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Latest Maryland Handgun Laws News

Officer who failed to appear at trial spends night at ... - Baltimore Sun

... listed in court records as Victoria Wingfield, was scheduled to testify in a case against Kinte Johnson, 35, who was charged with being a felon illegally in possession of a handgun. But ... to strengthen proposed gun laws. Baltimore Mayor ...

truesee's Blog - Lottery Post

Huntley said a police supervisor agreed with the man that his wife wasn't breaking any laws. Robert Pierce told the supervisor, "OK, well ... Michaele Cohen, executive director of the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, said she was "appalled ...

Laslo Boyd: Rising anger evident in debate on gun laws - Maryland Community Newspapers Online

... including the police chief of Montgomery County — generally focused on gun violence in the state and had lots of statistics to show that the preponderance of murders in Maryland are ... proposed rules for tracking handgun sales, the cost of ...

issue full text - Drug War Chronicle

Congress: Senate Passes Bill to Reduce, But Not Eliminate, Crack/Powder Sentencing Disparity After nearly a quarter-century of federal crack cocaine laws that disproportionately ... populations in states like California, Maryland, Michigan ...

In the Know for March 14 - Journal & Sunday Journal

April 1, at the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown, 32 West Washington St ... Topics include how to purchase a boat, how to operate a motorboat, safety equipment and laws, how to tie a knot and more. Final exam included. The course is NASBLA ...

Resolved Question: Does this mean cops can tell what gun fired a bulet without the gun, even if it was a revolver?

In states like Maryland.."New handguns sold in Maryland must include a sealed envelope, provided by the manufacturer, containing a shell casing from a cartridge fired by that gun. When the gun is sold, the dealer must send the envelope with the shell casing, along with information identifying the purchaser, to the state police, for inclusion in their ballistics database, known as the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS)." does that mean that if they recover a bullet from your gun they should be able to run it through their database and know not only the caliber but the EXACT gun it came from. source....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_the_United_States_(by_state) more

Resolved Question: Gun Law "carry" question from Maryland resident?

I am aware that a person must obtain a permit from the State Police before they may carry a hand gun. However, the law states that it "does not apply to any person wearing, carrying or transporting a handgun within the confines of real estate owned or leased by him, or on which he resided, or within the confines of a business establishment owned or leased by him." I lease a town home. I do not have a carry permit. My question is, is the parking lot directly in front of my door considered property leased by me? I must point out that the parking there is restricted to residents and their visitors, so it is not technically open parking to the general public. To put it simply, I carry a pistol in a holster when I walk a round my house. Can I walk out front and get something out of my car, with the pistol on my hip, and not get be in violation of the law?But is the parking lot, a space that is only permitted for use by myself and other residences, considered property leased by me? Part of my monthly payment goes to the upkeep of this area. The state does not repair it.If I terminate my lease, I can no longer use the parking space, and I can no longer use the house. So it would seem to me that my lease includes the use of my home, and the parking space. Thats my argument. The parking space should be considered leased by me. more

Resolved Question: What is the legal age to purchase a handgun in Maryland?

I know you have to be 21 to purchase handgun ammo. But in places ive read upon Maryland laws it says you just need to register the gun, and you have to be 21 to buy from someone else. If i were to walk into walmart right now how old would i have to be to purchase a handgun (givin i fit the critera).wait so is their any possible way to legally own a handgun at 18? more

Resolved Question: Maryland handgun carry laws?

Could anyone please clarify the laws involving carrying a handgun in Maryland or provide a website where i could find information? Thanks in advance. more

Resolved Question: Fixed blade carrying laws in Maryland?

I have read a little into it but the details get a little hairy. This is what I have read so far: "(1) A person may not wear or carry a dangerous weapon of any kind concealed on or about the person. (2) A person may not wear or carry a dangerous weapon, chemical mace, pepper mace, or a tear gas device openly with the intent or purpose of injuring an individual in an unlawful manner." So do this mean it is legal (or an arguable case) to carry a 'weapon' as defined by: "'Weapon' includes a dirk knife, bowie knife, switchblade knife, star knife, sand-club, metal knuckles, razor, and nunchaku. (ii) "Weapon" does not include: 1. a handgun; or 2. a penknife without a switchblade." in plain sight? In short (I guess this would have been easier to ask), could I carry a fixed blade bowie knife in a leather sheathe unconcealed on my belt for self defense with no intent or purpose of injuring an individual in an unlawful manner? I have seen some people do this and I was not sure on the legalities of it. Oh and the "unlawful manner" part, is there really a "lawful manner" of injuring an individual on purpose? Seems redundant to me. more

Resolved Question: Why wasn't this guy deported armed robberies drug dealing & car theft are 2 dead now becasue of PC?

