JOHN HORSTMAN ARRESTED - GUN RIGHTS HERO

By John Birch, President, Concealed Carry, Inc., PO BOX 4597, Oak Brook, IL 60523-2708 Tel: 630 986-8550

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO YOUR FELLOW GUN RIGHTS SUPPORTERS!

John Horstman did not set out to be a hero on Tuesday July 25th when he went bike riding in unincorporated DuPage County. Details are sketchy and indefinite at this point, but evidently someone called the DuPage Sheriff to report a man exposing themselves on the trail. Along comes Mr. Horstman on his bike and the DuPage Sheriff stops him because "He could be the person they are looking for." Ordering him off his bike the deputies quickly discovered loaded magazines on his belt and then the search got down in the dirt UGLY. Mr. Horstman's unloaded Taurus was found in a "day planner" style carry case. He was transported to DuPage County Jail and charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapon, 720 ILCS 5/24-1.6(a)(2)(B). After a night in jail and breakfast of cold French toast, Mr. Horstman was transported to his bond hearing...more on that in a minute....

At this point I must digress. On July 4th you might recall we had Gun Day at Taste of Chicago. While entering the park with Chris Morley we saw a man with an NRA cap and fanny pack walking with his son. Chris said "Hey John! He's got to be one of us!" Turned out to be John Horstman! Small world eh? We spoke quite a while and Mr. Horstman's son is quite the polite young man. Unlike yours truly, Mr. Horstman was packing the real deal at the Taste. Mr. Horstman is a patriot and is a Computer Systems Engineer for a top laboratory. I mention that so you all know Mr. Horstman is upstanding American who deserves our support. Totally clean arrest record.

THE BOND HEARING: I think we all know it is unlikely in the extreme that someone would carry a gun and back pack and then go out exposing himself with all that gear on. I regret this unseemliness but it is part and parcel of Mr. Horstman's arrest. You see at the bond hearing they DEMONIZED Mr. Horstman over this false allegation (he is not charged with anything except Unlawful Use of Weapons) to get his bond set at $250,000. You read right...for fanny pack carry the bond is ONE QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS! Mr. Horstman had to post $25,000 in cash and turn his guns over to the DuPage Sheriff to make bail. Is this America? I'd like retired cop Leroy Pyle to weigh in on this as if I do I'll write things about the police I will later regret. Think how you would feel as a parent if stopped by a cop and told "Hey you look a flasher, put your hands on the hood and I'm going to search you." I am so mad I could spit!
Are you feeling unnerved by this? Do you realize that Mr. Horstman could easily be Mr. Birch? Mr. Lally, Mr. Morley or anyone else reading these words? Gun owners must band together and take on the attitude that when you arrest one gun owner...YOU ARREST ALL GUN OWNERS. Mess with one of us, you get ALL OF US. It is great you send money to the NRA or even the ISRA (not recommended these days). But that will NOT get our rights back. It may make you feel good now, but you won't feel so good when the cuffs are snapped closed on your wrists and your children find out daddy is in jail.

This case takes on even more significance as the State's Attorney in this case is Mr. Joe Birkett. Mr. Birkett of DuPage County appeared at a press conference with Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine and members of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence on December 9th, 2000 to announce that anyone caught fanny pack carrying would be charged with and prosecuted for UUW, a class IV felony. Then on July 16th (just ten day prior to Mr. Horstman's arrest) SA Birkett said on One Eyed Jack's Springfield based talk show (http://oej.jack.net) that he was going for full felony UUW's against law abiding gun owners with fanny packs. He did say he would regret having to do it, but he is resolute that we must be jailed as felons. If SA Birkett does not win this case he, SA Devine and the ICHV will look like idiots. They are going bring the big guns to bear on Mr. Horstman and put him through hell on earth in the name of political expediency. I think it's fair to call Mr. Horstman a hero don't you? He did not seek this, but now that it is thrust upon him I can say in my long talks with Mr. Horstman that he is a MAN IN FULL and is not going to kneel before master and beg for forgiveness.

We have spoken with SA Birkett twice in an effort to dissuade him from this course of action. We have even provided SA Birkett with the Illinois Gun Law book published by the Illinois State Police and signed by Governor Ryan. SA Birkett acknowledged what the book said made fanny pack carry legal, but said the book was poorly written and that he would go to the Governor to change it. SA Birkett assures me he is pro-Second Amendment but he feels guns in the hands of his citizens are dangerous. Bull hockey.

So it's time to get personally involved because what happened to Mr. Horstman is personal to you. Bet on it before you are the one naked and strip searched.

HERE IS WHAT NEEDS DOING:

1) Plan on being at Mr. Horstman's arraignment on Monday morning August 20th at the DuPage County Judicial Center, 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton Illinois 60187 (http://www.co.dupage.il.us/jofbldg.html). I'll get exact time and court room soon. WEAR A FANNY PACK! NO GUN! I know it's a work day. Remember, it's a workday for Mr. Horstman too. Our gun day in Springfield is not important in light of Mr. Horstman's arrest. If you won't show up and support him at the courthouse then DO NOT EXPECT anyone there for you. It's just that cold and just that simple. If we don't pack the place and cause the DuPage County Sheriff all kinds of problems in terms of our PEACEFUL presence then we DO NOT DESERVE OUR RIGHTS and Mr. Horstman can just be eaten alive by the justice system.

