Purdy had been arrested for the crimes of drug possession, solicitation for sex, illegal possession of dangerous weapons, receipt of stolen property, attempted robbery, criminal conspiracy, firing a pistol in a National Forest, and resisting arrest. His plea bargains on these charges resulted in misdemeanor charges only, not the felonies with which he was charged. Purdy's last contact with the criminal justice system resulted in a probation that described him as a danger to himself and others. His lack of a felony record meant he could pass the 15 day waiting period and police background check required under California to purchase firearms. HCI states that the only purpose for a gun is to kill.
Lets examine that for a moment.
There are 70 million guns owned legally in this country. That is 48 hundredths of a percent. As illustrated in the Purdy example the problem is not legal gun ownership but the holes in the criminal justice system. This website is Copyright 1997-8, Stan LoGiudice. Please see our disclaimer for other details.