September 4, 2003

DAYTON | Police had no suspects in the Tuesday night slaying of a man who was sitting in a car with his girlfriend.

Montgomery County Coroner’s officials identified the man as Terry Beasley, 23, of Fairborn.

Police were called at 9:54 p.m. to Five Oaks Avenue, where they found a man unconscious in a car. Neighbors said the victim was dropping off his girlfriend when he was shot. He drove his car down the alley and crashed it into the garage at 109 Five Oaks.

Beasley was sitting in the car with his girlfriend when another man, wearing a hooded sweatshirt, walked past the vehicle, turned around, walked back and shot Beasley twice, Lt. John Huber said.

Beasley was pronounced dead at Miami Valley Hospital about 30 minutes after he was shot.

"Right now, we do not have a definite motive," Huber said.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call police at 333-COPS (2677).

Click here to read the story from the Dayton Daily News.

The Buckeye State Sheriffs Association and Ohio Fraternal Order of Police are calling on the Ohio State Highway Patrol to come to the table to explain why they continue to endorse Taft's unsafe "Carjacker protection" language in HB12. Ohioans For Concealed Carry has learned that the OSHP is hearing from more than just these two major law enforcement groups.

The OSHP is beginning to feel the effects of intense grassroots desire to restore Ohioans' right to self-defense. Copies of an OSHP form letter - which is being sent to all who email the OSHP about this issue - are flooding in to OFCC's email box from recipients who can't believe what they're reading.

Is it possible Senate President White DID believe what he was reading when OSHP Superintendant Paul McClellan sent this exact letter, word for word, to his office on March 5, 2003?

Click on the "Read More..." link below to view the form letter, and you'll know why its time to switch from email to phone calls (1-877-7-PATROL).

Thursday, September 04, 2003

The Ohio Republican party has pulled off the greatest political public-relations stunt of the century. Many elected officials, by acting like Democrats, have confused the Democrats so much that they are uncertain as to what to do.

Those premises and ideals that historically and philosophically have separated the two parties have melted away. The old Republican Party position of being opposed to big spending, big government and high taxes seems to have changed. The recent spending and tax increases enacted by the legislature and the resultant growth of government is more in line with what the Democrats usually do.

Thus, when one party takes on the basic principles of the other, the other party is not sure of what to do to counter that action. Hence the confusion.

Among the problems resulting from this seeming abdication of Republican principles in Ohio is the fact that not only are the Democrats confused, but the voters are even more confused, including some lifelong Republicans.

JAMES M . ABRAHAM
Columbus

Commentary:
The worst part of this phenomenon for self-defense advocates is that Republican Party's Bob Taft demanded that the Senate insert dangerous language into HB12 that no Democrats were asking for.

This language (which both the Buckeye State Sheriffs Association and Ohio FOP agree is unsafe) was not necessary to win over any votes in the Senate. In fact, inserting it resulted in loosing the vote of staunchly pro-CCW Sen. Lynn Wachtmann.

Sen. Doug White (also a Republican) is refusing to appoint conferees to fix the bill and send it to Taft, citing unwillingness in the Senate Republican Caucus to override a potential veto. But Ohioans For Concealed Carry has polled Senators, and we believe the votes are there.

Click here to read the letter in the Columbus Dispatch (subscription site - paid access only).

Related Stories:
ONN: Ohioans Question CA Governor Recall

How a Republican (who won't act like one) governor is stalling HB12

DDN: Sounds of bickering rumble Republican paradise

Senator Lynn Wachtmann: Portrait of a Senate Leader

Perception changes in a (political) gun fight

AP: Concealed weapons popular with Indiana legislators

Democrats speak softly on gun control

This letter to the editor is being
published as an update to Abuse of Power: Growing concern about Ohio State Highway Patrol, published Thursday, July 24.

Wednesday, September 3, 2003
EDITORIAL & COMMENT 10A

So Herschel Sigall said in his Aug. 15 letter that the state troopers who set up a Newcomerstown attorney did nothing wrong. Sigall is the attorney for the Ohio State Troopers Association. Ohioans' tax dollars pay his salary to represent these guys.

However, anyone who listened to the chatter on the radio between these two troopers can conclude only that they were out to get Richard Hinig.

When one of them said something like, "I think this guy needs to be taught a lesson,'' that certainly sounded as though he knew who the driver was.

Hinig was ticketed for going 6 mph above the speed limit. Sigall says Hinig was given a ticket because he was given a warning ticket for speeding a few months earlier. Sigall doesn't say whether that warning was two months before or 12 months before. My guess is it was more like 12 months before; otherwise, he would have been more specific.

The troopers said they didn't know who they were stopping. That's hard to believe. They must have run the plate before they stopped him. Hinig was in his own car. They should have known.

The police investigated their own and found nothing wrong. No surprise there.

GEORGE GILBERTSEN
Grove City

Click here to read the letter in the Columbus Dispatch.