D.C. businessman faces two years in jail for unregistered ammunition, brass casing

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D.C. businessman faces two years in jail for unregistered ammunition, brass casing

Mark Witaschek, a successful financial adviser with no criminal record, is facing two years in prison for possession of unregistered ammunition after D.C. police raided his house looking for guns. Mr. Witaschek has never had a firearm in the city, but he is being prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The trial starts on Nov. 4.

The police banged on the front door of Mr. Witaschek’s Georgetown home at 8:20 p.m. on July 7, 2012, to execute a search warrant for “firearms and ammunition … gun cleaning equipment, holsters, bullet holders and ammunition receipts.”

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The police shut down the streets for blocks and spent more than two hours going over every inch of his house. “They tossed the place,” said Mr. Witaschek. He provided photos that he took of his home after the raid to document the damage, which he estimated at $10,000.

The police found no guns in the house, but did write on the warrant that four items were discovered: “One live round of 12-gauge shotgun ammunition,” which was an inoperable shell that misfired during a hunt years earlier. Mr. Witaschek had kept it as a souvenir. “One handgun holster” was found, which is perfectly legal.

“One expended round of .270 caliber ammunition,” which was a spent brass casing. The police uncovered “one box of Knight bullets for reloading.” These are actually not for reloading, but are used in antique-replica, single-shot, muzzle-loading rifles.
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Quote from LEAPup:

Holy Jesus!!!!!! I just threw papers all over my office!!:mad: :mad: WHERE ARE THE PATRIOTS to take this police state called America back to common sense???:( :( This is East German 1939 kinda shit! TOTALLY illegal, and FUCKING IMMORAL!!!!!!!!!!:mad:This man is a victim of terrorism!!!! The legal terrorism called liberalism, and pure lunacy!!!!!!:mad: :mad: :mad:
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If the story is correct he won't be convicted of anything. The real issue is liability of whoever was responsible for the warrant. He needs to be made whole. This business of police wrecking places and not being held accountable must stop. There is likely more to this then we are being told.
 
Quote from piezoe:

If the story is correct he won't be convicted of anything.
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theoretically anyway.
The real issue is liability of whoever was responsible for the warrant. He needs to be made whole. This business of police wrecking places and not being held accountable must stop.
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And who exactly on your political team is working on that, or even complaining for that matter?
There is likely more to this then we are being told.
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Yeah he probably tweeted something derogatory about our dear leader.
 
Quote from piezoe:

If the story is correct he won't be convicted of anything. The real issue is liability of whoever was responsible for the warrant. He needs to be made whole. This business of police wrecking places and not being held accountable must stop. There is likely more to this then we are being told.
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I don't know how you can make a statement like that.

My understanding is the D.C. gun laws make it illegal to possess unregistered ammo and empty shell casings are specifically defined as ammo. Tourists with shell casing jewelery have actually been arrested and prosecuted.

The law appears to me to have a significant constitutional problem, over and above the Secocnd Amendment issues. Under the 14th Amendment's due process clause, courts have invalidated laws on the ground that they were basically irrational. Calling a harmless object, ie a shell casing, "ammo" is clearly irrational. They might as well have said a length of pipe is a gun. After all, it could be fashioned into a handgun.

I do agree about the damage to the guy's house. The cops, FBI, etc frequently go way over the line in this type of situation and should be held accountable.
 
if he hires a former prosecutor who used to work at that office and was liked... (and if this case had no gotten publicity) he would have had a good shot... at a hand shake deal of no prosecution in exchange for not agitating for repairs.

part of the reason cops make notes of little crap is for leverage.

But, being that this case got publicity... its out of my knowledge range.

Why they targeted this guy for a search would be something worth knowing.

note... CA for seems like disneyland compared to d.c. and that gun law.

you have apply to get a permit for a shotgun .. but I can go to the sporting goods store down the street and buy as much ammo as I want.
 
Quote from jem:

...Why they targeted this guy for a search would be something worth knowing.
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The Obongo regime's penchant for illegal persecution of political dissidents might be a good place to start looking.
 
Quote from AAAintheBeltway:

I don't know how you can make a statement like that.

My understanding is the D.C. gun laws make it illegal to possess unregistered ammo and empty shell casings are specifically defined as ammo. Tourists with shell casing jewelery have actually been arrested and prosecuted.

The law appears to me to have a significant constitutional problem, over and above the Secocnd Amendment issues. Under the 14th Amendment's due process clause, courts have invalidated laws on the ground that they were basically irrational. Calling a harmless object, ie a shell casing, "ammo" is clearly irrational. They might as well have said a length of pipe is a gun. After all, it could be fashioned into a handgun.

I do agree about the damage to the guy's house. The cops, FBI, etc frequently go way over the line in this type of situation and should be held accountable.
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Here's something that will get your attention. Senator jay Rockefeller D, WV was found to have a loaded with 30 round mag AR-15 in his DC townhouse several years ago, even though those rifles are illegal there for anyone but law enforcement. Was he prosecuted? Lol! Wasn't even a blip on the radar. He's a RICH democrap senator, and that's so above the law, the mafia would be jealous. Unreal a guy with a brass casing, a holster, and some pieces of lead (NOT ammunition under ANY law), would suffer like this!:mad:
 
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