2/14/2006

What Canadian Police do to Canadian with Guns

This is pretty scary stuff:

When the Nottawasaga OPP did its public takedown of groundhog hunter Jonathan Login almost three years ago, Insp. Mark Allen claimed his detachment's gung-ho arrest was not over the top -- despite guns being trained at Login's head as he lay face down on his own property in front of his frightened family and despite the gloved-hand anal cavity search which was conducted in full view of passersby.

"The police response was done by the book," Insp. Allen said at the time. "It was a call about a man with a gun."

After a judge's ruling last week, however, it would appear that this particular book can now be tossed in the trash.

Except the cops are not about to give up.

There is, apparently, an appeal in the works.

As reported here on Saturday, provincial court Judge Jon-Jo Douglas minced no words last Friday in delivering his decision to quash charges against Login, ruling in a point-by-point judgment that took almost three hours to finish that the Nottawasaga OPP, with the backup of military cops who also responded to the scene, had gone way too far.

"The police had not a whit of evidence to suggest (Login) was operating a firearm dangerously," said Douglas.

"The arrest was (therefore) illegal and unconstitutional."

The judge also ordered the police to quickly return Login's seized weapons -- even imposing a deadline of this Friday.


Thanks very much to Harvey Pederson for sending this.

5 Comments:

Blogger bullbore said...

Wow that is an eye opener. I didn't happen to catch this story in the news. It is amazing that the situation was allowed to escalate so far before the police asked him for an explaination... I guess that is what happens when you live in a country governed by those who fear guns. SCARY

2/14/2006 4:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The link to this post goes to the Washington Post on Dick Cheney's recent negligence while hunting in Texas. Please correct the link. Thanks

2/14/2006 5:01 PM  
Blogger John Lott said...

Sorry, I fixed it.

2/14/2006 6:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've heard of British shooters having very simillar experiences on their own land, having armed police aiming at them and being ordered to throw their gun down. unfortunately I don't have names or dates to hand, although I suspect a call to BASC would get you them. Another hazard is during relationship breakdown. A family friend and former gundealer (until he received his early morning call from the armed police)had stored a young man's guns for the local police after an ex girlfriend had told police she "feared for her safety". The local cop knew the man and the woman, did not believe the complaint but had to act...

It is a very effective weapon for a vindictive ex living in Britain.

2/15/2006 5:15 AM  
Blogger Paul Huebl Crimefile News said...

This sounds like it came right from the Janet Reno book on the proper way to treat American gun owners.

2/18/2006 11:05 AM  

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