Man Stripped Of Guns After Lawsuit Rival Files Red Flag Complaint
BY Herschel Smith
4 years, 12 months ago
An incident in New Jersey is testing just how far red flag laws can be pushed, and the results aren’t pretty.
The gun seizure comes as part of a heated court case between Alfred Conti and his former physician, Dr. Matthew Kaufman. The defamation lawsuit revolves around negative reviews left by Conti.
Months after the suit was opened, police stripped Conti of firearms and ammunition on Sept. 25.
The firearm seizure was put into action thanks to a red flag complaint made by Kaufman and his lawyer, the Asbury Park Press reported.
Before his guns were taken, it seems Conti was just intent on receiving treatment. Hurting from an apparent failed surgery, Conti was first kicked out of the clinic where Kaufman practiced, allegedly due to his aggressive behavior with staff.
Shortly after, Conti would write the negative reviews that sparked the entire lawsuit.
A month later, Conti called Kaufman’s lawyer several times, asking for the doctor to see him again in an attempt to end his pain. In one call played to the court, the injured man used vulgar language and threatened to bring the authorities into the matter.
Conti’s error appears to be in mentioning he knew where both Kaufman and the doctor’s lawyer lived in one of the calls.
However, both sides agreed that it doesn’t appear any threat was made.
Despite this, police acted on the red flag complaint and seized multiple pistols, a rifle and ammunition from Conti. According to police, the injured man cooperated peacefully as authorities disarmed him.
As red flag laws go on the books in more locations, cases like this that sit squarely in a gray area are virtually guaranteed to keep happening.
Although there needs to be an instrument of law to disarm people threatening violence, the real question is where the line should be drawn.
I go back to David Codrea’s dictum. Any man who can’t be trusted with a gun cannot be trusted without a custodian. And frankly, I don’t believe in imprisonment anyway because it’s unbiblical. The Scriptures favor retribution and restitution, and thus I believe in slavery when the crime of theft has been committed, and execution when murder, rape or kidnapping has been committed. There is no such thing as a crime against the state, there are only crimes against individuals. The best way to repay damages for theft is that the thief becomes a slave until the debt is paid. So let me say it again. I believe in slavery. So does the bible.
But back to the point. Guns are the least of the problems if the man is really intent on doing harm. He could just go down to his local Lowe’s and buy fertilizer, or easier, a few cans of gasoline.
I prefer to sentence people for crimes when crimes are actually committed rather than relying on witchcraft to determine the future. I don’t gamble, I don’t buy lottery tickets, and I don’t believe in witchcraft.
On November 25, 2019 at 10:25 pm, GomeznSA said:
And so it begins (continues actually) – think of all of the people you have crossed paths with during your lifetime – and how many of them are still holding grudges against you………………………..
On November 26, 2019 at 1:05 am, Dan said:
The illegal, immoral and unjustified disarming of normal honest citizens via such ‘red flag’ complaints filed by ANYONE for ANY or NO reason is
a FEATURE of the laws…not a but. It’s the INTENDED RESULT. To date
those in power haven’t found a reliable way to disarm us that meets legal muster and is 100% effective on 100% of the people targeted…..till now.
The ‘red flag’ excuse appears to be the loophole around our rights they have been seeking for more a century. And unless the SCOTUS gets around to hearing a case about it and doing the right thing by shooting down ALL such laws as the unconstitutional abuse they are ( don’t hold your breath) these abusive violations of our rights will continue and expand…..one person at a time. The odds of this illegality being reined in either legislatively or judicially are virtually zero. The sad and ugly reality is that the ONLY meaningful response ‘we the people’ have to this abuse is to go “Paul Kersey” on anyone and everyone involved.
On November 26, 2019 at 6:46 am, Matt said:
These “red flag laws” are a symptom of an infection. An infection that wasn’t treated with antibiotics early on when treatment would have been easy. Now it’s going to require more aggressive treatment. If it isn’t stopped soon, it may kill the patient.
On November 26, 2019 at 9:28 am, Fred said:
And yeah, the prison industrial complex must be dismantled after the war in favor of, um, more rigorous thresholds, and standards of retribution and means by which victims, real persons, are made whole.
Think about the strategy that the devil is employing here. If an armed society is a polite society, and it is, then it will be much much worse if they take the guns.
And, the war on drugs has clearly failed, and it’s by product, armed gangs, are not the target of the war on guns. Why? Because they won’t cooperate and will simply get more guns if they lose them or have them taken. It’s a good strategy, perhaps we should value tribe more than guns and simply keep each other armed no matter what. Are we not all criminals now with free range prison guards knocking down doors under any pretense whatsoever?
@GomaznSA, divide and then isolate; it is a strategy of warfare, but you knew that.
On November 26, 2019 at 2:09 pm, ExpatNJ said:
“New Jersey: A gun-owner’s Hell”
– Evan Nappen, noted firearms defense attorney.
On November 27, 2019 at 9:02 am, Mastro said:
“A month later, Conti called Kaufman’s lawyer several times, asking for the doctor to see him again in an attempt to end his pain. ”
Hmm- wanted his Oxy prescription renewed?
Conti sounds VERY persistent- I doubt he was calling over and over for more physical therapy.
Yeah- Red Flag laws are scary- I see most divorce lawyers filing them automatically- but Conti sounds like a frustrated pill popper to me–
On November 27, 2019 at 7:52 pm, Jack said:
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