Ray Nagin held in contempt: NOPD

ccw9mm · February 21st, 2007, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Second Amendment Foundation, Feb 13 2007
Feb 13 2007 Article.

BELLEVUE, WA – A United States District Judge in New Orleans has granted a motion to hold Mayor C. Ray Nagin and Police Superintendent Warren Riley in contempt for failure to provide initial disclosures and answers to discovery in a lawsuit filed by the Second Amendment Foundation.

Judge Carl J. Barbier issued a blistering rebuke to New Orleans’ defense counsel for conduct that is “wholly unprofessional” and warned that it “shall not be condoned.” Judge Barbier ordered defense counsel to reimburse SAF’s attorney $1,365. SAF is joined in the lawsuit by the National Rifle Association.

In his ruling, Judge Barbier noted, “Defense counsel has caused time and money to be wasted by Plaintiffs’ counsel and further admits that he has ‘no good reason’ to explain his behavior.”

“Throughout the past 17 months,” said SAF founder Alan M. Gottlieb, “our attorneys have acted professionally and they have been stonewalled or ignored by the city and especially its defense attorney. This seems to be the only thing that gets their attention, and it appears that Judge Barbier’s patience has grown as thin as our own.”

“We gave New Orleans every opportunity to act like adults and deal with this lawsuit in a professional manner,” Gottlieb said, “and they’ve acted as if this case didn’t exist. Judge Barbier’s ruling is a wake-up call.

“They seem to forget that we went to court over a serious civil rights violation,” Gottlieb continued. “In the days following Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans dispatched police officers and National Guard troopers to confiscate firearms. In many cases, citizens were disarmed at gunpoint, without warrant and without probable cause. Nagin and Riley, and every other official in New Orleans who was part of this outrage, need to understand that the Constitution may not be suspended in New Orleans or anywhere else by a natural disaster, or on somebody’s whim.

“This is the first step toward forcing New Orleans to return seized firearms to their rightful owners, and in our effort to find out who issued that illegal order, and hold them responsible,” Gottlieb stated. “We will not rest until this case is resolved.”

The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nations oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 600,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven, CT; and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers and an amicus brief and fund for the Emerson case holding the Second Amendment as an individual right.

Nice to see a court beginning to stand up and take notice.

SIXTO · February 21st, 2007, 12:38 PM

Hang 'em high!

BruceGibson · February 21st, 2007, 12:41 PM

Now THAT'S good readin!

P95Carry · February 21st, 2007, 01:16 PM

Nagin has so much to answer for

This is the NRA side of it -

Quote:

District Court Judge to City Attorney: conduct "wholly unprofessional"

Fairfax, VA-The National Rifle Association (NRA) and law abiding gun owners have won yet another victory this morning against New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and former police chief Warren Riley.

Judge Carl J. Barbier, presiding over the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, granted NRA's motion for contempt against New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Warren Riley for "failure to provide initial disclosures and to compel answers to discovery" during NRA's injunction against the City for their illegal gun confiscation of law abiding citizens following Hurricane Katrina in 2006.

"Once more, Mayor Ray Nagin and former police chief Warren Riley are held accountable for considering themselves above the law," said Chris W. Cox, NRA's chief lobbyist. "These men have had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, every step of the way in this process to return the lawfully owned firearms to their own citizens, and Judge Barbier rightly found them in contempt of court for their complete lack of respect for the rule of law."

Furthermore, Judge Barbier concluded the delaying tactics by the City's attorney, Joseph Vincent DiRosa, Jr, to be "wholly unprofessional and shall not be condoned". Mr. DiRosa admitted in Court that he had "no good reason" to explain his actions and has been ordered to pay partial legal fees to NRA's attorneys for their wasted time and money.

"Ray Nagin, Warren Riley and their attorney refused to provide vital information to the U.S. District Court for their unconstitutional acts in their city's time of great need," concluded Cox. "On behalf of the lawful gun owners of New Orleans, NRA is pleased with this outcome, we thank Judge Barbier for his swift decision and we will continue to press for the full return of all the city's confiscated firearms."

