I’m sure Lentz, who is running for Sestak’s old seat in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, thinks this murder in Philadelphia shows the need to remove the so-called “Florida Loophole,” but the reality is it’s another example of the City of Philadelphia’s utter failure to prosecute criminals. Make no mistake, Marqus Hill is not the kind of person who should possess, much less carry a gun. But in this country, we can’t deprive people of rights without due process, and this scumbag, thanks to the City, never got the process he was most decidedly due.
NBC 10 is also reporting on this, and notes that he was acquitted of attempted murder. This is not true. I have his record here. In 2005, he was arrested for attempted murder, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, carrying firearms without a license, simple, assault and reckless endangerment. All these, save terroristic threats, are listed as being “Held for Court,” meaning that the City District Attorney has still not brought an “Information.” In other words, he’s had a preliminary hearing, and a judge has determined there’s sufficient evidence to hold the matter, and await the prosecutors office to bring formal charges. Except the City has yet to bring charges on the matter.
Not only that, but in 2008, as they mention, he assaulted a police officer, which is aggravated assault in Pennsylvania, a felony. That charge was dismissed for lack of evidence. He was also charged with Simple Assault, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct for the same incident. He was found guilty of disorderly conduct, and beat the other charges. One wonders how you can have lack of evidence for such a charge, since you would imagine all it would take is a cop saying, “Yes, he punched me while I was trying to arrest him,” but that’s what happened.
In short the city missed one clear, blatant opportunity to make this guy a prohibited person, and appears to have missed a second opportunity in 2008. Florida does a background check on every applicant, but that requires that the person actually be convicted of something. Philadelphia, with Brian Lentz’s help, is successfully deflecting blame for their own failings onto the backs of law abiding gun owners, rather than addressing the real problem, which is the City’s inability or unwillingness to get tough on criminals. Marqus Hill is a poster boy alright, but not for changing our guns laws.
“Florida does a background check on every applicant, but that requires that the person actually be convicted of something”
That is the essence of the problem. Florida actually believes in DUE PROCESS. Innocent until proven guilty means something to them. Apparently it means nothing to former prosecutor Bryan Lentz. It is truly frightening that this idiot is already a State Rep. I sure hope Pat Meehan doesn’t screw up.
If Mr. Hill was the animal that the Philly PD is claiming, why have they not yet had trial for him stemming from the 2005 incident? Because the whole story about the 2005 incident has not been brought to light yet.
In 2005 Mr. Hill was robbed by 2 individuals in a public place. He pulled a gun on them, a legally registered and being carried by a man who then had a PA license to carry firearms. He shot at them, that is where the “Attempted Murder” charge, as well as the assault and reckless endangerment all come in. Not that I can defend his actions as of late, but in 2005 he truly was defending himself against two people who had weapons and were robbing and beating him up.
He obviously had a license or they would not have been able to revoke it then in 2005, so to charge him with carrying without a license is really null in void. Just as charging him with the current charges of carrying without a license… the Philly PD have admitted he did have a license to carry from Florida, and that they do honor it in PA, so he did have a license. Just because Philly PD doesn’t WANT to honor it, doesn’t mean that legally they can just dismiss that he did have a legal license to carry the gun.
Noticably glossed over is the fact that the dead teen was engaged in illegal behavior when he was shot.
And yes, some might say that 13 rounds is a lot to pump into a criminal, but I’m sure that Alonzo Heyward would probably have been quite happy to have only been shot 13 times.