GCO Asks Court to Reject MARTA’s Firearm Policy

GCO (GeorgiaCarry.org) has filed a motion in its federal lawsuit against MARTA, seeking, among other things, an injunction against MARTA’s policy of detaining everyone seen carrying a firearm.  In its motion, GCO quotes MARTA officials who testified that MARTA has a “procedure” to detain anyone seen carrying a firearm to check for ID and GFL.  MARTA police stopped GCO member (and GFL holder) Christopher Raissi who carried a holstered handgun in the Avondale train station.  Police seized Raissi’s handgun and did not return it until the detention ended in a non-public area of the station to which they had moved Raissi.  The officers who stopped Raissi admitted that Raissi was not suspected of any criminal activity other than the possibility that Raissi was carrying without a GFL.  They stopped him for the sole purpose of checking to see if he was licensed to carry.  Comparing the facts of this case to a United States Supreme Court opinion that it is unconstitutional to stop a motorist just to see if he has a driver’s license, GCO argues that stopping someone just to see if he has a GFL violates the Fourth Amendment.

GCO’s motion also asks the court to rule that MARTA officials violated the state Open Records Act multiple times.  Raissi sent the chief of the MARTA police a certified letter asking for records related to his detention.  MARTA admits receiving the request and that it failed to respond.  In another request, GCO lawyer John Monroe made an oral request, followed by multiple email followups, to the assistant police chief, asking for MARTA’s policy pertaining to people carrying firearms on MARTA post-HB 89.  The assistant chief admits he received the emails, but denies that an ORA request can be made via email.  He admits he did not respond to the request, primarily because MARTA has a “procedure” for dealing with people carrying firearms but not a “policy.”

The documents in this case may be viewed here.

I'm happy to announce that we gained 50 members during the time we ran our membership drive and fundraiser for Chris Morley.  We have sent Walter Maksym, Chris's attorney, $500 to be counted towards Chris's defense fund.

Thanks to everyone who joined during this time and also a big thanks to everyone who donated separately to Chris's defense.  We raised another nearly $1,500 through online contributions for Chris!!!!!

The Fellowship is still young, but growing steadily.  We're very happy to have the opportunity to help someone out even at this stage.  I'm personally excited to help Chris out since he's a friend of mine.  I also can feel for Chris for what he's going through right now as I went through the same thing in 2006 through 2007.  I'd ask that we all stand behind Chris not just financially but also by letting it be known that we will not tolerate another law-abiding citizen being prosecuted when it is crystal clear that there has been NO VIOLATION OF LAW.  Politics, personal beliefs, and emotion should not rule over a law-abiding citizen's life.

We hope to see these bogus charges dropped this month.  Chris doesn't deserve a long fight in court like I've been fighting (and still am in appeals).  Be ready to let it be known that we will stand behind Chris no matter what happens.

Dear GunOwnersFellowship.com Users,

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, or other.  Likewise, I wish you and your family a Happy New Year!!!

I'll make this really quick -- there are only three (3) days left to join the Gun Owners Fellowship for only $29.99 for LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP.  After 12/31/08, the price will jump up to $59.99.  Also through 12/31/08 $10 of the $29.99 LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP application fee will go to Chris Morley's defense fund!  Chris Morley is the handicapped man from Chicago who was unlawfully and illegally arrested and falsely charged for carrying a gun according to state law!!

The Fellowship has over 50 members currently and therefore over $5,000 of fundraising potential for a member.  If you should ever need the support, you can get it for lifetime for only $29.99.  It's almost too good to be true, but it's not.  Many have taken advantage of this, and we've been able to raise over $500 for Chris through memberships alone and another $1,000 for Chris through other donations.

So help Chris out, and help yourself be protected against unlawful arrest/charges arising from owning firearms, carrying firearms, or using firearms in a self-defense situation.

Thanks and again HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!  Take care.

Sincerely yours,

Shaun Kranish

Founder, ICarry.org and the Gun Owners Fellowship

info@gunownersfellowship.com

There isn't much time before the holidays are here, so we at the Gun Owners Fellowship would like to extend to everyone our best wishes for the holidays.  Have a fun, safe, and relaxing time through New Years!!!

Remember that there are only a few days left to apply for m embership for only $29.99 instead of the regular price of $59.99.  The $10 per membership going to Chris Morley's defense fund also ends at this time.  Promotional offer ends 12/31/08.

Also, we're a little backed-up in processing memberships and informing members of their approval, so if you don't hear anything for a week or two don't be alarmed.  You can always email or call us anytime.  We just have been short-handed (one employee still in training) and with the holidays and vacation, haven't been able to let everyone know that they've been approved and have been activated as a member.  As long as your membership is approved (none have been rejected yet), your join date is the date payment was received.  So rest assured that you are a member of the network and have the protection that all members have.

