James Antonio McAfee, 26, admits that he had held up Amnon Gerberg, owner of the Diamond Connection, as Gerberg was outside his store at 3354 E. Broad St.

Gerberg, 45, was trying to shield himself with a briefcase containing $400,000 worth of jewels when McAfee shot him twice, damaging his spine and a lung, prosecutors said.

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge George C. Smith sentenced McAfee to 12 1/2 years for robbery and 10 years for using a firearm.

Authorities have said McAfee is part of a ring that robbed as many as 40 jewelry stores.

However, the U.S. attorney's office has not decided whether to prosecute him further.

Meanwhile, in a state that allows its law-abiding citizens to carry a concealed handgun for self-defense, a different outcome resulted when this Pennsylvania jeweler was confronted by an armed robber in his store:

Click on the Read More..." link below for the full story.

"A bill allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons reintroduced last week into the state House has a better chance of passage this year," local representative Rep. Derrick Seaver (D-Minster) says, despite differing little from the measure that died [after being gutted in the Senate] last session.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for a great interview with Democrat Rep. Derrick Seaver, concerning the outlook for HB12.