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CO: Appeals court orders new murder trial for teen after judge blocked self-defense evidence
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Robertson's alleged statement on Snapchat was not hearsay, wrote Judge Grant T. Sullivan, because the goal of the testimony was to illustrate its effect on McCaughin.
"Indeed, in self-defense cases, a threatening statement communicated by the person killed or assaulted isn’t hearsay '(i)f offered to show the defendant’s reasonable apprehension of danger'," wrote Sullivan in the July 10 opinion.
Because the prosecution argued McCaughin's fear was unreasonable, the panel concluded the omitted evidence could have influenced the jury's view of self-defense. |
GA: DeKalb DA drops murder charge in father's shooting death caught on camera
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In a statement, the DA's office wrote:
"As with any felony arrest, the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney conducts a thorough investigation of the facts and circumstances before making a final charging decision. After reviewing the case, our office determined the shooting in question was self-defense and justifiable under Georgia law. As such, we have declined to present the charges against Mr. Harris to a Grand Jury and they have officially been dismissed." |
NC: No charges to be filed after man shot, killed near York County Dollar General
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A 69-year-old veteran was shot and killed in York County outside of a Dollar General on July 10.
On Wednesday, the York County Sheriff's Office announced it would not be pursuing charges in the fatal shooting.
"Investigators determined that the injured male had first approached the other parties' vehicle aggressively, while making threats of violence," York County Sheriff's Office told WCNC Charlotte. "After threatening the driver of the car, the male punched the driver of the vehicle by entering through the driver's side window. The male driver, who was struck by the punch, then responded to the perceived threat by discharging his firearm, which he was lawfully carrying." |
AR: Arming the left: Rock City Defense aims for a new model of mutual aid
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“SO MUCH FOR THE TOLERANT LEFT” reads a flier in River City Coffee, emblazoned with the outline of an AR-15. It’s an advertisement for Rock City Defense, a self-described self-defense organization that appeared in Little Rock in February of this year. The provocative promotion of the organization has raised questions about its intent.
Rock City Defense founder Benjamin Harrison, 37, said that he formed the cooperative in January to address an uptick of collective anxiety around President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. |
MT: Grizzy Bear Deaths, Conflicts Continue to Rise in Northwest Montana
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Since the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks shifted its messaging strategy surrounding conflicts between people and grizzly bears earlier this year, state wildlife officials have been heavy on sympathy for landowners and livestock producers who encounter bears, but light on details into the circumstances that in the span of three months contributed to the deaths of 14 grizzlies across the state, including six that were reportedly killed in self-defense.
In an effort to be more transparent, this week the state agency launched an online grizzly bear conflict database as a community resource for landowners who want more insight into how state wildlife managers deal with problem bears. |
More Speakers Announced for GRPC 2025
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The Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) planning committee is pleased to announce additional confirmed speakers for this year’s 40th annual event.
Co-hosted by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA), GRPC is scheduled for Sept. 26 - 28 in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek. Confirmed speakers include:
--Sara Weaver, author and Ruby Ridge siege survivor
--Massad Ayoob, author, Handgun Editor for GUNS Magazine and Second Amendment Foundation President
--Jared Yanis, host, Guns & Gadgets YouTube Channel
-- ... |
CA: California Glock Ban Advances in State Senate
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A measure that puts Glocks and straightforward Glock clones into regulatory crosshairs advanced in a key committee vote this week.
As previously reported by Guns.com, California AB 1127 found easy passage in the state Assembly last month. On Tuesday, the bill was passed 11-2 by the California Senate Judiciary Committee, advancing it to further consideration.
While the measure doesn't mention "Glock" by name, its language goes after semi-automatic "machine gun-convertible pistols" by an extremely specific definition of one that can accept a common aftermarket full-auto switch or "chip" insert. Not endorsed by Glock, in most cases, these unregistered switches are already illegal under the National Firearms Act. |
NY: CVS worker was ‘getting his head bashed in’ before fatally stabbing serial NYC shoplifter in self-defense: lawyer
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A CVS worker was within his rights to fatally stab a serial shoplifter in a Midtown store, his defense lawyer argued Wednesday — telling jurors the chronic thief sparked the deadly encounter when he “bashed” his client’s head.
