Maine lawmaker due in court on gun-threat charges

Source: Associated Press

Maine lawmaker due in court on gun-threat charges
The Associated Press Published: Monday, May 23, 2011 at 9:38 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, May 23, 2011 at 9:38 a.m.

A Maine lawmaker charged with pulling a gun in a parking lot confrontation is due in court as a legislative leader seeks to ban him from the State House.

Rep. Frederick Ladd Wintle, a Republican from Garland, has been in jail since being charged Saturday with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and carrying a concealed weapon. He is due in court Monday afternoon.

The confrontation happened outside a Dunkin' Donuts in Waterville. The victim told police that Wintle accused him of being a drug dealer and mentioned the death of a boy earlier in the week in a homeless shelter.

Lawmakers have expressed concern about Wintle's increasingly erratic behavior. House Speaker Robert Nutting asked that a judge make it a condition of bail that he's banned from the State House complex in Augusta.







Read more: http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110523/APA/1105230711#

State Rep Pulls Gun on Photographer at Dunkin Donuts
By Lauri Apple, May 22, 2011 1:00 PM

http://d.yimg.com.nyud.net:8090/a/p/ap/20110522/capt.050fb05bac414ac793b289b6b4f64a90-ebe10463a65b48299c9f3dd254c464f2-0.jpg
It's not entirely clear what led Frederick Ladd Wintle, a Republican state legislator from Maine, to believe that a local news photographer might also be a drug dealer who's somehow responsible for killing babies. But it appears that he was wrong, and also wrong about some other things.

According to the photographer, Wintle approached him "in a deranged manner" outside a Dunkin Donuts and started talking about a baby who recently died at a local homeless shelter. Apparently Wintle was looking for the mother's "drug dealer," even though such person might not actually exist. Then Wintle pulled out his 22-caliber handgun and aimed it at the photographer's mid-section, either because he was using it to point out some powdered sugar on the man's shirt or, as one report states, he thought the photographer was the mother's drug dealer. Mistake!

Even if the photographer was a drug dealer, eating donuts do not turn you into a police officer—that's an urban legend, based on stereotypes. Now Wintle faces charges of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and carrying a concealed weapon, and has lost his electronic badge privileges. He might even be barred from the House.

This wasn't Wintle's only run-in with trouble this week: He'd also been kicked out of a hotel after trying to fight another guest. And people at the House say he's been acting pretty weird lately, though nobody wants to provide any details. Oh well, at least he can still smile.

http://m.gawker.com/5804369/state-rep-pulls-gun-on-photographer-at-dunkin-donuts

I think they are retreating (not reloading) after this incident

They loves them gun-free zones now!

yup

This is the summary
This bill eliminates the prohibition on certain persons possessing firearms in certain locations, including state parks and historic sites, premises licensed for the consumption of alcohol, state property under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Safety and the Legislative Council and locations of labor disputes. Specifically, notwithstanding any statutory provisions or rules prohibiting the possession of a firearm, the bill permits the following persons to possess firearms:

1. A person to whom a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm has been issued under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 25, chapter 252. The person must have in that person's possession the valid permit;

2. A person to whom a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm has been issued by another state if a permit to carry a concealed firearm issued from that state has been granted reciprocity under Title 25, chapter 252. The person must have in that person's possession the valid permit;

3. An authorized federal, state or local law enforcement officer in the performance of the officer's official duties;

4. A qualified law enforcement officer pursuant to 18 United States Code, Section 926B. The law enforcement officer must have in the law enforcement officer's possession photographic identification issued by the law enforcement agency by which the person is employed as a law enforcement officer;

5. A qualified retired law enforcement officer pursuant to 18 United States Code, Section 926C. The retired law enforcement officer must have in the retired law enforcement officer's possession:

A. Photographic identification issued by the law enforcement agency from which the person retired from service as a law enforcement officer that indicates that the person has, not less recently than one year before the date the person is carrying the concealed firearm, been tested or otherwise found by the agency to meet the standards established by the agency for training and qualification for active law enforcement officers to carry a firearm of the same type as the concealed firearm; or
B. Photographic identification issued by the law enforcement agency from which the person retired from service as a law enforcement officer and a certification issued by the state in which the person resides that indicates that the person has, not less recently than one year before the date the person is carrying the concealed firearm, been tested or otherwise found by that state to meet the standards established by that state for training and qualification for active law enforcement officers to carry a firearm of the same type as the concealed firearm;

6. A private investigator licensed under Title 32, chapter 89 who is actually performing as a private investigator; and

7. A security guard to the extent that federal laws or rules required the security guard to be armed with a dangerous weapon at a labor dispute site or a security guard who is employed by an employer involved in a labor dispute, strike or lockout at the location where applications for employment with the employer will be accepted, interviews of those applicants conducted or medical examinations of those applicants performed.

This bill does not eliminate or amend provisions governing the possession of firearms in or on school property or courthouses.

These are the sponsors/co-sponsors
Presented by Representative CEBRA of Naples.
Cosponsored by Senator TRAHAN of Lincoln and
Representatives CLARK H of Millinocket, CRAFTS of Lisbon, DAVIS of Sangerville, HANLEY of Gardiner, MARTIN J of Eagle Lake, MCKANE of Newcastle, PLUMMER of Windham, SARTY of Denmark, WATERHOUSE of Bridgton.

Yes that is the John Martin. Whether he is actually supporting the measure, or wanted to get a prominent seat during the public hearing, I honestly don't know

a State House, then all republicans should be locked out..........just saying

Is bad form. Tisk. Tisk.