On January 15 on Southeast Tiffany Avenue in Port St. Lucie, six teenagers were allegedly robbed of a cell phone, $40 and $20 worth of marijuana by 19-year-old Deshone Q’Mar Copeland of Fort Pierce.
The teenagers had come to the area to sell the marijuana, but were accosted by a man on the bicycle. Port St. Lucie police said that the man showed the teenagers a gun in his waistband, then asked them to empty their pockets and give him the marijuana. He also told them not to contact police since he knew where they lived.
Copeland, who was on supervised release because of a juvenile armed robbery conviction, was charged with larceny grand theft, robbery with a firearm and possession of a weapon.
Weapons charges are a daily fact of life in the State of Florida, with citizens being prosecuted on a regular basis. This occurs even though the Second Amendment guarantees all Americans the right to bear arms.
Gray Areas To Watch For
The problem with this issue is that what legal entities believe and what the actual law states can often be two entirely different things. That can become vitally important if you’ve previously been convicted of a felony.
The proper interpretation of what constitutes “recklessly displaying” a firearm could mean the difference between being acquitted and being sent to prison for years. Also, the law surrounding the carrying of a concealed weapon can be hazy, considering even those licensed to carry can’t bring one to an alcohol-serving restaurant.
Other sketchy areas of the law that can be based simply on the opinion of an arresting officer can be the improper exhibition of firearms, the warrant-less arrest of a person with a concealed weapon or the safe storage of weapons.
That’s because the law states that no one convicted of a felony can ever possess a firearm. That could lead to a felony arrest and possibly prison. In addition, the prospect of receiving a long minimum mandatory sentence could be in the mix.
Legal Help is Available
A Fort Pierce firearm lawyer like Jay Kirschner is well-versed with both federal and state law when it comes to this subject. He can offer his expert opinion if you’re in need of a Fort Pierce firearm defense attorney, and do so in strict confidence. Call his office today at 772-489-8501.