A Baltimore man convicted of killing two men was sentenced this week to two terms of life plus 170 years in prison by a judge who questioned why he was allowed to stay in this country after previous convictions. Bagada Dionas, 23, and his father legally immigrated to the U.S. in the 1990s as refugees from Liberia, Baltimore prosecutor Rita Wisthoff-Ito said in court Monday. But in his teen years, the younger Dionas amassed a juvenile record that included armed robberies, drug dealing and car theft, according to court records. In May 2005, Dionas pleaded guilty to armed robbery as an adult. He served less than three years in prison, including jail time before the conviction. As Baltimore Circuit Judge John C. Themelis sentenced Dionas in the July 2007 shooting deaths of Maurice White and Wayne White, he asked why Dionas was not "deported then and there" after the 2005 robbery conviction. Wisthoff-Ito said the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services "dropped the ball" and that, had Dionas been deported, "this murder never would have happened." Conviction of a crime is grounds for deportation, as judges remind defendants each time they plead guilty in court. But Maryland prison officials have never routinely checked the immigration status of inmates, saying that it would overburden an already taxed staff. Some state lawmakers assailed that policy last year during a debate over whether to continue issuing Maryland licenses to undocumented drivers. Under a state law passed this year, new drivers must present documentation of their lawful presence in the United States. A prison spokesman said that the department recently began cracking down on inmates eligible for deportation. In January, the state agency signed an agreement with federal immigration officials to check the citizenship status of inmates convicted of nonviolent crimes, meaning Dionas would not have been subject to it even if it had been in place at the time of his release in early 2007. When an eligible inmate has served one-quarter of his sentence, prison officials conduct a file review to determine whether that person might be subject to deportation. Names are forwarded to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which can begin immediate deportation. Mark Vernarelli, a prisons spokesman, could not say whether anyone has been deported under this new agreement. Prison officials chose not to include violent criminals, he said, "because we did not want to create the impression that violent criminals would somehow be 'rewarded' with parole - even if it meant deportation." At the sentencing hearing for Dionas, a recording of which was reviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Wisthoff-Ito said she was raising the immigration history to show "how many times this defendant has been given a big break in life." Dionas been out of prison for just a few weeks when Maurice White, 22, and Wayne White, 24, were gunned down in the parking lot of a Northeast Baltimore apartment complex. Prosecutors said the Whites were brothers. Prosecutors said Dionas, firing an assault rifle, and a younger man, Charlie Stevenson, firing a semiautomatic handgun, ambushed the White brothers. Wayne White's girlfriend and 8-month-old son, who were in a car at the scene, were uninjured by the hail of bullets, prosecutors said. Stevenson, who has not stood trial, is scheduled for a competency hearing next month. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bal-md.sentence23sep23,0,5992895.story more

Resolved Question: Handgun laws for Maryland?

Just want to know what the gun laws are for the state of Maryland. Like not no big firearms or anything just a handgun. And also how do you go about being able to even carry the handgun legally? more

Resolved Question: Should domestic abuse suspects get to keep their guns?

article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/11/AR2009021104193.html excerpts: Any changes would come too late for Gail Pumphrey and her three children, David, Megan and Brandon, who were fatally shot Thanksgiving Day 2007 by her ex-husband during a custody handoff in a Damascus park. Or Destiny and Richard Spicknall, ages 3 and 2, who were shot to death by their father after he bought a handgun in Howard County. Or Mary Crawford, whose ex-husband fired a shotgun at her in their Carroll County home, narrowly missing her. Each woman had obtained a protective order, but the men either were allowed to keep their guns or to purchase another one. Pumphrey's former husband killed himself; Richard Spicknall and Steve Crawford were convicted. Judges in Maryland and Virginia are allowed to order firearms removed after a court hearing in which a final protective order is issued, but the law does not require it. In Maryland, that authority is limited to handguns; judges can't take rifles. Nor can Maryland judges confiscate guns when a judge issues a temporary protective order limiting a suspect's contact with a victim for a week, a time when passions in domestic conflicts can be red hot and violence is possible. As of Jan. 29, there were 7,230 final and temporary protective orders open in Maryland. Of the people under such orders, 132 had firearms registered with the state police. more

Resolved Question: Transporting a Firearm in Maryland?

