Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Army First Lt. Augustine Kim's finally got the Washington Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to return his guns after two years -- only to find them permanently damaged. The department violated its own regulations on handling firearms in evidence by engraving marks on the sides of the guns, and the city should reimburse the soldier for the loss.
(This is the final part of a four-part series on Lt. Kim's case. Click here to read part one: Injured Vet's Guns Stolen By D.C.)
The Afghanistan war veteran was wrongly arrested while lawfully transporting his firearms from New Jersey to his home in South Carolina.
All charges were later dismissed, but the city refused to respond to repeated requestsfrom the national guardsman to return the $10,000 worth of property seized during a traffic stop.
After The Washington Times highlighted this case, his congressional representatives -- Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Jim DeMint and Rep. Tim Scott -- got involved.
Mr. Graham wrote to Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier to demand the guns be returned to his constituent immediately.
On Friday, May 18, MPD Property Clerk Derek Gray ruled that the guns should be sent to a police department in Charleston "next week."