80 yr old charged

[Charlie P]

You got to be kidding!!

By Marcus Solis
(Bronx-WABC, November 5, 2003) "” A mugger in the Bronx got quite a surprise when the 80-year-old man he attacked in an elevator pulled out a .38 caliber handgun. There was a struggle, a shot was fired, and now the elderly victim is being criminally charged.

Marcus Solis is in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx where he talked with the man.

Lester Campbell says the gun belonged to his mother, and that it was passed onto him when she died. And he said he would carry it with him when he went to cash checks.

Campbell had just cashed his Social Security check and gone to the supermarket near his house, when the mugger followed him into the elevator of his building. What the mugger didn' t realize was that the octogenarian was packing heat.

And after Campbell pulled out his gun, a fierce struggle ensued.

Lester Campbell, Mugging Victim: " He tried to keep the barrel away from him, twisting and turning. And when I was going to pull it, see, I lose some grip. And that' s when he started twisting and twisting."

The mugger had knocked Campbell to the ground and ripped his pants while grabbing for his wallet. The retired security guard fired one shot that hit the side of the elevator, and richotted up into the ceiling.

The elevator stopped on the third floor where the suspect ran out, and Campbell cried out for help. The thief made off with $262 in Social Security money. And now Campbell' s eye is bloodshot, and his cheek is purple from injuries he received in the assault.

Police however arrested Campbell and charged him with misdemeanor criminal possesion of a weapon. While he admits he knew the gun was unlicensed, Campbell insists he did nothing wrong.

Lester Campbell: " He had no business doing that. I was minding my business. I don' t bother nobody."

Ernest McKenzie, Building Resident: " The way I feel, if he didn' t have the gun probably something would happen to him, serious. And at the same time, he has to be licensed."

Police confiscated the gun, along with another one in the apartment. So Campbell was cited for two counts of misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon, and was given a desk appearance ticket. He' ll have a court appearance next month.

[model722]

I understand why he got the ticket, but I still don' t understand why we have all these assinine gun laws. It' s probably a good thing the " a" hole(criminal) wasn' t shot and killed, then the old guy would probably have to fry. Sure is a crazy world when we are more worried about protecting criminals then the innocent.

[BarnesX.308]

Will he ever be able to get the gun back? It' s a family heirloom that probably means a lot to him. He should get a warning and get the gun back if he registers it.

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge

[burniegoeasily]

I understand the laws and everything, but if more people were allowed to put a bullet in the butt of a criminal, there just might be less crap like this. I cant believe some one would be low enough to attack a 80 year old man.[:' (] I personally would like to give the old man a dollar.

[Coastie]

Since 1929 and the enactment of the " Sullivan" law, NYC has been the home of the assinine gun law. Getting a permit today in NY State, let alone NYC would require an act of God.

[driftrider]

I guess we can look at the bright side...

If Mr. Campbell had lived in London, he' d likely spend the rest of his life behind bars not just for having a handgun, but simply for using force to defend himself. Now there' s some assinine laws for you. At least he' s only being charged with a misdemenor. I wonder if the NRA will send him legal aid because he was acting within his Constitutional rights by owning and possessing both weapons. Seems to me like they ought to go to bat for decent people like him. That it, after all, what they' re around to do, isn' t it?

I hope everything goes well for him, and he draws a judge that laughs the prosecution out of court for bringing such charges against an 80 year old man who was himself accosted by a thug 1/4 his age.

I guess we' ll see it the system works like it' s supposed to or not. I think they should give the old man a medal for standing up for himself.

Mike

[Briman]

Generations of corrupt politicians in NYC have made it impossible to defend one' s life and health without breaking laws.[:@]

[Stickemup]

They should take every politician in NYC and strip them down and paste money all over them and turn them loose in the middle of the Bronx at midnight. Then they would understand the value of a gun for self defense.

Hitlary should be the first one. Those prosecuting this guy should be next.

[deadshot]

in this day and age when a 80 yr old man has to fear for his life and for the little bit of money our gov' t gives him in a social security check seems to me something is in diar need of change, if i was lester cambell' s son or any relative for that matter the first thing i would do is hire a lawyer like johnny cochran if he could get o.j. off then this case would be a walk in the park (2nd) i would hunt down that lowlife that prey' s on old men an woman an show him what a real arse whoopin is all about he needs to be punished for his actions as we all know that this punk makes his living by beating on the elderly i' m glad to see that 1 stood up to him. (3rd) we as the citezens of this great country that those in whom we trusted to run it are now demoralizing it and turning it into a cesspool for all the criminals who roam our streets, i say they are as much to blame as the criminals and also need to get the boot makes me sick to watch the news as we stories like this everyday and yet we as the people of this great nation sit idle in our homes and do or say nothing time for a change people give the criminals a sentence to fit the crime you kill then you die that simple no long jail terms no 10 yrs of appeals, just taken out in the town square an hung shot or however else we deem appropriate let the punishment fit the crime ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, well my 2cents worth deadshot

[kevin1]

Stickemup ,
if you stripped Hillary and ran her through the Bronx the crooks would be blinded immediately , along with every liberal on the block ! [&:]