I just bought a handgun and frequently travel back to northern Michigan where my dad and I visit his gun range and target practice. In Maryland, I know I can legally transport my firearm either from the point of purchase, a repair shop, a gun range, or hunting. Am I able to transport it back to Michigan under the gun range or hunting pretenses? I checked the MD gun laws, but they really did not help me. more

Resolved Question: In Maryland law is offense code CR.4.203 handgun in vehicle a felony or misdermeinor?

Resolved Question: How do I purchase a gun?

I live in N. Maryland (often traveling to PA) and would like to buy a handgun to protect myself. I was raped and know that if I had something to protect myself I would have been able to get out of it. I just want a small hand gun or pistol that is lightweight (LOW cost) and easy to maintain. I have no idea what MD and PA's laws are on this or how to go about getting a gun. Any ideas or information would be a great help. more

Resolved Question: How does this make you feel citizen?

I was in a mental facility, but released 3 hours later. Under maryland law because I don't have a history of volitile behavior and because I wasnt in for 30 days I am still eligible for handgun purchase. more

Resolved Question: MD/DC/VA legality questions?

I have just moved to College Park, MD and I want to purchase a handgun. I am a resident of South Carolina. I recently stopped into a pawn shop to look at guns and was told I was wasting their time because I can not buy one in Maryland without being a resident. So can anyone tell me is it possible for me to purchase a gun in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC as a South Carolina resident? If so, is it legal for me to keep it in Maryland? I have no interest in carrying it. I've looked at several different websites for state gun laws, but they can be really confusing. That's really the only questions I had, but if anyone has any other helpful information for gun use/purchasing in MD/DC/VA, I'd be glad to hear it. Thanks. more

Resolved Question: When Jesus told Peter to put his sword away, did Jesus really mean get rid of it forever?

This question is really about owning a gun for protecting yourself and others around you. So whether you're for or against guns, for or against the Second Amendment of the Bill Of Rights (part of the U.S. Constitution of course), a gun rights or gun control advocate, feel free to answer the question provided and explain your answer. Also, additional advice, feedback, and more or different answers are welcome. Now to further explain my question, since the tragedies: 1.) at Virginia Tech (April 16, 2007) 2.) at the post-homecoming party in Crandon, Wisconsin (October 7, 2007) 3.) at the Westroads shopping mall in Omaha, Nebraska (December 5, 2007) 4.) in Colorado (at the Youth With A Mission [YWAM] training center in Arvada and the New Life mega-church in Colorado Springs) (December 9, 2007) 5.) at the Lane Bryant clothing outlet in the Brookside Marketplace in the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park, Illinois (February 2, 2008) 6.) at Northern Illinois University (NIU) (February 14, 2008) I've been seriously thinking about exercising my God-given right to defend myself and others from harm (a right reaffirmed by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution's Bill Of Rights). That is, purchasing a handgun for this purpose. I could be wrong, but the state that I live in (Maryland) has a lot of challenges when it comes to gun ownership. I'm a Roman Catholic Christian by the way (hence my reference to the 2nd Amendment as God-given). Based on passages from both the Old and New Testaments that pertain to defending oneself and others from harm (the ones that I've seen online), I found that there is nothing wrong with defending yourself and those around you if your life and their lives are threatened. One particular passage is the part where Jesus commands Peter, in verse 26:52 of the Book Of Matthew, to "Put thy sword back in its place. For he who lives by the sword will perish by the sword." Some people say that Peter using his sword to defend Jesus from being arrested was inappropriate because Peter would've prevented Jesus' mission to redeem us sinners from taking place (Jesus being lead to his crucifixion, dying on the cross, and resurrecting from death), hence, Peter being told to put his sword away. So now my question is when Jesus commanded Peter to put his sword back in its place (its sheath), did Jesus: A.) really mean it (as in 'This is not the time to use your sword. There will be other times on when it's OK to use it)? or B.) really mean get rid of the sword forever (as in throwing it away or destroying it)? Please explain why you pick A or B as your answer. And based on them, I can determine for myself whether I can proceed on exercising my aforementioned right (this includes knowing the gun laws, taking the training courses, learning how to handle the gun, learning to shoot well with it, knowing when to shoot and when not to, getting the permit, etc. while keeping in mind how this process costs a lot of money) or abandon it completely. If I got some details wrong in the above paragraph, by all means, let me know and correct me on them. And again, additional advice, feedback, and more or different answers are welcome. Thanks. more

