Guess Mr. Puckett turned himself in...hmmm. Interesting how ex post facto law turns a man into a felon after more than thirty years.

EX-COMMANDER OF KY. UNIT FACES REVISED CHARGES By Greg Kocher CENTRAL KENTUCKY BUREAU

Charlie Puckett wants it known that he is no longer with the Kentucky State Militia.

Friends of the former commander of the civilian paramilitary organization intended to file a legal notice in the Garrard County Clerk's Office notifying the public that Puckett will not be affiliated with the group any more, said Puckett's attorney Gatewood Galbraith.

Galbraith read the signed statement yesterday morning after Puckett pleaded not guilty to a revised indictment in U.S. District Court in Lexington. Judge Jennifer B. Coffman scheduled May 28 as the new date for Puckett to stand trial on federal weapons charges.

Under the revised indictment, Puckett would forfeit weapons seized during a Nov. 27 government search of his property in northern Garrard County. Puckett also faces a new count charging him with intimidating a witness in March in Garrard County.

If he is convicted of that last charge, Puckett would face up to an additional 10 years in prison, according to a notice of sentence enhancement filed by the U.S. attorney's office.

In his statement, Puckett says that "I ... hereby resign from the Kentucky State Militia, effective immediately." Galbraith said Puckett had belonged to the militia for seven or eight years. Experts say the group is one of the most active in the country.

Galbraith said the resignation is not "a disavowal" of Puckett's ideals. Rather, Galbraith said Puckett hopes to eventually "get back to a normal, everyday life" with his family.

Puckett surrendered to authorities last week after he had slipped out of an electronic monitoring bracelet and disappeared from house arrest for three weeks. Galbraith said he still doesn't know where Puckett went during his disappearance.

Puckett, a felon, is charged with illegally owning guns, pipe bombs and almost 35,000 rounds of ammunition. Puckett has called the seizure of his guns and weapons a theft of private property and a violation of his rights. He argues that the 1968 federal gun control act prohibiting felons from owning guns does not apply to him because he was convicted of a felony two years before the law's enactment.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reach Greg Kocher in the Nicholasville bureau at (859) 885-5775 or gkocher1@herald-leader.com.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), April 10, 2002

Answers

Interesting to say the least!!!

-- BJC (it'smehere@home.com), April 10, 2002.

owning 35,000 rounds of ammo is illegal??? in which state?

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), April 10, 2002.

Lessons learned ! Never keep bomb paraphenalia around the house you reside in ! Keep your illegal weapons within reach but out of sight ! Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut !

-- Joel Rosen (JoelnBecky@webtv.net), April 10, 2002.

I never heard of Charlie Pucket, but Gatewood Galbraith is the guy who ran for governor years ago and claimed if he won he'd legalize pot in Kentucky. http://www.gatewood.com/

-- SM Steve (Unreal@msn.com), April 11, 2002.

The whole Charlie Puckett thing is just too weird! He was gone, why did he come back?

-- Laura (LadybugWrangler@somewhere.com), April 11, 2002.

Seems to me that if Pucket bought (or otherwise obtained) all these weapons AFTER the law was passed in 1968, then this is not ex post facto. That would be like saying "you can't charge me with speeding, since I bought my car before the speed limit laws were passed.

If he bought the weapons before 1968, then it would depend on how the law was written: did it say felons had to get rid of any guns they had before the law took effect?

-- joj (joj@home.org), April 11, 2002.

Just guessing but I would say Charlie turned himself in because he feared for his family. Remember Randy Weaver and his family?

-- BJC (it'smehere@home.com), April 11, 2002.

Beginning to put more stock in the bumper sticker - "Support the Chinese Underground. Buy an SKS and bury it!"

I don't have clue as to the legal issues. He'll get hosed tho'. You can bet on that much.

-- John (jdoofus@hotmail.com), April 11, 2002.

