We are all entitled to our opinions. But we also have to distinguish when we are stating opinion and when we are stating a fact.mamabearCali wrote:Florida law:
It is unlawful to sell, give, barter, lend or transfer a firearm or other weapon other than an ordinary pocketknife to a minor less than the age of 18 without his parent’s permission, or to any person of unsound mind.
So, if it was a pic of his hand and when the firearm was obtained he had the permission of his parent and he was not convicted of a crime barring him from possession of a firearm then he was within his rights to have it.
Note: given what I have seen of his parents to date, it would not surprise me one bit to learn that they had given him a gun.
ETA
VA law:
A person under 18 shall not possess or transport a handgun or assault firearm.1
This prohibition does not apply to a minor in his own home or on his property or on the property of another with prior permission.
So even in VA if he had his parents consent and was on private property he still would have been within his rights to possess the firearm.
I see this a bit different than you. His parents did not give a darn about him. They did not tend to his needs or even keep his whereabouts in the front of their minds. I don't think they would give him permission simple because I don't think it would occur to them to care about him enough to teach him about gun and keep him safe. I don't think it would occur to him to ask them for permission. Giving a person a gun generally means you care about them enough to see to their safety. So if he had the gun, I don't think he had permission simply because I think there was a total breakdown in parenting at all levels. I don't think he asked and I don't think they cared enough about him for it to occur to them to give him permission.
Could I be wrong.....sure.
Now the VA code is what it is......but if you are in a non country county in VA and you are popping off rounds in target practice (and you are under 18) your parents had better be around or you will go for a ride if the blue lights show up. Now off in the mountains no one is going to notice your shots anyway so go ahead. The VA code will come in at trial.....but in the heat of the moment the cops intuition will determine whether you get a ride downtown or not. It is common wisdom here to (in the suburbs) keep guns with underage people in use only under supervision or parents not too far off.
ETA Sadly I think had Mr. Martin gone home that night and lived to see the next day I think within a short period of time (months perhaps) he would have soon lost his firearm rights as he seemed to be into drugs and that will get you DQed in a New York minute. He was a very troubled young man.
I believe that we have determined and can agree that the statement "A 17 year old is not supposed to have firearms without adult supervison period" is factually inaccurate in FL, TX, and VA.
If it was your desire to state the above as an opinion perhaps it would have been better worded "I don't believe a parent should allow a 17 year old to have a firearm without adult supervision".
As to whether or not TM ever had a gun or if he did have a gun, had his parents permission to have it is something we will never know. To state ones belief one way or the other is purely speculation which we are all entitled to do. It does cause less confusion though if when we do speculate we are careful not to speak in factual terms.
Ok, I give up.
