The Controversial Open Carry Arrest That Attorney Says Has Township in ‘Real Trouble

[PocketProtector]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014...-real-trouble/

A gun owner in Flint Township, Mich., has filed a lawsuit claiming he was stopped and arrested while legally openly carrying his pistol back in December. He ended up spending Christmas in jail.

Flint Township police say the man’s gun was covered by his coat, making the arrest legal. The police dashcam video of the incident doesn’t prove either side’s story conclusively, but it does provide some additional insight.

In the video, John David McMorris, 21, can be seen stopping and putting his hands over his head when an officer turned on his police car lights. The gun appears to be visible on his right hip in the video — and Michigan is an open carry state.


Screengrab via MLive.com
The cop disarms McMorris and orders him to place his hands on his police cruiser.

Explaining why the officer stopped McMorris, the attorney representing police in the case, G. Gus Morris, says the officer passed the man earlier and didn’t see the firearm. The officer is also heard on video telling McMorris that he didn’t see his gun when he passed him previously, therefore it must have been covered by his coat.

“I didn’t know the front of my coat was covering it, sir. I’m very sorry,” McMorris replies.

“Sorry’s gonna get you jail,” the cop shoots back. “That’s what sorry’s gonna get you.”

Because he believed the gun was covered by his coat when he saw McMorris earlier, the officer placed the man under arrest because he didn’t have a license to carry a concealed weapon, according to the attorney.

The dashcam video does not include the moment when the officer allegedly passed by McMorris for the first time.

[Team Dougherty]

If the gun was covered. how did the cop know he had it? why did he turn around to confront the suspect?

[Daycrawler]

Another Stupid Police Officer who doesn't know what he is doing!

[OwnTheRide]

Gee, I can't think of any reason the cop driving by to the left of the citizen couldn't see the firearm tucked into the citizen's 4:00...

Yet again, another derpy cop.

[Pilot321]

Already being discussed here.

http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/250...-carrying.html