- Homer "Tank" Wright says he's happy prosecutors dropped charges filed against him after he shot a suspected burglar last week.
But the 80-year-old tavern owner in Englewood is upset they did not return the .38-caliber pistol he used to shoot the intruder in the leg.
"I still don't appreciate them taking my weapon because I need one," Wright said. "You, me or anybody else should be able to have some kind of protection. You have to be able to take care of yourself."
But there's the problem:
- Wright was charged with unlawful use of a weapon because he had been convicted in the past of weapons charges and is not allowed to own a gun. Prosecutors defended the charge, but announced in court early this morning that they were dismissing it. They gave no explanation.
The law doesn't say any felon except 80-year-old Homer Wright can't have a gun. The law is pretty explicit that no felon shall own any gun. Not a lot of wiggle room there. Which is amusingly ironic as Wright, who has reached his golden years in defiance of some pretty long odds, truly needs a gun to protect himself but because of previous bad life decisions, is prohibited from doing so.
And that's to say nothing about how can a felon hold a liquor license?
Brilliant job by the States Attorneys not explaining the dropping of the charges though. A completely teachable moment about how gun ownership can and does prevent crime, how an elderly businessman can defend his property against young thugs by use of a gun, how maybe there needs to be a serious discussion about restoring Second Amendment Rights to those who have served their time and stayed out of trouble for years. Nope, we'll just close our eyes, plug our ears and pretend Homer Wright didn't actually shoot anyone.