Thursday, November 21, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Louie Applauds US Supreme Court Ruling on Firearm Background Checks
By News Release @ 4:44 AM :: 4235 Views :: Second Amendment

ATTORNEY GENERAL DAVID M. LOUIE APPLAUDS U.S. SUPREME COURT RULING PRESERVING THE INTEGRITY OF FIREARM BACKGROUND CHECKS

Attorney General Louie had filed an amici curiae brief on behalf of Hawaii, 8 other states, and the District of Columbia to ensure that firearms are kept out of the hands of those not legally entitled to possess them.

News Release from Office of Hawaii Attorney General June 16, 2014 

HONOLULU – Attorney General David M. Louie applauded today's United States Supreme Court ruling in Abramski v. United States, No. 12-1493, preserving the United States' right to prosecute straw purchasers of firearms, as a significant victory for public safety. Louie and Solicitor General Girard D. Lau had filed an amici curiae (friend of the court) brief in the United States Supreme Court on December 30, 2013, on behalf of Hawaii, which was joined by 8 other states and the District of Columbia, supporting the prosecution of straw purchaser Abramski. A straw purchaser buys a firearm with the intent of immediately selling the firearm to a third person.  

Hawaii's amici curiae brief supported the United States’ position that Abramski violated federal law by falsely certifying that he was the actual buyer of a firearm, when he claimed to be the actual buyer despite having pre-arranged to resell the gun to a third arty. Abramski claimed, however, that because the third party could have lawfully purchased the gun himself, Abramski’s false statement should not be a crime.  

The Supreme Court today rejected Mr. Abramski's argument, saying that his view would render the federal law "utterly ineffectual, because the identification and background check would be of the wrong person," and would render gun purchase records important to tracing guns involved in crimes "useless for aiding law enforcement."  

Attorney General Louie said that the decision will ensure that background checks are run on the relevant person -- the ultimate recipient of the firearm -- thereby helping to prevent felons and those with serious mental illness from obtaining firearms.  

Louie explained that today's decision will deter straw purchases -- which often lead to firearms in the hands of dangerous felons -- because the straw purchaser will know he or she is subject to felony charges regardless of whether the end user is prohibited from purchasing or owning a firearm. Without this ruling, straw purchasers might escape Department of the Attorney General criminal liability by claiming ignorance of the end users’ status. Furthermore, straw purchases hinder law enforcement’s ability to trace a purchased gun if it is involved in future crimes.  

“This decision, which preserves the integrity and usefulness of the information provided by background checks, helps law enforcement keep firearms out of the hands of felons and other potentially dangerous persons,” said Attorney General Louie. “Law enforcement will continue to have the tools needed to track down perpetrators who use firearms in the commission of crimes. This is a good thing.”  

# # #

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii