Case Title: MELVIN BROWN V. HON. LISABETH HUGHES ABRAMSON, JUDGE, JEFFERSON CIRCUIT COURT, ET AL

Citation: 

Docket Number: 2005-SC-000396-MR

State: kentucky

Court: Kentucky Supreme Court

Date: 2005-09-22T00:00:00Z

Document:
MPORi IrTy E NOTT(~ BE PIIBLI HED OPINION THIS OPINIONISDESIGNATED "NOT TO BE PUBLISHED. " PURSUANT TO THERULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE PROMULGATEDBYTHE SUPREME COURT, CR 76.28 (4) (c), THIS OPINION IS NOT TO BE PUBLISHED AND SHALL NOTBE CITED OR USED ASAUTHORITYINANYOTHER CASE INANYCOURT OF THIS STATE. MELVIN BROWN V . ,$ixyrPZrcr (fourf of ~i it :Vj HON . LISABETH HUGHES ABRAMSON, JUDGE, JEFFERSON CIRCUIT COURT AND COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY (REAL PARTY IN INTEREST) 2005-SC-0396-MR APPEAL FROM COURT OF APPEALS 2004-CA-2365 . JEFFERSON CIRCUIT COURT NO . 2003-CR-3045 MEMORANDUM OPINION OF THE COURT AFFIRMING RENDERED : SEPTEMBER 22, 2005 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED APPELLANT APPELLEES This appeal is from an order of the Court of Appeals denying a petition for writ of prohibition filed by Brown . The original action sought to prohibit the circuit judge from proceeding with a trial on the charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon . Brown is alleged to have entered the passenger door of an automobile, held a gun to the female driver, and ordered her to drive him to find drugs and then to a hospital . He was indicted for kidnapping, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and being a first-degree persistent felony offender . Following the indictment, Brown made a motion to dismiss the charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, arguing that KRS 527.040 was unconstitutional . The circuit judge denied the motion and Brown filed an original action in the Court of Appeals . His request for relief was also denied there and this appeal followed . Brown argues that the Court of Appeals erred by denying relief on the ground that he had not shown his right to proceed by original action . He contends that under §1 (7) of the Kentucky Constitution, the legislature lacks power to enact statutes prohibiting possession of firearms and that Section 26 of the Constitution declares any statute purported to do so void ab initio . The Commonwealth responds that a writ is an inappropriate remedy . It asserts that Earn v . Commonwealth , 659 S.W .2d 198 (Ky . 1983), is controlling . The Commonwealth maintains that firearms are legitimately regulated under the state's police power . A writ of prohibition or mandamus is an extraordinary remedy . Bender v . Eaton, 343 S .W .2d 799 (Ky . 1961) . Such relief may be granted upon a showing that (1) the lower court is proceeding or is about to proceed outside of its jurisdiction and there is no remedy through an application to an intermediate court ; or (2) that the lower court is acting or is about to act erroneously, although within its jurisdiction, and there exists no adequate remedy by appeal or otherwise and great injustice and irreparable injury will result if the petition is not granted . Bender , supra . See also Hoskins v . Maricle , 150 S .W.3d 1 (Ky . 2004). It is abundantly clear that Brown has an adequate remedy by appeal . The Court of Appeals did not abuse its discretion in denying the writ . The order of the Court of Appeals is affirmed . All concur. COUNSEL FOR APPELLANT : J . David Niehaus Deputy Appellate Defender Office of the Louisville Metro Public Defender 200 Advocacy Plaza 719 West Jefferson Street Louisville, KY 40202 COUNSEL FOR APPELLEE : Gregory D . Stumbo Attorney General of Kentucky Jeanne D . Anderson Special Assistant Attorney General 514 W . Liberty Street Louisville, KY 40202