David Gregory will not be prosecuted even though he clearly violated DC's gun laws. Surprise! Not.
In a statement just released, the D.C. Attorney General has announced that there will be no prosecution
of David Gregory despite a finding that there was a clear violation of
the law:
"Having carefully reviewed all of the facts and circumstances of this matter, as it does in every case involving firearms-related offenses or any other potential violation of D.C. law within our criminal jurisdiction, OAG has determined to exercise its prosecutorial discretion to decline to bring criminal charges against Mr. Gregory, who has no criminal record, or any other NBC employee based on the events associated with the December 23,2012 broadcast. OAG has made this determination, despite the clarity of the violation of this important law, because under all of the circumstances here a prosecution would not promote public safety in the District of Columbia nor serve the best interests of the people of the District to whom this office owes its trust. Influencing our judgment in this case, among other things, is our recognition that the intent of the temporary possession and short display of the magazine was to promote the First Amendment purpose of informing an ongoing public debate about firearms policy in the United States, especially while this subject was foremost in the minds of the public following the previously mentioned events in Connecticut and the President’s speech to the nation about them. There were, however, other legal means available to demonstrate the point and to pursue this line of questioning with the guest that were suggested to NBC and that could have and should have been pursued.
OAG also appreciates that the magazine was immediately returned to the source that NBC understood to be its lawful owner outside of the District and that the magazine in question, with NBC’s assistance, has been surrendered to MPD. OAG also recognizes the cooperation NBC has provided in the investigation of this matter."
Once again, the elite is held to a different standard than the hoi polloi. Laws are for little people, donchaknow...
Emily Miller:
In July, The
Washington Times highlighted the plight of former
Army Spc. Adam Meckler, who was arrested and jailed for having a few
long-forgotten rounds of ordinary ammunition — but no gun — in his backpack in
Washington. Mr. Meckler, a veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, says he
had no idea it was illegal to possess unregistered ammunition in the city. He
violated the same section of D.C. law as Mr. Gregory allegedly did, and both
offenses carry the same maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and a year in jail.
Mr. Meckler was
charged with the crime and was forced to accept a plea deal to avoid the cost
and time of a protracted legal fight. The indefensible nature of Mr. Meckler’s
case led directly to a new law passed by the D.C. Council in December that
allows prosecutors to file civil instead of criminal charges, but only if the
accused was unaware of the city’s laws.
That exemption
probably wouldn’t apply to Mr. Gregory, who held up a 30-round rifle magazine
on his show on Dec. 23 to make his point about the need to ban them. NBC asked
the police in advance for permission to bring the contraband into Washington
for the interview with National Rifle Association’s Wayne LaPierre, but it was
not granted.
“I
unknowingly broke the law,” Mr. Meckler told The
Washington Times. “Mr. Gregory knowingly broke the law. While both are
seemingly harmless, both acts were deemed illegal under the District’s obscure
firearms laws.” Mr. Meckler said he would never have intentionally left the
rounds in his bag.
“I
think if you had to measure the criminality of the two instances, his should be
interpreted as more severe. At the very least, he should be put on probation,
pay a fine and be added to the District’s Gun Offender Registry, as I was
ordered to do,” Mr. Meckler said.
"Two Americas," indeed.
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