Joj, you misunderstand, he was NOT a felon by the law as it was applied at his conviction of a misdemeanor in '66. The weapons he had were not illegal UNLESS you are a felon ('68 law). Who doesn't have lye and bleach in their house? These are bomb making materials. Also, who cares how many rounds of ammo you have? It only matters how you use them.

This article, is a bit messed up from what I have heard throughout this matter. He was NOT a convicted felon, he robbed a grocery store for food with two buddies as a teenager in '66 and was convicted of a misdemeanor. So it is exactly like saying: "Here's a picture of you driving without a seatbelt before it was illegal, now pay UP!"

Aside from all of that, this is just really weird.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), April 11, 2002.

Doreen, he is considered a felon and here is why. You are charged with armed robbery and you plead it down to assualt with intent which is a misdemeaner. You still get a felony on your record for the other charge. The court just considers it a lessor sentence on the plea in Kentucky. I know it sucks but thats the law.

Let's be real now. The ole boy had a lot more than vinegar and bleach, more like pipe and detonators. He was ill prepared for a bad situation jumping off and got caught holding the bag (full of goodies). Not his fault but busted just the same ! You just got to be smarter than the average bear. I could spend years teaching folks secrets but here is the most important one. NEVER shit in your nest and trust NO-BODY unless that body is deceased !!!!!

-- Joel Rosen (JoelnBecky@webtv.net), April 11, 2002.

Me thinks he protesth too much.

-- Dennis (thewestwood@yahoo.com), April 16, 2002.

As the law reads you are NOT a felon until you are a convicted felon. If the crime is such that it wasn't considered a felony at the time of prosecution then there is no felony charge. Should the simple charge of a felony be requisite in determining the status of a citizen then anyone who had more than three dui's prior to all of the MADD and Federal requirements on age etc, would become felons. That is the issue. Ex post facto law. There is a reason that public schools stopped requiring Latin and I suspect that it was to create a large amount of people who are unable to understand their rights. Legally illiterate subjects, if you will.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), April 21, 2002.

All of this is coming to a head on its own. What is needed is preparation. Organization and preparation is what is needed. Survival in the wilderness skills is important. Alternative communications is important. CB radios souped up with devices and other tweaking make them almost as good as a ham radio. Stock up a little extra food. Plans for a quick move to Mexico or Canada are important. Learn a little Spanish or French. You can hide out in a foreign country longer and safer if you speak and read a few key words in their tongue. Go on a trip to Mexico, just to get a feel for it. Study a little boxing, or unarmed martial arts. Obtain a little extra ammo for 1 or 2 rifles and pistols. Try bartering for ammo and firearms; it leaves less paperwork. You don't need a lot of hardware. Too much is a liability when using guerrilla tactics. You need speed and mobility. You are not going to take on regular military troops. The Viet Cong tried it, and we killed a million of them, literally a million. Firearms may keep civilian law enforcement officers at bay, for a while, long enough to execute plan B, but other than that, they are of limited value. Obtain an international drivers permit using your brother’s name, or your sister’s name, or your maiden name, or just spell your own name differently. If you are captured, you can always claim it was a typo, or clerical error. Put in a change of address at the Post Office, but don't actually move to a new address. Have your mail delivered to a P.O. box in another part of town, or in another town. It does not take much to frustrate these police-state ass-holes. Have fun. Buy air rifles/pistols and practice with them, often. Do a little jogging several times a week. Join the Orienteering club, or start one. Go backpacking in the hills/woods/desert/or wherever, two or three times a year. Organize with other groups. Have weekly meetings. It is not necessary to come to any conclusions, just discuss various topics and take notes. Get involved with city government. Those contacts could buy a little extra time when the bottom falls out; time enough to leave the area, or execute some other plan, like go to Mexico or Canada. Buy a few gold and silver coins. In a money collapse, they could buy time, transportation, goods, services. All of this could be fun, like a game. Oh, yes, and go to church. I've done all of the above. God Bless, jack

-- jack . (jackservant@msn.com), September 06, 2002.