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Make gun owners accountable

Mike Gouzie Gales Ferry

Publication: The Day

Published 02/04/2013 12:00 AM
Updated 02/01/2013 04:21 PM

The letter of Jan. 30, "Time for the public to demand reasonable gun control," does not go far enough.

The letter suggests gun owners have homeowner's insurance to cover the potential harm caused by their guns. That's not enough motivation.

I propose legislation requiring gun owners be legally accountable for the secure locking of their registered guns, with a severe penalty for not safeguarding high-capacity, rapid-fire, assault-type rifles primarily designed for a battlefield.

Charges of involuntary manslaughter would apply to registered gun owners if their assault weapons got stolen, or were borrowed, or were sold illegally to another person who in turn committed bodily harm or death to others.

I have wondered if Adam Lanza's mother had not been a victim in the Newtown tragedy, would she now be facing criminal prosecution for not securely locking her gun collection?

From what I've been able to find out, she would not be criminally liable. Under current Connecticut law, she could not be charged with anything.

God forbid I deny anyone his Second Amendment rights to own assault weaponry. But if owners of these weapons won't store and lock them properly, they as well as the perpetrator deserve jail time. That's motivation.

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