TX: arrested for unlawful carrying way up since constitutional carry

[philip964]

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/convicti ... 2cc502a81f

Interesting that this is Huffington Post and is not crazy wild anti gun. Gives benefits of having a LTC.

[parabelum]

“It’s not clear why convictions for unlawfully carrying a weapon have risen so sharply.”

Probably since [at least in Fort Worth] majority of businesses have the unlicensed carry is unlawful/felony warning sign. But alas IANAL.

[chasfm11]

“It’s not clear why convictions for unlawfully carrying a weapon have risen so sharply.”

Probably since [at least in Fort Worth] majority of businesses have the unlicensed carry is unlawful/felony warning sign. But alas IANAL.

My question remains: is the old sign published by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission even still relevant? If it is valid, it would explain why many businesses have failed to post a 30.05 sign. Some of the most ardent anti-gun companies have not elected to use the 30.05 sign and that surprised me. Also, if the sign is valid, it would appear that the administrative organization that TABC is has trumped the Texas Legislature by restricting unlicensed carry in ways not included in the the Constitutional Carry bill.

But what do I know?

[Grayling813]

This topic reads "arrested" while the linked article is about "convictions." Two entirely different things.

Most of the nearly 7000 convictions were likely a result of arrests in 2020 or early 2021 before "constitutional carry" went into effect in September.

And then there's this:

The “apparent rise in unlawful carrying cases across the state is alarming,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg wrote in an email to HuffPost.
“In Harris County, we seem to have filed more than one charge against some suspects which indicates that defendants freed on bond have been charged with the same crime more than once,” Ogg wrote.

Let's see, prosecutors are charging "suspects" with crimes, then those suspects go right back on the streets to do the same things and get arrested/charged again.

Sounds like there is a possibility that way less than 7000 individuals were convicted.

The introduction of permitless carry may not account for the shift, given that it can take several months to cycle defendants from charging to conviction. The data increase could also be due to a historic and sustained spike in gun sales that started during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harris County, for example, showed a clear rise in unlawfully carrying a weapon dating back to 2019, with the number of people charged more than doubling in two years to 4,454.

[Tex1961]

“It’s not clear why convictions for unlawfully carrying a weapon have risen so sharply.”

Probably since [at least in Fort Worth] majority of businesses have the unlicensed carry is unlawful/felony warning sign. But alas IANAL.

My question remains: is the old sign published by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission even still relevant? If it is valid, it would explain why many businesses have failed to post a 30.05 sign. Some of the most ardent anti-gun companies have not elected to use the 30.05 sign and that surprised me. Also, if the sign is valid, it would appear that the administrative organization that TABC is has trumped the Texas Legislature by restricting unlicensed carry in ways not included in the the Constitutional Carry bill.

But what do I know?

If your referring to the TABC Blue sign, then NO... It's no longer a valid sign and you are allowed to carry in those locations.. I.E. locations that sell alcohol and not for onsite consumption.

[Paladin]

I'm thinking Soros DA's are one factor: "defendants freed on bond have been charged with the same crime more than once"

That's why the Soros DA didn't want to take credit. The criminals don't go to jail anymore and are generally armed and on the loose. Both the convicted felons and future felons.

[K.Mooneyham]

Any time they quote Kim Ogg in any sort of serious or authoritative manner, I instantly dismiss the premise of the article. We all know who she is and what she stands for (even if we don't live in that area), and she does NOT represent the majority of Texans.

[Grayling813]

This topic reads "arrested" while the linked article is about "convictions." Two entirely different things.

Most of the nearly 7000 convictions were likely a result of arrests in 2020 or early 2021 before "constitutional carry" went into effect in September.

And then there's this:

The “apparent rise in unlawful carrying cases across the state is alarming,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg wrote in an email to HuffPost.
“In Harris County, we seem to have filed more than one charge against some suspects which indicates that defendants freed on bond have been charged with the same crime more than once,” Ogg wrote.

Let's see, prosecutors are charging "suspects" with crimes, then those suspects go right back on the streets to do the same things and get arrested/charged again.

Sounds like there is a possibility that way less than 7000 individuals were convicted.

The introduction of permitless carry may not account for the shift, given that it can take several months to cycle defendants from charging to conviction. The data increase could also be due to a historic and sustained spike in gun sales that started during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harris County, for example, showed a clear rise in unlawfully carrying a weapon dating back to 2019, with the number of people charged more than doubling in two years to 4,454.

Also - look at the convictions for "Deadly Conduct" - 2020 had 427 convictions, 2021 had 8,042 convictions. Probably a lot of the "Deadly Conduct" and "Unlawful Carrying of Weapons" were the same suspects.

What kind of events were happening in 2019 and 2020 that may have lead to increased arrests for these offenses? Protests and property destruction by certain groups like AntiFa? Look at all of the conviction increases in 2021- for example "ASSAULT CAUSES BODILY INJ" convictions: 2020: 3885; 2021: 42,227.

Based upon what I'm seeing, IMHO, the increased convictions in 2021 have NOTHING to do with Constitutional Carry.

Ponder these final numbers: 2020 Total Convictions: 26,304; 2021 Total Convictions: 124, 280. Also interesting: LTC Convictions 2020: 114 (0.4334% of all convictions); 2021: 176 (0.1416% of all convictions).

Just thought about this as well - how many arrests in 2018, 2019, 2020 may have had court dates postponed due to Covid shutdowns? That would have resulted in increased convictions in 2021 as courts opened back up and cases were finalized.

[Bolton Strid]

Based upon what I'm seeing, IMHO, the increased convictions in 2021 have NOTHING to do with Constitutional Carry.

You're on the right track. It has little to nothing to do with signs, more with culpability during the commission of other crimes. Guys creeping around at 3am doing break-ins, hauling a load of meth and what have you, catching an additional charge for being armed. Don't take my word for it, check your local jail to see who's all in there for what. It won't be any upstanding citizens for just walking past some stupid sign.