Resolved Question: Did Jesus tell Peter to put the sword away or get rid of it forever?

Since the tragedies at Virginia Tech--the post-homecoming party in Crandon, Wisconsin--the Westroads shopping mall in Omaha, Nebraska--in Colorado (Youth With A Mission training center in Arvada and New Life mega-church in Colorado Springs)--and at Northern Illinois University, I've been seriously thinking about exercising my Second Amendment right. That is, purchasing a handgun for self defense/preservation purposes. I could be wrong, but the state I live in (Maryland) has a lot of challenges with regard to gun ownership. My other problem is that I'm a Roman Catholic Christian. Based on passages from both the Old and New Testament that pertain to defending oneself and others from harm (the ones that I've seen online), I found that there is nothing wrong with defending yourself and those around you if your life and their lives are threatened. One particular passage is the part where Jesus tells Peter, in verse 26:52 of the Book Of Matthew, to "Put thy sword back in its place. For he who lives by the sword will perish by the sword." Some people say that Peter using his sword to defend Jesus from arrest was inappropriate because Peter was preventing Jesus' mission to be crucified and to die for the redemption of our sins, hence, Peter being told to put his sword away. So now my question is when Jesus commanded Peter to put his sword back in its place (its sheath), did Jesus: A.) really mean it (as in 'This is not the time to use your sword. There will be other times on when it's OK to use it)? or B.) really mean get rid of the sword forever (as in throwing it away or destroying it)? Please explain why you pick A or B as your answer. And based on such answers, I can determine for myself whether I can proceed on exercising my 2nd Amendment right (knowing the gun laws, taking the training courses, getting the permit, etc.) or abandon it altogether. Also, feel free to correct me if I got some details wrong in the above paragraph and to offer me some advice. I'd really appreciate your feedback. Thanks.NOTE: This question is really about owning a GUN for protecting yourself and others around you although religious references are included. So whether you're pro- or anti-2nd Amendment, pro- or anti-gun, a gun rights or gun control advocate, feel free to answer the question provide and explain your answer. Also, additional advice, feedback, and more or different answers are welcome. Thanks. more

Resolved Question: There's no evidence that banning guns cuts crime(WHAT DO YOU THINK)?

