampage at the headquarters of the Connecticut Lottery Corp. in 1998. A disgruntled worker shot and killed four top lottery officials and then committed suicide.
Under the law, any two police officers or a state prosecutor may obtain warrants to seize guns from individuals who pose an imminent risk of harming themselves or others. Before applying for warrants, police must first conduct investigations and determine there is no reasonable alternative to seizing someone's guns. Judges must also make certain findings.
**continues,click link to read**Using a unique state law, police in Connecticut have disarmed dozens of gun owners... more
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Firefighters say the fire began when a grow light placed in a closet that had been converted into a growing room ignited a burlap bag.Firefighters say the fire began when a grow light placed in a closet that had been... more
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Investigators looking into the mysterious past of a man accused of kidnapping his 7-year-old daughter in Boston are trying to determine if he was once a German exchange student to Connecticut.Investigators looking into the mysterious past of a man accused of kidnapping his... more
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Police say 34-year-old Robert Logan reportedly touched two children in his tent while they were inside alone with him over the weekend.Police say 34-year-old Robert Logan reportedly touched two children in his tent while... more
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Figures show that while the number of abortions is decreasing nationally, they have been increasing in Connecticut in recent years.Figures show that while the number of abortions is decreasing nationally, they have... more
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A 26-year-old Connecticut man has been charged with beating up his 83-year-old grandmother and trying to set her cars on fire.A 26-year-old Connecticut man has been charged with beating up his 83-year-old... more
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Connecticut's attorney general said Monday that a video-game-rating board's decision to approve a game called ``Beer Pong'' for children as young as 13 shows the organization needs to take the issue of teen drinking more seriously.Connecticut's attorney general said Monday that a video-game-rating board's... more
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By Walter Hamilton, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
Photo by Jennifer S. Altman / For The Times
The bedroom community for New York bankers and traders isn't suffering like the rest of the nation, but it's still feeling the pinch.
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Full story at link.By Walter Hamilton, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
Photo by Jennifer S. Altman / For... more
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YouTube - War on the Weak by Liam Dunaway /
"Created for the 2007 NHD Competition. Following the theme "Triumph & Tragedy", this documentary depicts the U.S. Eugenic legislation throughout the early 20th Century and chronicles the compulsory sterilization faced by many Americans. "War on the Weak" continues to analyze negative eugenics by discussing the U.S. Supreme
Court case of Buck v. Bell. Furthermore, the parallels present among U.S. and Nazi ideologies on the nature of eugenics are presented, along with an exposition on the affinity Nazi scientists had for U.S. eugenics laws. The documentary concludes with a look at modern genetic research and leaves the viewer with the hopeful message of a society free of ailments but warns of the dangers on science that is not kept in check with the moral values of humanity.
Director: Liam Dunaway. Producer: Liam Dunaway. Production Company: The Radley Place. Keywords: eugenics; nazi medicine; buck v. bell; genome; ero; laughlin; strode; virginia; hitler; cumpulsory sterilization; procreational autonomy; nhd; triumph and tragedy; war on the weak;
Contact Information: liamdunaway@mac.com http://www.theradleyplace.com.
Click link to view informative video on the history of eugenics and forced sterilization of criminals and other undesirables that included immigrants, Mixed bloods French Canadians, and Blacks in the U.S. Prescott Bush was the head of the Connecticut Eugenics Society.
Picture is of the woman in the first court case where she was declared unfit to reproduce and ordered to be forcibly sterilized as part of the Eugenics Experiments of the early 20th century.
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from TouchArt.net and OneEarthBlog.blogspot.com
____________________________________YouTube - War on the Weak by Liam Dunaway /
"Created for the 2007 NHD... more
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Second grade teacher, Marrie Jarry, resigned from her job after appearing on the Howard Stern Show in a bikini. Jarry and her husband Aaron won $5000 in the Ugliest Man, Hottest Wife" contest.
This is the second teacher bikini story in the past week. Second grade teacher, Marrie Jarry, resigned from her job after appearing on the... more
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Female school bullies attack a 15 year old girl. In front of a crowd of students. Nobody intervenes. Some students cheer on the attackers.
This took place in Southington Connecticut. Female school bullies attack a 15 year old girl. In front of a crowd of students.... more
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Imagine a freak accident in which health insurance industry lobbyists and rare circus animals melded together genetically to create human-animal chimera that shill for the health insurance industry! Now imagine that they had a 1980's Saturday morning cartoon show! And at the end of that show there was a helpful and educational PSA! That's what this is!Imagine a freak accident in which health insurance industry lobbyists and rare circus... more
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Following a politician on the campaign trail provides a different look into today's politics. You get to see and hear what the media or the average voter does not.
David Pond was hired to make campaign commercials for Cliff Thornton, the first African- American and the first Green Party candidate to run for governor in the state of Connecticut, but kept the cameras running. What was achieved was a behind- the- scenes look of the Green Party's gubernatorial campaign.
Following a politician on the campaign trail provides a different look into... more
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the mayor of bridgeport CN named friday oct 12th 50 cent day...
50 loves the kids ... lol
the mayor of bridgeport CN named friday oct 12th 50 cent day...
50 loves the kids... more
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BBC: New Haven, Connecticut has become the first in the United States to issue identity cards to illegal immigrants.BBC: New Haven, Connecticut has become the first in the United States to issue... more
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khsing
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added this
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5 years ago
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