Well, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and whatever else the case may be.  And Happy New Year to everyone!!!!

Interview with Shaun Kranish - Episode #106

The Gun Owners Fellowship would like to extend a BIG THANK YOU to the members of the AR15.com forums.  The membership at AR15.com (aka ARFCOM) has pulled together to support Chris Morley with his wrongful arrest.  As of right now, the membership has raised over $700 for Chris and one member has made a pledge to donate $10 for every $100 raised!!!

Thank you, ARFCOM members for standing beside one of your own members and helping him with his honorable battle.  As everyone knows, Chris was exercising his rights within the law (not only within but he was actually doing exactly what the law instructs Illinois Citizens to do) by carrying an unloaded gun in a case.  Even in Chicago, there are brave men and women like Chris who do not give in to intimidation and coercion by the state, but instead insist on exercising their rights to the benefit of everyone in the country.

Thanks Chris for doing what's right.  And thanks again to everyone who has supported him and the Fellowship.

We've raised hundreds of dollars for Chris at this point.  Most of the money has come from memberships to the Fellowship, but some has also been donated directly to his defense.  We would like to see that figure go into the thousands before the end of the year.  Chris certainly needs the money to defend himself against the rabidly-anti-rights Cook County court system.

There are only a few more weeks to join the fellowship for the introductory price of $29.99.  Likewise, there are only a few more weeks that we will be giving $10 per membership to Chris Morley's defense fund.  You can still donate money directly to his defense at any time, but the Fellowship membership is going to double and we will not be able to donate a portion of it to Chris after the end of this year.

We're very excited to welcome all of the people who have joined from all over the country!!!  We're looking forward to a successful project in which gun owners across the country pull together to support one another from anti-rights, anti-freedom harassment and persecution.

We told you that Chris Morley -- the man whom the Fellowship is currently helping by donating $10 per membership to his defense -- has been an active member of the gun rights movement in Illinois for years.  Well we weren't kidding.  Check out these pictures of Chris involved in the push for concealed carry in Illinois.

Left to right: Chuck Kuecker, John Horstman, John Birch, and Chris Morley posing with guns in a risque picture for the Chicago Reader.

Chris Morley being interviewed at the Chicago "Second Amendment Freedom Rally" in 2008.  His gun has possibly saved his life multiple times.  Now it has cost him his job, livelihood, and a lot of money.  We're helping him as best we can.

Chris is a perfect example of why the Fellowship is needed.  We only wish we woul d have been in place before this happened to Chris and had Chris as a member.  But even now, even in our first few weeks, we're making a difference.  We will make a much bigger difference as we grow in numbers.  Please consider joining us today if you haven't already.  $10 of your $29.99 lifetime membership will go to Chris Morley's defense fund.  http://www.gunownersfellowship.com/join.html

The fellowship is currently donating $10 per membership to Chris Morley's defense fund.  $10 out of the $29.99 limited time (ends 12/31/08) rate for lifetime membership will be given to Chris for the duration of this offer.  This is an out of the ordinary thing we're doing, but Chris has been a longtime supporter of concealed carry in Illinois.  Please consider joining today to help out Chris, yourself, and gun owners across the country.

A handicapped man from Chicago was arrested and charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Chris Morley, a long-time and well-liked supporter of gun rights in Illinois, has been carrying his unloaded pistol for nearly a decade – ever since a law was passed to allow this form of carry.

Suffering from cerebral palsy and depending on a cane to walk, Chris Morley has been the would-be target of muggers numerous times. On these three or four occasions, merely reaching for his unloaded firearm was enough to scare the attackers away and possibly save his life.

Morley was not feeling well at work on a Monday, however, and had a coworker help him to an empty room to rest and feel better. As a matter of policy, paramedics were called. But not only did the paramedics arrive, but police in full tactical gear arrived too!

Morley’s personal belongings had been searched without warrant or probable cause and his unloaded pistol in his Maxpedition case had been exposed. Instead of going home as he planned after falling ill, Morley was on his way to county lockup! He was handcuffed to a wall for a few hours, processed, photographed, fingerprinted, stripped of clothes and belongings including his cane and glasses. Morley could not walk or see.

During his arrest, the police even had the nerve to accuse him of being drunk – at approx 10:00 AM in the morning. Morley has a speech impediment due to his condition, but as often happens the police assumed the wrong thing. Meanwhile, locked up in his rubber cell for over twelve hours, Morley listened as the prison guards watched movie clips on YouTube, feature film Walk the Line, news, late-night replays of Oprah and Doctor Phil, and finally the morning news came on. Morley’s wife, parents, and other loved-ones had no idea where he was. Luckily his sister got in contact with someone from the police department and told them Morley suffered from major medical problems.