John R. Lott Jr. is a senior research scientist at the University of Maryland Philadelphia had 406 homicides in 2007, and, at 28 per 100,000 people, it also had the highest murder rate of any major city in the United States. No wonder Philadelphians want things done. Recently, the city focused on a new tragedy, the murder of a 12-year police veteran and father of three, Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski, by three bank robbers with long, violent criminal records. To Gov. Rendell, Mayor Nutter, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, and freshman U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, the solution is simple: more gun control. After pushes failed for new state and local laws, last Thursday these four politicians announced that the solution to Philadelphia's problems was re-enacting the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. They focused on the Chinese SKS rifle used to shoot Liczbinski five times. Rendell claims that "the only people who should have weapons like this is the police and the military." Some are calling the SKS an "assault weapon," although it is not so defined in any federal law and is not banned as such. And although the phrase assault weapon conjures up images of the rapid-fire machine guns used by the military, the SKS rifle is not a machine gun, instead functioning the same way as any semiautomatic hunting rifle. It fires a bullet similar to (indeed, slightly less powerful than) those fired from deer-hunting rifles, with the exact same rapidity. This debate might make more sense if there were some evidence that the Federal Assault Weapons Ban lowered crime rates, but all the published academic studies by criminologists and economists find that neither the initial ban in 1994 nor its sun-setting in 2004 changed rates of murder or other violent crimes. Similarly, there is no evidence that state bans have mattered. For example, a report for the National Institute of Justice by Christopher Koper, Daniel Woods and Jeffrey Roth at the University of Pennsylvania's Jerry Lee Center of Criminology studied the first nine years of the federal ban and found that "we cannot clearly credit the ban with any of the nation's recent drop in gun violence. And, indeed, there has been no discernible reduction in the lethality and injuriousness of gun violence." They note that "the gun-ban provision targets a relatively small number of weapons based on outward features or accessories that have little to do with the weapons' operation." Even gun control groups realize that the presence or absence of such laws make little difference. Before the federal law sunset, a representative for the Violence Policy Center, a gun control group, said that "if the existing assault-weapons ban expires, I personally do not believe it will make one whit of difference one way or another in terms of our objective, which is reducing death and injury and getting a particularly lethal class of firearms off the streets." The center argued that the law involved only "minor changes in appearance." Indeed, the U.S. murder rate was 5.7 per 100,000 people in 2003, the last full year before the law sunset. It was still 5.7 in 2006. Over the same period, the rate of violent crimes fell slightly. In the 43 states without their own assault-weapons bans, the murder rates fell, while they rose in the seven states with such bans. Violent-crime rates fell more quickly in the 43 without bans than in the seven states with them. Yet it always seems easier for politicians to blame the lack of gun control rather than focusing on their own responsibilities. When Washington and Chicago experienced explosions in murder and violent crime after banning handguns, leaders there did not blame their bans, but rather they blamed the rest of the country that had not also adopted stricter regulations. Ultimately, however, is it really surprising that Philadelphia's murder rates have risen while its arrest rates have fallen? Former state House Speaker John Perzel proposed a different approach (an approach Rendell opposes) to fix Philadelphia's low and falling arrest rates. Perzel's solution? Help Philadelphia hire more police. If politicians are unwilling to spend more money on police or to make the police force work more effectively, there is another solution: Encourage law-abiding citizens to defend themselves. One possibility is to eliminate fees for poor law-abiding people, those who are the most vulnerable victims of crime, to obtain concealed-handgun permits. If the government isn't going to protect people, why charge them for the opportunity to defend themselves? Research by David Mustard at the University of Georgia also found that more concealed-handgun permits reduce the number of criminals with guns and thus reduce violence against police officers. Obsessing on gun control proposals distracts from doing what works. At some point it should be obvious to everyone, even politicians, that all the hype about "assault weapons" is just wrong.I agree that when you take guns away from responsibility of owners all your doing is making the criminal job easer. The money that is wasted on gun control can be used to hire more cops and make the gun laws tougher against criminals. more

Resolved Question: Getting a handgun at 18 in MD?

I am 18, a good moral citizen. I have a completely clean record of everything, no felonies... nothing. Is there a process I could go through in order to get a handgun in the State of Maryland. I do realize the federal law prohibits to sale of handguns to under 21 folk, but I was curious if there were state loopholes. more

Resolved Question: are AK's regulated in MD?

I know federal law says you have to be 18 to buy long guns and 21 for handguns, but maryland's gun control laws are different Can I purchase an AK or a variant at age 18? does it have to be fixed stock or can I purchase one with a side or under folding stock? or do i have to be 21? more

Resolved Question: How can I get a concealed weapon permit to carry a handgun in all states?

I am a Virginia resident and I currently have a Virginia Concealed Handgun Permit which is recognized in about 15 other states. I have family in Maryland and visit there often and have to leave my weapon home because states such as Maryland and California do not recognize Virginia Concealed Handgun Permits. I know there is a way to get a permit to carry concealed in all states and just need to know how I can get one. A friend at work mentioned something about going threw the U.S Department Of Justice or Federal Bureau of Investigations (F.B.I) to get a permit that covers all states but I am not sure where I go at on the sites to get the forms. I have never been in trouble with the law and have no felonies of any kind. How can I get a concealed weapon permit to carry a handgun in all states? A link and instructions on how to apply perhaps would be great. more