In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Attorney jailed for mere possession of a few guns
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
DA: Lawyer Had Arsenal
Email this story
Printer friendly format
Photos
Arsenal (Newsday Photo/Alan Raia)
Jul 1, 2002
Top Stories
Lost Dream Of Joining NYPD
Mayor Shoots From The Lip
Macy's Not Only Show In Town
Report: Hepatitis Outbreak Infected 19
Arts Organizer To Oversee WTC Memorial
By Herbert Lowe and Andrew Johnson
STAFF WRITERS
July 2, 2002
An attorney who serves as an auxiliary police officer has been arrested and accused of stockpiling an arsenal of deadly weapons and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition in his Fresh Meadows home, authorities said yesterday.
Police seized 16 guns, the ammunition and more than 80 high-capacity magazines used to feed weapons from Philip Bernstein's house at 69-40 Fresh Meadow Lane last week, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
The seizure netted five handguns, two 9-mm semiautomatic assault rifles, six other rifles and three shotguns, one of which had a shoulder stock marked "for law-enforcement use only." Weighing more than 200 pounds, the ammunition was in various calibers and can be used in rifles, pistols and shotguns, Brown said.
"This arsenal of weapons is really quite unbelievable," Brown said at a news conference in which the seizure was displayed across the full length of a 24-foot-by-6-foot conference table.
Bernstein's attorney, Kevin Campbell, said he is a "sports shooting enthusiast" who is now a victim of "anti-gun hysteria."
The arsenal was discovered when Bernstein's fiancee, who lives with him, called police during a domestic quarrel Wednesday. The fiancee said Bernstein, who has no criminal record, was menacing her with a handgun, Brown said.
When Bernstein, 46, a general practitioner, let police into the house they saw a shotgun next to a bed. Asked if he had any other weapons, Bernstein, an auxiliary officer in the 107th Precinct for the last couple of years, showed them eight rifles and five handguns, as well as numerous rounds of ammunition that were stored in a safe.
Eight of the guns were licensed, authorities said.
They found two additional weapons after returning with a search warrant.
While saying "no useful purpose exists for anyone to maintain an assortment of weaponry such as this," Brown said he was especially troubled because Bernstein lives two blocks from PS 173 on 67th Avenue.
Bernstein has yet to make any statements to police and was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
He was arraigned Friday and charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and with violating the weapons provision of the city code. He faces up to 7 years in prison if convicted.
Campbell described his client as a "big teddy bear" in poor health who never menaced anyone.
The defense attorney said the fiancee, who was not identified, told him that the quarrel was over use of a computer in the house. The woman declined to comment to Newsday at the house.
Neighbors described Bernstein as a well-meaning and considerate man and said they were surprised and saddened by the allegations.
Britu Haile, 52, said Bernstein often "walks around the block" as a way of keeping an eye on the neighborhood and recently offered to help her daughter, a recent college graduate, find a job.
As for the arsenal, Haile said, "The side [of him] I knew was not like that."
Copyright c 2002, Newsday, Inc.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nyguns022770520jul02.story?coll=ny-nynews-headlines
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Email this story
Printer friendly format
Photos
Arsenal (Newsday Photo/Alan Raia)
Jul 1, 2002
Top Stories
Lost Dream Of Joining NYPD
Mayor Shoots From The Lip
Macy's Not Only Show In Town
Report: Hepatitis Outbreak Infected 19
Arts Organizer To Oversee WTC Memorial
By Herbert Lowe and Andrew Johnson
STAFF WRITERS
July 2, 2002
An attorney who serves as an auxiliary police officer has been arrested and accused of stockpiling an arsenal of deadly weapons and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition in his Fresh Meadows home, authorities said yesterday.
Police seized 16 guns, the ammunition and more than 80 high-capacity magazines used to feed weapons from Philip Bernstein's house at 69-40 Fresh Meadow Lane last week, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
The seizure netted five handguns, two 9-mm semiautomatic assault rifles, six other rifles and three shotguns, one of which had a shoulder stock marked "for law-enforcement use only." Weighing more than 200 pounds, the ammunition was in various calibers and can be used in rifles, pistols and shotguns, Brown said.
"This arsenal of weapons is really quite unbelievable," Brown said at a news conference in which the seizure was displayed across the full length of a 24-foot-by-6-foot conference table.
Bernstein's attorney, Kevin Campbell, said he is a "sports shooting enthusiast" who is now a victim of "anti-gun hysteria."
The arsenal was discovered when Bernstein's fiancee, who lives with him, called police during a domestic quarrel Wednesday. The fiancee said Bernstein, who has no criminal record, was menacing her with a handgun, Brown said.
When Bernstein, 46, a general practitioner, let police into the house they saw a shotgun next to a bed. Asked if he had any other weapons, Bernstein, an auxiliary officer in the 107th Precinct for the last couple of years, showed them eight rifles and five handguns, as well as numerous rounds of ammunition that were stored in a safe.
Eight of the guns were licensed, authorities said.
They found two additional weapons after returning with a search warrant.
While saying "no useful purpose exists for anyone to maintain an assortment of weaponry such as this," Brown said he was especially troubled because Bernstein lives two blocks from PS 173 on 67th Avenue.
Bernstein has yet to make any statements to police and was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
He was arraigned Friday and charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and with violating the weapons provision of the city code. He faces up to 7 years in prison if convicted.
Campbell described his client as a "big teddy bear" in poor health who never menaced anyone.
The defense attorney said the fiancee, who was not identified, told him that the quarrel was over use of a computer in the house. The woman declined to comment to Newsday at the house.
Neighbors described Bernstein as a well-meaning and considerate man and said they were surprised and saddened by the allegations.
