RI State Supreme Court Berates Police Chief for Denying Gun Permits

By Jenn Jacques

For the second time in just over a year, one East Providence police chief is in hot water for infringing on citizens’ Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

The Rhode Island Supreme Court has issued an order faulting Chief Christopher J. Parella for improperly denying residents licenses to carry concealed weapons and failing to abide by the court’s previous ruling.

The court in April 2015 ordered the city to back up any denial of a license to carry a concealed weapon with findings of fact. It also said at that time that the city was incorrectly applying the law by requiring that applicants demonstrate a “a proper and true need” to carry.

In the court’s recent ruling, issued on Oct. 25, the justices threw out Parella’s denial of concealed permits to three residents and directed that new decisions be issued within 90 days that include the chief’s reasoning.

“It’s very frustrating that citizens have to hire a lawyer just to obtain compliance with the Supreme Court ruling,” said Attorney David J. Strachman, legal representation for three residents whose applications were denied. “The law is not discretionary, as the city has argued, but mandatory if an applicant shows a proper reason to …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms