A gun rights activist recently attempted to purchase a handgun, but was allegedly denied due to being a prohibited person.
Christopher Smart, Director of Event Security for Gun Rights Across America was denied a handgun purchase in April 2015. This was perplexing because he currently already owned a gun which was purchased in 2012 without any issues.
Upon investigating the reason for the denial, Smart was told he lied on question 11-C of the ATF-4473 form. Question 11-C reads, “Have you ever been convicted in any court of a felony, or any other crime for which the judge could imprison you for more than one year, even if you received a shorter sentence including probation?”
On September 25, 1996 at the age of 18 years-old, Smart was charged with misdemeanor assault and battery. Furthermore, this charge was actually caused by a seizure disorder, according to Smart’s online petition to the Massachusetts governor for clemency.
Smart was never made aware that the 1996 charge carried a sentence potentially over 1 year until Massachusetts opened their criminal database to all searches in August 2014, and he was denied the handgun purchase in April 2015.
Smart stated he would’ve most certainly answered “YES” to question 11-C had he known the possible sentence could’ve exceeded a year.
Furthermore, since the 1996 misdemeanor charge, Smart hasn’t received even so much as a speeding ticket.
However, after Smart investigated his 2015 denial, the New Hampshire State Police advised him that his license to carry a handgun had been revoked. Smart voluntarily turned over his carry license to authorities the same day he received the letter.
For more information please click here or visit www.fundedjustice.com
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