Britu Haile, 52, said Bernstein often "walks around the block" as a way of keeping an eye on the neighborhood and recently offered to help her daughter, a recent college graduate, find a job.
As for the arsenal, Haile said, "The side [of him] I knew was not like that."
Copyright c 2002, Newsday, Inc.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nyguns022770520jul02.story?coll=ny-nynews-headlines
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Comments
Email this story
Printer friendly format
Audio
Newsday's Henican on Mayor's Remarks
Jul 2, 2002 (RealAudio)
Top Stories
Lost Dream Of Joining NYPD
Mayor Shoots From The Lip
Macy's Not Only Show In Town
Report: Hepatitis Outbreak Infected 19
Arts Organizer To Oversee WTC Memorial
By Dan Janison
STAFF WRITER
July 2, 2002
The term "shooting from the lip" is acquiring a meaning of its own for Mayor Michael Bloomberg. His latest verbal discharge: an off-hand joke to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly Monday as the two faced questions in the hot sun about how big an arsenal the NYPD had on hand in case of July 4 terrorism.
"Big enough to blow the press away," cracked the mayor, sotto voce, raising a chortle from aides - and picked up on some tape recorders.
But Bloomberg -- a media entrepreneur with a news service and TV and radio stations -- has aimed his rhetorical shots at many more targets than the press.
Gun images in particular have repeatedly been part of his informal banter in his first six months at City Hall:
--In April, he said that if the Police Department did the same damage to kids as the school system, he'd want to shoot Commissioner Kelly.
"Well," the mayor added, "I wouldn't shoot him because he would shoot back."
--In March, he was asked about saying "the best and the brightest" can be found in the city, not its suburbs.
Noting his mother lives in the Massachusetts suburbs, he told radio host John Gambling mockingly: ""My 93-year-old mother's going to shoot me!"
"And speaking of shootings," he said, "crime continues to go down."
--In February, he was asked about what would happen to city officials who violated his directive to avoid using lights and sirens in non-emergencies.
"We'll shoot them," he replied.
--The Jerusalem Report in 1995 quoted Bloomberg saying of the situation in Israel, "I have one wish: Shoot all the clerics." He has since denied the statement. Gun shtick isn't his only way of causing recoil.
Also in February, he made a controversial on-air quip about firing city employees (something he didn't end up doing this year).
And his fondness for other off-color banter at his private company surfaced during last year's election campaign.
"Maybe it's time for verbal gun control at City Hall," a longtime observer suggested Tuesday.
Copyright c 2002, Newsday
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-shoot0703.story?coll=ny-nynews-headlines
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
500 rounds or 50,000- is there a law that quotes a limit here as well?
There are no such laws,as it's no ones buisness. How many guns or rounds does it take to make you an instant criminal?
A license would be the same as a permit (permission) and is unconstitutional and therefore null and void!
If you own one gun- you are harmless? Own 20 and you are a criminal?
Thus the stupidity of governing bodies!
*chortle* *chortle*
When Clinton left office they gave him a 21 gun salute. Its a damn shame they all missed....
quote:"no useful purpose exists for anyone to maintain an assortment of weaponry such as this," Brown said
Show me where the research is for this inane piece of monkey excrement.
The attorney's only mistake was to get into an arguement with his S/O,
And I generally dislike attorneys.
"If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."
Margaret Thatcher
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
Mark Twain
#1 Rule of Politicians and Lawyers
"If I dont like it, want it, or can think of how I personally would use it, THEN IT HAS NO PURPOSE WHATSOEVER, IS A USELESS BURDEN ON SOCIETY, AND SHOULD BE BANNED IMMEDIATELY!"
Just think about it. Everything that has been restricted by law over the years, they all fit into that category.
this guy's probably gonna end up in rikers island!!
jo
laissez les bontemps rouler
Don't worry about the bullet with your name on it, worry about the fragmentation grenade addressed 'To Occupant'.
I will soon require another gun safe.
"If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."
Margaret Thatcher
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
Mark Twain
When Clinton left office they gave him a 21 gun salute. Its a damn shame they all missed....
EVEN BETTER, THE PEOPLE (CALIF & NY) "SEEKING PROTECTION FROM THEIR GOVERMENT AT EVERYONE ELSE'S EXPENSE" SHOULD MOVE TO CUBA, CASTRO KNOWS HOW TO IMPLEMENT GUN CONTROL WHERE EVERYONE IS SAFE!
ITS STRANGE THAT ALL MOST ALL OF THE POLITICIANS HAVE A CONCEALED CARRY BUT THEY DONT WONT THE PUBLIC TO HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS!
EXAMPLE BARBARA BOXER & SEN. FIENSTIEN OF CALIF BOTH HAVE CONCEALED WEAPONS!
IT IS PLAIN & SIMPLE B.S.!
I FOR ONE DONT SELL ANYTHING TO NY OR CALIF!, LET EM EAT _ _ _ _ & DIE!
WELL SHUT MY MOUTH!, LATER...
______________________________________________________________________
I see there is no useful purpose in making such a statement- but he said it anyway!
To bad there isn't a law about saying something that is absurdly stupid:
quote:"no useful purpose exists for anyone to maintain an assortment of weaponry such as this," Brown said
Show me where the research is for this inane piece of monkey excrement.
The attorney's only mistake was to get into an arguement with his S/O,
And I generally dislike attorneys.
Me too and I am an attorney. OBTW, that DA is stupid. The attorney did not have an "arsenal." An "arsenal" is a building where weapons and munitions are stored. Man, I wouldn't live in NY city for all the tea in China. Those people that pass the laws there are screwed up in the head.
"If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."