Minneapolis Gets Tough on Gun Crime

In light of a gun death rate already exceeding the number of gun deaths in all of 2009, officials in the city of Minneapolis are letting people know, they won’t be relaxing weapons laws or penalties against violators any time soon. According to the Star Tribune, a news conference this week was the scene for officials to make their tough stance known.

So far in 2010, there have been 29 homicides, more than the total number of homicides for all of 2009. While many cities and states across the country are moving towards more lax gun control, Minneapolis is promising tougher penalties and more federal prosecutions.

Federal weapons charges can bring tougher sentences and no parole compared with those handled in the Minnesota state criminal courts. By handling these cases at the federal level, officials are hoping to keep people from offending beforehand and then keep them off the streets longer should the deterrence aspect not work.

A federal prosecutor at the press conference promises smart prosecutions stating they won’t be imprisoning kids who make a mistake. Instead, he wants to go after the “worst of the worst”—getting and keeping them off the streets.

This move doesn’t mean state courts won’t be handling gun crimes as well. Officials at both levels will be meeting weekly to determine which cases should be brought to the federal courts and which can be handled at the state level. Police, county attorneys, and federal agencies plan on working together to make this a cooperative effort.

Gun seizures are said to be up 32 percent from last year. Police estimate they confiscate about 1,500 weapons from the city streets every year. There is a never-ending supply of the weapons as the illegal gun trade continuously supplies them.

You don’t have to be a gun trafficker or convicted felon to run afoul of gun laws in this state, however. Even “recklessly handling a weapon” can get you misdemeanor charges at the state level, carrying up to 1 year in jail and $3,000 in fines.

I’ve even seen people who were facing criminal weapons charges and had no idea what exactly they did to break the law. That’s understandable considering how many laws there are controlling firearm ownership, transport, and usage.

If you are facing weapons charges, our attorneys can help you make sense of the case. Contact us today to discuss the specifics of your charges and what your options are for a tough and fair legal defense.