Panel Upholds Airport Gun Ban

A federal appeals court has upheld a judge's decision to toss a lawsuit seeking to allow licensed gun owners to carry weapons in parts of the world's busiest airport. That judge had dismissed the lawsuit last year on grounds that the gun rights organization GeorgiaCarry.org failed to prove that a new Georgia law would allow weapons into unsecured areas of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. A three-judge panel found an appeal of that ruling was "meritless." The legal feud erupted when a new state law took effect in July that allows people with gun permits to carry guns into restaurants and state parks and on public transportation. Atlanta officials quickly declared the airport a "gun-free zone" and warned that anyone carrying a gun there would be arrested. GeorgiaCarry.org sued the city and the airport, claiming the airport qualifies as public transportation under the new state law.


(Associated Press)

Gun Dealer Gets Prison Time

A Waycross firearms dealer has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for failing to keep records of a gun transaction. The federal judge also fined 39-year-old Mark Eric McDaniel $1,500 Monday. He also gave him a tongue-lashing for what Moore called "self-serving" and "unbelievable" testimony about a missing logbook he blamed for the error. McDaniel, free on $50,000 bond, must report to prison by April 1.

(Associated Press)

Congressman bids to keep guns out of Atlanta airport

The chairman of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee wants the federal government to continue a gun-free designation for Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Some Georgia lawmakers are at odds with the airport after a state law took effect July 1st allowing licensed gun owners to carry guns in public places like public transportation. The city of Atlanta and airport officials have said the law does not apply to the airport, which is under city authority. Mississippi Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson wrote to the Transportation Security Administration this week that, "It is my understanding that federal law prohibits individuals from carrying firearms in all areas of an airport and that TSA has the authority to enforce these restrictions."

Perdue backs airport gun rights

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue says he believes visitors to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport should be allowed to carry concealed weapons under a bill he signed into law earlier this year. Airport officials say they do not believe the new law – which allows guns in restaurants that serve alcohol, state parks and public transportation - applies to the airport. A gun rights group is challenging that in federal court. Perdue said Monday that the issue will play out in the courts. But he said that the publicly-accessible areas appear to be covered by the law.

LaGrange youth killed in bizarre gun mishap

Natorrin Brown, a 17-year-old of LaGrange resident was fatally wounded shortly before midnight Tuesday, in a bizarre gun mishap.

Brown was among a group of people visiting with a friend, who was showing some of the visitors a gun hanging in his attic, when the loaded weapon went off.

A Troup Co. sheriff says the man was showing how the stock of a loaded AK-47 would go in and out a few inches, and "he disturbed the position of the gun." When it went back into position, the trigger hit a nail and the gun went off, hitting Brown as he stood in the doorway.

The gun fell to the floor, but Turner said gunpowder residue indicated it had fired while it was on the wall. To test the accident theory, sheriff's Chief Investigator Charles Nixon unloaded the gun, cocked it and put it back on the wall. He bumped it with his hand and the trigger activated when it slid back into place.

Nixon said he used a string to determine that the gun barrel would have been pointing where the victim stood. Nixon said he is conferring with the district attorney's office about the possibility of presenting charges to a grand jury.

(The Associated Press)

3-year-old recovers from self-inflicted gun wound

A 3-year-old boy is expected to recover after shooting himself in the leg with a handgun he found at his babysitter's apartment. Cobb County Police say it happened yesterday afternoon in Austell. The boy was a neighbor of 25-year-old Karenda Bridges, whom she was watching along with her own 3-year-old son. Bridges was arrested.