Gunnutty · February 21st, 2007, 01:28 PM

I'm afaid that we will see more of their stonewalling tactics before it is over.

Musketeer · February 21st, 2007, 02:14 PM

Unless you see them in cuffs, the guns returned, or checks issued from the state for reimbursement of the stolen property it is meaningless. Call me when one of the above three happen.

sheckigreen · February 21st, 2007, 02:35 PM

Nagin is one of the most worthless mayors I have ever seen. After his ineptness in dealing with Katrina, profanity-filled tirades and racist remarks, I don't know how he is still in office.

Oh, wait, I know why. Nevermind.

pistola · February 21st, 2007, 05:08 PM

Glad to hear that.

ccw9mm · February 21st, 2007, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Musketeer

Unless you see them in cuffs, the guns returned, or checks issued from the state for reimbursement of the stolen property it is meaningless.

Unless they're shackled in cuffs and the guns are returned and checks are forthcoming for the infuriating degree of risk that New Orleans placed on its now-weaponless citizens, there won't be justice. Unless public hanging is added to the penalties for officials committing such egregious and heinous acts of crime against the People, it will happen again.

Burning a flag is merely a symbol of protest. I can almost understand that, as a statement, under certain circumstances. However, burning to ashes the underpinnings of what the flag stands for is intolerable. Taking guns from the people while firing on them from the guns they themselves had. I'm surprised he hasn't already been found toes-up in some gutter in the wee hours of a cold, dark morning.

Right to life. Right to bear arms in defense of that life. Right to liberty. Right to speech, assembly, redress of grievances. The whole litany is written in that most-sacred of documents, the Constitution. The same set of principles this lunatic swore to defend and uphold. To my knowledge, the oath this man swore doesn't guarantee rotters a rotter's salary; protect the murderous and criminal; shield officials from official malfeasance and misconduct; authorize powers that would draw a death sentence in many third-world countries.

The man should get what's coming to him ... him and every person responsible for execution of the illegal orders to abandon and turn on the people in the direst of circumstances. I hope he has time to think about what he's done ... and I hope that time is "tall" time in a cell in the general population of the worst of the LA state prisons.

obxned · February 21st, 2007, 10:53 PM

For those who suffered from these illegal act, nothing can ever restore their faith in their elected officials.

February 21st, 2007, 12:38 PM	#2
SIXTO VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Here and There Posts: 10,071	Hang 'em high! __________________ In a land of sheep, even a toothless wolf is king. Wake Up! The zombie invasion has begun years ago.

February 21st, 2007, 12:41 PM	#3
BruceGibson Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northwest Florida...The "Redneck Riviera" Posts: 689	Now THAT'S good readin! __________________ "He who is silent is deemed to consent." www.GibsonGunleather.com

February 21st, 2007, 01:28 PM	#5
Gunnutty Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 921	I'm afaid that we will see more of their stonewalling tactics before it is over. __________________ We will be much better off when we learn to deal with things as they really are, instead of how we wish them to be!

February 21st, 2007, 05:08 PM	#8
pistola Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Opossum Hollow Posts: 353	Nagin is a NO GO in N.O. Glad to hear that.

February 21st, 2007, 10:53 PM	#10
obxned Distinguished Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: OBX, NC Posts: 1,748	For those who suffered from these illegal act, nothing can ever restore their faith in their elected officials. __________________ http://www.obxammo.com/ There is only one gun law in this country, the 2nd Amendment. All else is bureaucratic nonsense that I choose to comply with or not at my discretion. When governments make laws, they must consider the unintended consequences.

February 21st, 2007, 02:14 PM	#6
Musketeer Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: USA Posts: 699	Unless you see them in cuffs, the guns returned, or checks issued from the state for reimbursement of the stolen property it is meaningless. Call me when one of the above three happen.

February 21st, 2007, 02:35 PM	#7
sheckigreen Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: USA Posts: 34	Nagin is one of the most worthless mayors I have ever seen. After his ineptness in dealing with Katrina, profanity-filled tirades and racist remarks, I don't know how he is still in office. Oh, wait, I know why. Nevermind.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode