Opinion ID: 2377250
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Eternal Abandonment

Text: The majority's conclusion that § 6-2375(a) requires a permanent abandonment is ostensibly based on the plain language of the statute. A statute's language is plain only if it admits of no more than one meaning. Davis v. United States, 397 A.2d 951, 956, (D.C.1979) (citation omitted). The definition of abandon admits of several different meanings. Our decision that Mr. Stein is or is not subject to prosecution should not turn upon a definition of abandonment as meaning eternal abandonment when the term is also defined to mean a less than permanent surrender (to give up, or cease to use). See BLACK'S LAW DICTIONARY (5th ed. 1979). [4] `The literal wording of a statute is a primary index but not the sole index to legislative intent. It cannot prevail over strong contrary indications in the legislative history or so as command an absurd result.' Citizens Association of Georgetown v. Zoning Commission, 392 A.2d 1027, 1033 (D.C.1978), quoting Lange v. United States, 143 U.S.App.D.C. 305, 307-08, 443 F.2d 720, 722-23 (1971) (footnotes omitted; emphasis added). See Peoples Drug Stores, Inc. v. District of Columbia, 470 A.2d 751, 754 (D.C.19083) (whenever possible, the words of a statute are to be construed to avoid `obvious injustice'); Varela v. Hi-Lo Powered Stirrups, Inc., 424 A.2d 61, 65 (D.C.1980) ( `the literal meaning of a statute will not be followed when it produces absurd results.') (quoting District of Columbia National Bank v. District of Columbia, 121 U.S.App.D.C. 196, 198, 348 F.2d 808, 810 (1965)). [5] Both the legislative history and the underlying purposes of the statute support a broad interpretation of the term abandonment. Legislative history shows the term abandonment was used interchangeably with other terms. For example, § 6-2375 is discussed in terms of allowing for (1) the surrender or the voluntary surrender of firearms and ammunition; (2) the lawful surrender or abandoning of any firearm or ammunition; and (3) an individual to voluntarily and peaceably surrender weapons and ammunitions. Firearms Control Regulation Act of 1975 (Council Act No. 1-142), Hearing and Disposition Before the Committee On The District of Columbia, House of Representatives, 94th Cong., 2d Sess. (August 25, 1976) at pp. 32, 40 & 66. Moreover, the interpretation of abandon as not necessarily an eternal abandonment is fully consistent with the City Council's primary purpose in enacting the Firearms Control Act of 1975. Its purpose was to reduce the potentiality for gun-related crimes and gun-related deaths occurring in the District of Columbia (emphasis added). This purpose will be as fulfilled by requiring an individual to abandon his weapons for as long as he is in the District of Columbia as it will be by requiring permanent abandonment. [6]