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| -Land of the Free | |
| Army Vet Denied Right To Own Gun Due To 1971 Misdemeanor Charge | |
| 2013-07-19 | |
| TOMBALL, Tex. --- Ron Kelly is a retired Army veteran. He used to fire tanks, cannons, and machine guns while fighting for the United States. However, when he applied to the FBI for the right to purchase a .22-caliber rifle from Wal-Mart, the FBI denied him, citing a minor drug possession conviction back in 1971. Kelly was still in high school at the time, and was reportedly sentenced to just one year probation. Two years later, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. "I went on to serve 20 years," Kelly told the newspaper Stars & Stripes. "I had a top-secret clearance. It is amazing that they won't let buy a gun for a misdemeanor 42 years ago."
Background checks are required by federal law for anybody wanting to own a gun, and over 881,000 people in Texas have had background checks prior to purchasing firearms this year alone. Only a few, including Kelly, have been rejected. When he was told by Wal-Mart that he did not pass his background check, he applied a second time -- and was once again denied. Despite the setbacks, he plans to keep fighting. "I am not going to give up," Kelly told Stars & Stripes. "I want to have a gun." | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #5 SGT Kelly is in a tough spot. If he's convicted of felony gun position or any other felony, he could instantly lose his Army pension, medical care, and all benefits [such as they are]. He needs to take up Russian martial arts or knife fighting |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2013-07-19 17:00 |
| #4 When they include 'mental health' as a prohibited category, just wanting a gun will disqualify you! |
| Posted by: Iblis 2013-07-19 13:33 |
| #3 Obama couldn't buy a gun under this law. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2013-07-19 09:47 |
| #2 Gun laws are not written to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. They are written to keep guns out of the hands of Ron Kelly. Mr. Kelly can scream and stamp his feet out of the unfairness of it all, or he can nut up and go out and buy a gawddam gun. |
| Posted by: badanov 2013-07-19 09:17 |
| #1 If the whole story is here, then perhaps the drug conviction had a potential sentence of ?2 years in jail in the state where he went to high school - I seem to recall that is one of the purchase blocking categories. So if he got his conviction in Texas or another state with hard sentencing, he might not be legal to purchase, while if he had been in Hawaii maybe the max sentence for personal pot possession would have left him eligible. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2013-07-19 08:28 |