Scotty Enoe, 48, acted in self-defense as he took out his pocket knife and stabbed 50-year-old homeless man Charles Brito eight times during the early morning July 2023 scuffle, attorney Frank Rothman said during opening statements of Enoe’s closely watched manslaughter trial.
“This is a fight. He was getting his head bashed in by the cooler,” Rothman said, calling Enoe’s actions “consistent with defense” and “reasonable under the circumstances.” |
Newsom has 'no ideological opposition' to 2A rights? Let's test that
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom is doing all he can to obfuscate his abysmal record to prepare for a White House bid in 2028. His latest stunt — he received a SIG Sauer P365X-Macro from Shawn Ryan while he was sitting for a podcast interview.
It gets better. Gov. Newsom actually said, “I’m not anti-gun at all. I’m just for some gun safe common sense. I’m challenged by large-capacity clips in urban centers, weapons of war sometimes outgunning the police. But otherwise, man, people have the right to bear arms. I got no ideological opposition to that at all.” |
The Trump Administration Defends the Federal Ban on Interstate Handgun Sales
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As a resident of Florida, Trump would not have been allowed to directly buy a pistol from a South Carolina gun dealer. Instead, he would have had to arrange and pay for shipment of the weapon to a licensed dealer in Florida, who could have completed the transaction there, typically in exchange for an additional fee. A lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas takes aim at that rule, arguing that it is inconsistent with the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. The Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) says the ban on interstate handgun sales fails the constitutional test that the Supreme Court established in the 2022 case New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. |
ME: Maine professor removed after mocking student’s Christian faith, Second Amendment essay
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A Maine community college professor has been removed from teaching a summer class, and state lawmakers are calling for her resignation after she allegedly mocked a student’s Christian faith and disparaged her for writing an essay about the Second Amendment.
Nearly 50 Republican lawmakers are calling for Dr. Carol Lewandowski, a professor at Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor, to be fired for her actions.
“Attempts to intimidate and silence students – especially based on religious status, ideology, and political affiliation – are completely unacceptable and run counter to the goals of higher education,” says a letter signed by the lawmakers earlier this month. |
2nd Amendment Victory Sends Clear Message About Government Overreach
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In a landmark decision for gun owners, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently ruled in favor of two plaintiffs, Gerald Novak and Adam Wenzel, in a case that raises important questions about government overreach and the Second Amendment. The case revolves around the seizure of 14 firearms by the Saginaw County Sheriff’s Department in Michigan, which Novak and Wenzel claimed as their property. |
TN: LANCO to Headline Saturday Night Concert at GOALS in Knoxville, Tenn.
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The concert is free with GOALS admission, and doors open at 6:30 PM at the Knoxville Convention Center. This exclusive live performance promises to be a celebration of freedom, family, and country values—set to the soundtrack of one of country music’s most beloved bands.
GOALS 2025 is more than a convention—it’s a full weekend of leadership training, grassroots networking, family activities, and keynote speakers like Liz Wheeler, John Lovell and other champions of the Second Amendment. And now, with LANCO in the spotlight, Saturday night just got even more exciting. |
Push Grows for National Gun Reciprocity and Repeal of the NFA
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The beginning of 2025 brought a wave of optimism for gun rights advocates across the country. With the Republican Party securing control of the House, Senate, and the executive branch, many believed that the time had finally come for meaningful change to Second Amendment laws. One of the most anticipated areas of reform involved national gun reciprocity and the potential repeal of the National Firearms Act (NFA).
