KO Stradivarius

December 6th, 2022 at 3:40 PM ^

Question: You say, "have your DL/regist/insurance info right there".  I guess I could get my DL from the wallet in my pocket, but I would need to reach into the glove box for the regist/insurance while the officer is either walking up to my window or still sitting in his car watching me before he gets out.  That seems like a bad idea to me...?  He may assume I am reaching for a gun.  

What I have done is roll down window and put hands on wheel, then ask permission to get that stuff out of the glove box and my wallet out of my pocket while he watches me.  Seems like a better idea, no?     

Joined: 12/16/2014

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ERdocLSA2004

December 6th, 2022 at 2:34 PM ^

There’s really no excuse for what he did.  He screwed up, made two bad decisions simultaneously.  The amount of ammunition in this case is pretty inconsequential.  The real debate is whether it was handled properly by the university.  Are the charges going to stick? probably not.  but did it warrant a game or two self imposed suspension?  Probably.  Mazi didn’t harm anyone and didn’t have any ill intentions, but he did still break the law.  

Joined: 01/08/2011

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njvictor

December 6th, 2022 at 1:55 PM ^

Do these new details really change anything? All of this was presumably already known by the authorities and the police, prosecutor, and judge all still seemingly have treated this like a nothing burger. Obviously Sparty fans will grip to any and every new detail that comes out, but I don't really see how this changes anything

Joined: 07/20/2017

MGoPoints: 65650

bronxblue

December 6th, 2022 at 1:56 PM ^

Yeah, was about to post this.  Here's my take

I am preparing fo the negging but more details have emerged around Mazi Smith arrest.  For the article here are some key points:

  • Was pulled over for going 50 in a 25 around 9:30 am.
  • He had 2 magazines, one a 15-round and the other a 30-round, in his pocket.  Handgun also had a load-round magazine in it.  EDIT:  The story was updated to point out they aren't sure if the gun was loaded or not. That's an important detail.
  • When pulled over he put it behind his seat.  He claimed he did so because he wanted "get it off his person".
  • Complied with requests, admitted he was the owner, and was arrested on probable cause and later released after going to police department.

Now, I'll admit this doesn't look good because there's no good reason to be rolling around with that much ammo in your car at 9:30 am.  I'm sure we can have a spirited debate about 2A gun ownership , reasonable magazine size, and everything else but unless he's on his way to a gun range and wants to bring his own ammo this feels unnecessary especially since he didn't technically have his permit yet.  

The movement of the gun is troubling as well but I also get why a young black man might not want to have a firearm on his person when pulled over by a police officer for speeding.  Again, you can feel differently as to the relative danger in that situation but I'm not unsympathetic to the situation.

My feelings about this situation have changed quite a bit as more details come out, as it was initially framed as a mere licensing issue while now it appears to be, at the very least, a more loaded (sorry for the pun) situation with darker undertones.  He probably should have been suspended for the game pending the court hearing, but if you want to argue that seems draconian have at it.  

Just not a great look all around.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 172172

yoyo

December 6th, 2022 at 1:59 PM ^

He could easily be going to the gun range that morning or later that day. 

You ask why anyone would put away a gun when pulled over by the police? Have you followed the news over the last few years? I've never owned a gun but if pulled over, I'm hiding it even if I'm complying with every law in the books. 

Joined: 02/11/2011

MGoPoints: 8228

mlaw17

December 6th, 2022 at 3:59 PM ^

This "gun range" excuse is silly.

Has anyone here actually gone to a gun range with a gun? All ranges i go to REQUIRE you to have the gun and ammo in a case when entering and leaving. So that other comment about hastily leaving a range with gun and ammo in pocket is a poor attempt at an excuse. If he did go to the range, he would have purposefully taken the gun out of a case before or after the trip to the range, and kept it in his pocket.

Let's stop with these excuses. It was poor judgment. Although going through this court process is awful.

Joined: 10/19/2016

MGoPoints: 14

goblu330

December 6th, 2022 at 4:17 PM ^

I have only been to a gun range twice and no, they had no requirements as far as how the gun was brought it.  I had the unloaded gun out, in my hand, and the clip in my pocket.  There was no requirement as to how it was brought into or taken out of the range.

Clearly, this was poor judgment.  But a person who had just applied for a concealed weapon permit, and recently purchased a new gun, and was driving with the gun and considerable ammo at 9:30 in the morning, yes, the range sounds like a very likely destination.  It is where you go in that very circumstance to try to figure out how to use it.

When I went, I did not have a concealed permit (still don't), and had to call my gun enthusiast friend to find out how I could legally get the gun to the range.  It is very likely that Mazi simply did not know how peculiar and particular gun laws are. 

Driving 50 in a 25 in that circumstance is pretty bizarre though.  Even though I knew I was doing everything within the law to get it to the range legally I was still very paranoid driving there and was being extra careful.

Joined: 01/07/2022

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goblu330

December 6th, 2022 at 2:11 PM ^

It is America, but you can't just disregard a law because you don't agree with it.  Is the law unconstitutional?  Maybe.  But the people in charge of making the laws and enforcing them don't seem to think so.  If anybody wants to challenge them they have an avenue to do so.  With the SC in its current posture now would actually probably be the time.  But you don't challenge a law by breaking it, that is not a good strategy.

Joined: 01/07/2022

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crg

December 6th, 2022 at 4:10 PM ^

but you can't just disregard a law because you don't agree with it.

I really don't want to get into a political debate on any issue in this thread, but I will point out that there is ample evidence of people disregarding laws because they don't agree with them (either in acting in violation if those laws, or choosing not to enforce those laws).

Joined: 04/30/2015

MGoPoints: 75057

crg

December 7th, 2022 at 6:27 AM ^

Yet that is not how laws and society work - one simply should not be able to pick & choose which laws to enforce based upon their own personal politics or feelings.  There are ways to challenge laws within the existing legal framework, but individual vigilantism against laws approved the democratically elected system is not one of them.

Joined: 04/30/2015

MGoPoints: 75057

Booted Blue in PA

December 6th, 2022 at 2:49 PM ^

You're entitled to you personal opinion and I respect that.    However, other feel differently.

Many people carry for protection/self defense.  Many of them are very well trained (some better trained than many law enforcement officers).  Some are quite comfortable with a loaded weapon inside their belt, including a round in the chamber.   Hell some of us were employed to do so.

Joined: 12/18/2018

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