A verdict has been reached in the trial of the first parent charged under New Mexico’s so-called “Bennie’s Law.” The “Bennie Hargrove Gun Safety Act,” commonly known as Bennie’s Law, is a 2023 anti-gun law that aims to hold gun owners accountable if a child gains access to their firearm and uses it to commit a crime. Prosecutors alleged this scenario occurred in the case of William Brown.
William Brown is the father of Porfirio Brown, who is accused of using his father’s gun to shoot and kill a 13-year-old girl.
During the trial, officers testified that they observed several firearms lying openly around William’s home while executing a search warrant. However, the revolver used in the shooting was not recovered.
The prosecution highlighted that revolver ammunition found in William’s home did not correspond to any of the firearms located there. In his defense, William testified that the revolver in question was in Carlsbad at the time of the shooting.
On Friday, a jury found William not guilty of negligently making a firearm accessible to a minor.
Earlier this year, Porfirio was tried for second-degree murder, but the trial ended in a hung jury. He is scheduled for a retrial in August.
When you push a criminal conviction, on a brand new knee jerk reactive law, (most knee jerk reactions IMHO are political party generated), and you do not have your ducks all lined up… meaning the investigation by the police AND prosecution has dotted every “i” and crossed every “t”… What do you expect?
Point blank…This progressive democrat prosecution failed. This progressive socialist democrat platform is so seriously flawed and unconstitutional.
Lawmakers need to abolish this fiasco right now in the special session this July.
Lawmakers need to focus on the actual criminals individually, all current convicted felons, and increase jail space by building new prisons and return the option of the death penality. Jail… rather State prison… should not a be a luxery and the Duran decree needs revisiting convicted felons rights while incarcerated, and while on parole or probation.
1.8 trillion dollars in excess in the States coffers says we have the money to build more State prisons and retain more probation officers….its long past due to spend it.
Punish criminals not law abiding gun owners. I get a parent teaching a child to get what they want by using a weapon need to be punished but if a parent does what they feel is safe for there home has to go to prison that is a little scary, next a parent will be going to prison because they did not lock up the car keys in a safe and there kid took it out at night and accidentally had an accident and someone died. A terrible event, yes but putting a parent in jail for it??!!! crazy
Mixed feelings on this one, I believe that this and many of the new laws (like the mandatory 7 day waiting period) are flawed in their writing and serve no real benefit to the population as a whole. If anything, this father should be charged with stupidity, but Democrats can’t do that because it would include too many of their voters. I don’t understand why he was not charged for having unsecured weapons and ammunition if it is true that officers found the weapons laying around as described. Responsible firearms owners keep them secured in locked cases or safes and at the very least, the cheap little cable lock that new firearms are mandated to include or free at many gun shows and reputable FFA dealers.
I cannot agree with you on your thoughts that firearms and ammunition in a home must be secured by locking them in a safe. What possible good for the homeowner in an emergency is a gun that is not immediately available? The intent of this law is to encourage responsible gun ownership when there are minors in the home without the Draconian, ala California, requirement to lock them away. I am whole heartedly pro 2A and agree that the seven-day waiting period is terribly flawed, however, the thought that we must lock up all our guns in the home is just as ridiculous.
Kevin,
I believe it is his home and he should be able to leave anything laying around that he wants. Did he suspect his child would use the firearm to kill someone. Then he should have notified the authorities. Oh, but wait, the democrat authorities wouldn’t have done anything about his concerns anyway.
I’m approaching 80 and growing up daddy NEVER locked the gun cabinet. However, he did teach me to shoot AND was VERY stern about gun/rifle safety. I new I was to never touch/take a weapon out of that gun cabinet without permission. HOWEVER, my brother (ten years younger), decided one day to take try out a revolver that was loaded and give it a try. He shot through the wooden gun cabinet, and it went through the wall and into my closet then into the mattress I just happened to be laying on. I know my dad would have whooped my BE-hind had I ever done that. However, mom wouldn’t let her ‘baby’ be punished. Fortunately, he never touched any of the weapons again, and he turned out to be a good kid – but still doesn’t know how to shoot.
The thing about the left, is they are never satisfied..he was found not guilty..
end of story. Why a second trial, and maybe a 3rd ?