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Philadelphia Police Announce Plans To Harass Legal Gun Owners
Police are warning gun owners that they will be "inconvenienced" if they carry unconcealed handguns in the city.A police Lieutenant spokesman for the Philadelphia city police, announced that that gun owners who open carry, which is legal in the city, may be asked to lay on the ground until officers feel safe while they check permits. The threat to gun owners comes after Mark Fiorino, a suburban Philadelphia IT worker, posted an audiotape to YouTube of his tense, 45-minute encounter with police in February over his exposed handgun. The video went viral and captured national attention. After Fiorino released the audiotape, he was charged with disorderly conduct and reckless endangerment. He now faces up to two years in prison. "The police department and assistant district attorney are coming after me, in my opinion, to make an example of me because I stood up to them and exposed them for their lack of knowledge," Fiorino said, who called the trial "absolutely inappropriate and a waste of taxpayer money." Fiorino said he did nothing reckless, nor did he endanger anyone's life. "I had a gun pointed at my chest," he said. On Feb. 13 a police sergeant who was unaware of the law -- which dates back to at least 1996 when the state Supreme Court referenced it in an unrelated ruling -- stopped Fiorino, who was walking to an auto parts shop in Northeast Philadelphia with a gun on his hip. Sgt. Michael Dougherty can be heard yelling out to Fiorino as "Junior," and asking him to show his hands as Fiorino protests having a gun pointed at his chest, prompting Dougherty to call for backup. Dougherty grows increasingly agitated as Fiorino offers to show his permit when he is ordered to get on his knees, causing Dougherty to threaten to shoot if he makes a move. Dougherty then unleashed a string of profanities as the two argued over the legality of open carry. "Do you know you can't openly carry here in Philadelphia?" Dougherty yells. "Yes, you can, if you have a license to carry firearms," Fiorino responds."It's Directive 137. It's your own internal directive." When several other officers arrive, Fiorino is forced to the ground as he tries to explain that he's not breaking the law. "Shut the f---- up!" Dougherty yells. Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-05-25 |
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