Man held without bail for possession of guns & powder
Melissa
By Neal Knox, 17 November 2003
http://www.nealknox.com
Let's have a show of hands. How many of you handloaders have more
than five pounds of smokeless propellant?
There's a 60-year-old man in Baltimore who once had 62 pounds of rifle
powder, a lot of ammo, and a 22-gun "arsenal." That 40-year handloader is
Lovell "Artie" Wheeler. Since July 1 he has been in the Baltimore City
jail. And he'll be there until his trial Nov. 7, 2003
His original bail was an incredible $2 million! Now he's being held
without bail. For Misdemeanors! He's in solitary - "for his own
protection," the Baltimore City prosecutor's office told son Jeff last
week.
Wheeler had 62 pounds of WC852, a military surplus rifle propellant
similar to Hodgdon H-414 stored in plastic jugs and paint thinner
cans. (Some of us used to buy surplus propellants from Bruce Hodgdon
in 50-pound bags shipped in a cardboard box. Chronograph-maker Dr.
Ken Oehler still has some!)
Wheeler is charged under state law with (1) possession of more than
five pounds of smokeless propellant, (2) not stored in its "original
shipping container," and (3) three counts of "reckless endangerment,"
based on the complaints of three people who live next door and who wrongly
believe that much powder could blow up the entire neighborhood.
During his August 12 bail hearing, the prosecution's "expert" claimed that
much propellant could have caused a devastating fire or explosion, causing
thousands of rounds to cook off and go "whizzing" through the
neighborhood.
"Reckless endangerment" is a catch-all statute intended to deal with
gangs who have street shootouts. The maximum punishment on each
offense is five years - still a misdemeanor, but even a fine would cost
Wheeler his gun ownership rights.
Possession of more than five pounds of either smokeless or black
powder not in its "original shipping container" is punishable by
up to $500 fine and/or up to six months in jail under Maryland law.
I lived in "The Free State" for almost 20 years, and also unknowingly
violated that ridiculously small limit until just before I escaped to
Virginia.
Wheeler's 71-year-old wife was alone when a Baltimore Police SWAT
team executed a "no-knock" warrant by slashing through their front
door with an axe. She was put in plastic cuffs for most of the day
while about 60 police ransacked the house.
I asked Wheeler's Public Defender Lawyer, Larry Rogers, why the axes,
since what they thought were tons of guns, ammo and propellants couldn't
be flushed down the toilet after a polite knock. Police thought Wheeler
was dangerous, he said, though they reportedly knew he was at work.
I asked her, and I asked attorney Rogers, if Wheeler had been accused of
fomenting or planning any act of violence, or if the prosecutor had even
hinted at it. They said no.
Wheeler's real crime - obviously the reason for his unprecedented
"No Bail Misdemeanors" - is that he and his wife support a white
supremacist organization, the National Alliance. She's a member
and he has distributed their literature. I don't share those beliefs. But
his right to believe it, to preach it, and to peaceably associate with
other like-minded people is protected by the First Amendment.
The ACLU refused to take his case.
Contrary to what Wheeler told his wife, and most handloaders believe,
smokeless propellant is not benign, though it is comparatively safe to
store even in 62-pound quantities. It is very difficult to make unconfined
propellant detonate, particularly a moderate-burning, coated ball like
WC852, but once ignited it could create a nasty fire.
- From personal observations and talking with knowledgeable friends in the
propellant industry, it probably wouldn't be as nasty as the same weight
of gasoline - about 10 gallons.
Some years ago I saw charred cardboard propellant cans rescued after
fires at two well-stocked handloading writers' homes, the late Maj.
George Nonte and John Wootters. In neither instance did their
propellants burn. Some primers and a considerable amount of loaded
ammo popped, but as in NRA tests many years ago, the cartridge cases
only burst; the bullets didn't "whiz" anywhere, even through the NRA's
cardboard box.
The National Fire Protection Association recommendations for smokeless and
primer storage (used by most cities and states - but not Maryland) are up
to 20 pounds in residences, or 50 pounds in boxes with 1-inch wood walls,
kept separate from up to 10,000 primers.
Better check your state's rules with your fire marshal - to avoid
being in jail without bond. Or, far more likely, losing your homeowner
insurance payoff after a fire.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/liberty_outlook
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Learn about rec.guns at http://www.recguns.com
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Mitch Barrie
wrote:
#There's a 60-year-old man in Baltimore who once had 62 pounds of rifle
#powder, a lot of ammo, and a 22-gun "arsenal." That 40-year handloader is
#Lovell "Artie" Wheeler. Since July 1 he has been in the Baltimore City
#jail. And he'll be there until his trial Nov. 7, 2003
#
#His original bail was an incredible $2 million! Now he's being held
#without bail. For Misdemeanors! He's in solitary - "for his own
#protection," the Baltimore City prosecutor's office told son Jeff last
#week.
He should take up less provocative hobbies, like pedophelia.
Mitch
Jim Gaynor
suspended and three years probation plus forfeiture of all his guns,
ammunition and componets. A further proviso allows for his probation to
start early and to have his criminal record wiped clean if he keeps his nose
clean for 12 months.
There is more information on Google
"Mitch Barrie" <red...@goathill.net> wrote in message
news:bpmdnv$cjo$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu...
> ...
Matt
Jim Gaynor <jga...@optonline.net> wrote in message news:<bpp332$es$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu>...
carl
Melissa <Mel...@pagan.net> wrote in message news:<bpl58t$2oh$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu>...
> ...
TomB
wrote:
#doesnt your country have a constitution that lets people own guns?
#Melissa <Mel...@pagan.net> wrote in message news:<bpl58t$2oh$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu>...
It really is that simple.
Yes, we have a constitution that lets people own guns.
Yes, we have a government that doesn't want us to own guns.
No, we haven't turned our guns in or stopped telling our govt. that we
have the right to own guns.
Wherever you are, wherever you live, be vigilant.
TomB
Jim Gaynor
the courts. Their argument was that he MIGHT do something bad if he was
released on bail. Considering all the guns and ammunition he owned had been
confiscated and his age and health this was a stretch. Definitely not one of
the justice systems finest hours
"Matt" <web...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
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> ...
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