Coming Soon to a Country Near You ?

[Shawnee]

BERLIN (Reuters) – A German man who slept with a loaded revolver under his pillow has lost his gun license after a court ruled it to be irresponsible behavior.

The 56-year-old was stripped of his license for failing to store the weapon properly, Braunschweig administrative court judge Torsten Baumgarten told Reuters Tuesday. The gun was only discovered by chance during a police inspection.

"His home was being checked because he had threatened to throw a hand grenade if the city council approved plans to build a high-voltage power line in his neighborhood," Baumgarten said. "The decision to take his license was made independently."

Baumgarten said the ruling, which sets a legal precedent in Germany, in effect outlaws sleeping on top of a firearm -- because the owner of the gun is not in control of the weapon and is therefore putting himself and others at risk.

"Anyone could come along and take the gun away from him, his wife for example," Baumgarten said. The man, who also owned several other weapons, said he kept the gun under his pillow because he feared burglars.

(Reporting by Josie Cox; Editing by Charles Dick
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[Sinixstar]

This isn't exactly making me feel sympathetic...
The court's reaction might be a bit much - but not by a whole heck of a lot.

 

[Treo]

His home was being checked because he had threatened to throw a hand grenade if the city council approved plans to build a high-voltage power line in his neighborhood,"

I could see where that might influence their decision jest a leetle

 

[Sinixstar]

I could see where that might influence their decision jest a leetle

ya think???

 

[ants]

I'm not blind. I can see the real problem:
They need to ban high-voltage power lines through neighborhoods in Germany.

That's the real cause of this poor man's problem. Don't blame unannounced police inspections, and don't blame the requirement for a license to own a gun. Blame the power company for unwise planning of a high-voltage power line.

 

[Sinixstar]

Don't blame unannounced police inspections

How do you know it was unannounced?

 

[2RCO]

I'm pretty sure the whole grenade thing coulda caused this. This guy isn't exactly a responsible gun owner.

 

[Prepster]

Yep...don't cause a ruckus, and the police will leave you alone. I'd imagine someone making threats in public over here would get some law enforcement attention as well.

 

[WardenWolf]

Let's see, nutjob who made a terroristic threat has his house searched on probable cause (his own words being probable cause), and police find him storing his firearm in a rather ill-advised location that could endanger others if he sleepwalks or has a very realistic nightmare, or just happens to stick his hands under his pillow in his sleep. Very little sympathy there.

 

[mbt2001]

His home was being checked because he had threatened to throw a hand grenade if the city council approved plans to build a high-voltage power line in his neighborhood

Is there a union for that?

I love orneryness no matter what the nationality.

 

[razorback2003]

Hmmm if he had not raised cane about the grenade and made a more thoughtful protest, he would have been left alone. Odd though how police in foreign countries have more search powers than in the USA. I am glad we still have a Constitution that protects us.

 

[JDoe]

Seriously, what did the guy think was going to happen?

 

[Sinixstar]

Hmmm if he had not raised cane about the grenade and made a more thoughtful protest, he would have been left alone. Odd though how police in foreign countries have more search powers than in the USA. I am glad we still have a Constitution that protects us.

how do you know the circumstances in which he was searched?
Not to mention - i'm sure if i threatened to lob grenades at my local government - i would have some cops knockin on my door too. And I live in a pretty conservative area (probably one of the most so in the country)

 

[Starship1st]

It sounds like this guy might be a little bit c-r-a-z-y!

 

[newdude]

I know germany has strict gun laws (my mother and half my family are German) but this is beyond that. It had to be the grenade thing.

 

[rbernie]

I'm pretty sure the whole grenade thing coulda caused this. This guy isn't exactly a responsible gun owner.

No doubt.

But the issue is how the court reacted to this guy - not whether the guy is worthy of our sympathy.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

It saddens me that the article didn't mention what type of weapons the police were carrying at the time of the visit. Or, what type of revolver was under the pillow.

I get curious about things like that.