However, as the months rolled on, progress on these vital issues has been slower than expected, leaving gun owners wondering when and if these changes will ever come to fruition. William, host of Copper Jacket TV, provides an update on the current status of these bills and the fight for Second Amendment rights |
NJ: Gun Owners Score Third Victory In New Jersey As Dumont Votes To Refund Carry Permit Fees
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Gun owners in New Jersey have secured another significant win in their fight against what they call “exorbitant” carry permit fees, as the Borough of Dumont in Bergen County passed a resolution to refund its portion of the state’s $200 concealed carry permit fee. This marks the third municipality in the Garden State to take such action, following similar decisions by Englishtown and Franklin Township.
The initiative is a collaborative effort led by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA), joined by the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) and the New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate (NJFOS). |
NY: Family of man charged in fatal stabbing of twins claims self-defense after newly released video
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The video shows a group of five girls, including the twins, fighting Kelly - who was 20 years old at the time - on an early morning in March.
"They're literally stomping him out,” said Faith Kelly, sister of the suspect. “They're acting as savages. It was five to six females jumping on him. He just got out of a wheelchair two weeks prior to that situation, so there was no way he could just jump up."
At one point, the video shows a friend of the suspect holding him back, when two of the girls approach him again and are knocked back.
Another girl pulls out a knife, although never appearing to use it.
Kelly's sister Faith said that should've been enough. |
WA: Police, prosecutors disagree on charges for Renton, WA transit shooting suspects
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In it, you can see a 52-year-old man approaching a woman, her boyfriend and brother with a PVC pipe in his hand. Then, he takes a swing at the woman, hitting her in the leg. Her boyfriend pulls a gun and at some point, the man drops the pipe and goes after him. The two begin tussling, falling to the ground and moving to the street between two buses. That's when the woman's brother pulls out a gun and ultimately shoots him in the chest, both thighs and knee. |
WA: Man found not guilty in Kent fatal shooting of mother’s boyfriend
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A King County Superior Court jury found a then-20-year-old man acted in self-defense to aid his mother when he fatally shot her boyfriend in 2022 at a Kent house.
The jury found Dondre Butler, 22, not guilty of second-degree murder when the five-week trial wrapped up July 8 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. Opening statements began June 10.
Butler fired at least eight shots to kill Carlos Middleton, 45, on Oct. 29, 2022 at a house in the 14300 block of SE 282nd Street, where all three lived, according to charging papers. |
Why Trump Was & Will Be the Most Pro-2A President Since Reagan (That Includes Bump Stocks)
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When the chips were down, and the anti-gun Left came roaring with everything they had—from hysterical media campaigns to endless bills aimed at gutting your rights—one man stood like a fortress between American gun owners and a full-blown legislative apocalypse: Donald J. Trump.
And no, he didn’t just wave a red flag, fire off some tweets, or give fiery speeches at NRA rallies (though he did that too, and masterfully, and the NRA recognized Trump as the greatest political friend gun owners have ever had). He straight-up reshaped the entire judiciary into a pro-2A powerhouse, fortified the Second Amendment through smart policy moves, and held the line against radical gun-grabbers where weaker leaders would’ve folded... |
NJ: Third N.J. Municipality Votes To Refund Citizen’s Gun Carry Permit Fees!! Win for Gun Owners
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The momentum is building. Another New Jersey town has joined the growing movement to roll back part of the state’s sky-high concealed carry permit fees, delivering a hard-fought win for Second Amendment supporters.
This week, Dumont officials in Bergen County passed Resolution 2025-216, pledging to refund the municipal portion of the state’s $200 carry permit fee. That means law-abiding residents who paid to exercise their constitutional right will get $150 back—the amount that typically goes straight into the town’s coffers. |
Like a Stretch Limo, the Glock 17L is a Smooth Ride
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In 1988, only a few years after Glock released the G17 as the new sidearm for the Austrian military, the 17L came along. The “L” stands for long slide and was a response to demand for a longer sight radius and barrel for competition shooting.
To my surprise, the 17L preceded the Glock 34, which was released 10 years later and has enjoyed much more widespread popularity. In the early ’90s, many competition shooters lobbied for change as the longer-slide plastic guns started taking home championships. Thus, the infamous IDPA “box” was produced. The L no longer fit, and the 34 replaced it. |
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