In April 2023 we reported on a movement to make “revise” self-defense laws.
“Stand Your Ground laws, which upend centuries of common law on self-defense and allow people to carry guns outside of the home…are increasing numbers of justifiable and unjustifiable homicides,” says Allison Anderman of the Giffords Law Center said during a segment on ABC News.
“Stand Your Ground laws, which upend centuries of common law on self-defense and allow people to carry guns outside of the home…are increasing numbers of justifiable and unjustifiable homicides,” says Allison Anderman of the Giffords Law Center. https://t.co/KInxWHwCkT pic.twitter.com/qr2869r0uG
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 23, 2023
On the same day of the ABC News segment, a video of Vice President Kamala Harris said that Americans’ ability to defend themselves needs to be revised adding “we have to look at the whole picture.”
Kamala Harris says “there has to be” a push to get rid of Stand Your Ground laws pic.twitter.com/4rUDd7icye
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 23, 2023
Fast forward just a couple months later another New York City man has been slapped with over 24 charges after he fatally shot a man trying to mug him.
Charles Foehner, Queens, was confronted by Cody Gonzalez, 32 demanding money and cigarettes around 2 am. After several warnings, Foehner purportedly shot and killed Gonzalez, who lunged at him. Foehner mistook a pen in Gonzlezs hand as a knife.
Foehner did turn himself into authorities and was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm.
“Last night I was carrying a firearm because of the way the city has been for the last three years,” Foehner reportedly told investigators. “I read the crime stats and I see so much crime. I had the pistol. I obtained it in a bar one night.”
Before we go any further, remember that New York City has cashless bail and multiple reports show violent criminals being released without bail.
However, when he was arraigned in court, he was slapped with additional charges, and the judge doubled his bail.
“The defendant was on the street with a loaded, unlicensed gun,” Judge Jerry Iannece said in Queens Criminal Court. “There are too many shootings in this city! The court is quite concerned with what we see.”
“This incident is a total aberration in his life,” Lin told the court. “He is the one who called the police immediately after the robbery, where he is the victim.”
Foehner, a man with no criminal record, home was searched by police, who found 26 firearms. He did have a license for five rifles, but not for the handguns (one of which he’s owned since the 90s).
Lannece added, “What is concerning to the court is the large arsenal of weaponry found in his apartment… in the city of New York, where there are many, way too many shootings.”
Foehner has not been charged with fatally killing his would-be attacker and is facing up to 25 years in prison.