2) Mr. Horstman has been strip searched, vilified as a pervert in a court, and lost his guns. Now he's about to undergo intense media spotlight. Won't you consider dropping him an email? [email protected]

3) You have dug deep to support or Democrat Day surprise on Aug 16th. Thank you. Please consider that Mr. Horstman needs TOP FLIGHT legal talent. Expensive talent. CONSIDER AGAIN: It will be a LOT cheaper to fund Mr. Horstman's defense RIGHT NOW, then to let them arrest us one by one. WHEN YOU ARREST ONE GUN OWNER, YOU ARREST ALL GUN OWNERS. While we intend to give the Democrats their "Surprise" on August 16th...ALL EFFORTS FROM THIS MOMENT ON ARE BEING DIRECTED TO MR. HORSTMAN'S VICTORY. Concealed Carry, Inc. has minimal resources and this is MUST WIN. We are establishing the CONCEALED CARRY, INC. DEFENSE FUND today. You can make checks out to CONCEALED CARRY, INC. DEFENSE FUND if you wish and mail them to CONCEALED CARRY, INC. DEFENSE FUND, PO BOX 4597, OAK BROOK, IL 60523-2708.

Please notice that when Concealed Carry, Inc. asks for money it is for a SPECIFIC PURPOSE. We don't say: Send us money and you will get a concealed carry law just by sitting on your ass. It DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY. No matter how many checks you send to the NRA or the ISRA, unless you know what that money is going to be used for. Do not take it on faith that there are people in the ISRA who know how to spend your money. THEY DON'T or we would not be in this mess today. Anyone who donates to the Defense Fund can look over the account and cancelled checks just about anytime they want. The fund is totally open book. Even the ICHV can come by and look at cancelled checks if they donate first.

Can you be there for Mr. Horstman on Aug 20th? Bring your kids...let them see justice in America close up. We need to cheer Mr. Horstman going in and going out of the palace of justice. Shake his hand! If I have to be a one man rally for Mr. Horstman, then so be it. But gosh darn it the same people can't do the heavy lifting all the time! I'm begging you to call your boss and tell him "Sorry boss...I'll be in at lunch time."

ARE YOU COMING TO THE ARRAIGNMENT? EMAIL [email protected]

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO YOUR FELLOW GUN RIGHTS SUPPORTERS!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did Mr. Horstman unlawfully carry a weapon in a public place inside a something other than a "fanny pack" type carrying case in an attempt to skirt a law that appears to allow carry in a fanny pack but not in a "Day Planner?"

Ummm....  He didn't USE the weapon, just carried.

The law in question is about carrying a unloaded pistol in a Soft CASE.  Nothing in the law about fanny packs. As the law stands, any soft case is covered, as long as the gun is completely enclosed by it, and is zippered up.  
In the following counties of Illinois- Cook, Lake, and Dupage, they have said they will go after people that carry in a fanny pack, and charge them with a felony.  
Other counties in Illinois, those south of I 80, are saying they will not charge people, like Champagin County,  Home of the Fighting Illini.  
This is going to be a test of the Anti's and the law.
This guy already going to lose his FOID, even if he wins the case.  At least we can help and keep him out of jail.
c-rock

c-rock, if I were in Mr. Horstman's shoes I'd think long and hard about educating the local population from which my jury would be selected. I would use billboards, flyers, newspaper ads, radio spots, or even direct mail to get this message to the jury pool: [url]http://www.fija.org/juror-handbook.htm[/url]
Visit the home page for much more. They even have flyers available somewhere on the site.

There is going to be a rally at the Dupage County Courthouse on August 20 at 1:00 pm.  I plan on being there.  It looks like it might be a large rally.  It will certainly do good for Mr. Horstman.  I hope to see some of you guys there.

Steve

[b]Charges dropped against Illinois Man[/b]

At 12:10pm, Aug 7th 2001, Concealed Carry, Inc. was contacted by DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett. Mr. Birkett stated as follows:

1) He supports concealed carry, but concealed carry is not Illinois law.
2) He has personally reviewed the case and upon that review has determined the case cannot go to trial. All charges to be dropped, Mr. Horstman can have is property back.
3) Mr. Birkett is contacting Mr. Horstman's defense attorney as we speak to inform of his office's decision.

On one hand it would have been great to have had our test case, but I can see the State of Illinois simply did not want to do that. Further, Mr. Horstman has suffered enough and it is because of your hard work in energizing gun owners to support Mr. Horstman on Aug 20th that the State's Attorney took a personal interest in this case. In short, without firing a shot, we have made our point.

I think we can declare victory without being smug and I think we can also appreciate the willingness of State's Attorney Birkett to do the right thing if his attention is focused on the problem.

Now, do not rest. We must be vigilant. If you had not taken an active roll Mr. Horstman would have been rolled up in the juggernaut of the judicial system and spit into prison. Mr. Horstman still represents all gun owners and the hell he went through should never happen to another gun owner in this state.

We will schedule a rally for Mr. Horstman soon so that you can meet him and hear his story first hand.

Thank you patriots one and all.

John Birch
President
Concealed Carry, Inc.
PO BOX 4597
OAK BROOK IL 60522-4597
Tel: 630 986-8550 Fax: 815 327-1152
www.concealcarry.org
MOLON LABE - COME AND GET THEM