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Buffalo Range in Ottawa was shut down today


bsachnoff

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Well it's time for the AG and the IDNR to play the pass the buck routine again. Call the AG's office and give them an ear full. Then they'll tell you to call the DNR. It's the same old circle jerk with the both of them.

We were finally able to get ONE of our expert witnesses on the stand this afternoon! No sooner did he finish and the Judge ajorned the court and continued the trial until the 24th of April.

 

The last two and a half days have been spent with the States witnesses and cross examination of them. I have no feel as to the outcome of this, it's to early to tell. I do have great confidence in the range attorney, our experts, and the fact that we are innocent of any wrongdoing.

 

The Range owner is a fighter and tough and us guys ( RSO's) back her 110 percent. We will continue to fight this no matter what.

It's time for everyone who supports the range and us to step up and fight also. Light up the phone lines to the AG and the IDNR, make them listen to you and do not give an inch.

 

This whole issue is about ALLEGED stray projctiles leaving the range and entering the park and path areas. It's something that has been proven impossible by numerous experts. Trajectories, physics, and land contours will not let that happen. Two State Senators have toured the range and said it's impossible also.

 

The AG and the IDNR's agenda is to close the range forever, and take away our place to shoot and a 42 year old business. And when they are done with us it will be a domino effect and start on other locations. And it seems in our case all it takes is to have Joe Public say they "Heard or Seen" a bullet whiz by them in a public area.

 

Can't write anymore, I'm really beat up and tired.

Hang in guys, we are doing our best to get the range going again.

Rebel49

good luck and hang in there

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Tuesday April 24th at 10am is the next court call on this issue.

If it is possible for anyone who supports the range to show up as a spectator in the court room it would help.

So far the only people who shown up for any of the court proceedings are the ones that are against the range.

A packed courtroom might show the Judge and the AG and the IDNR that we are serious about our place to shoot.

Also we have opened a legal fund on the Buffalo Range web site to try and offset some of the monster legal fees this costing.

Rebel49

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Tuesday April 24th at 10am is the next court call on this issue.

If it is possible for anyone who supports the range to show up as a spectator in the court room it would help.

So far the only people who shown up for any of the court proceedings are the ones that are against the range.

A packed courtroom might show the Judge and the AG and the IDNR that we are serious about our place to shoot.

Also we have opened a legal fund on the Buffalo Range web site to try and offset some of the monster legal fees this costing.

Rebel49

 

 

I'm pretty sure I can make it on that day...

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Defense expert: Bullets from range would overshoot public areas

04/24/2012, 7:58 pm

 

Steve Stout, steves@mywebtimes.com, 815-431-4082

 

 

http://mywebtimes.com/archives/photog/mednailer.php?image=http://mywebtimes.com/archives/photog/photos/mednails/04-22-12_04-28-12/04-24-12/Muffler_Evelyn.gif
Photo: Steve Stout

Evelyn Muffler, President and owner of Buffalo Rock Shooting Park
Speaking as a witness for the defense, a Missouri ballistic and trajectory expert testified Tuesday "it was next to an impossibility" that bullets are escaping a local shooting range state officials want kept closed due to unresolved safety issues.

 

Under direct questioning by range attorney Steve Pontikes of Chicago, John C. Cayton, a criminalist from Osborn, Mo., flatly stated, in his expert opinion, it was not possible to have a shot hit in nearby public recreational areas as the state contends "even if a shooter want to."

 

Cayton claims the power of even the smallest caliber shot directly from the range would bypass over the once closed areas of the Illinois & Michigan Canal towpath and Buffalo Rock State Park.

 

It was day four of a hearing to decide whether Buffalo Rock Shooting Park can open for its 2012 season.

 

The 41-year-old business was prevented from allowing shooters back to its firing lines by Illinois Department of Natural Resources officials when the Attorney General Office was granted a temporary restraining order on March 15.

 

Earlier in the hearing Monday, after state's attorneys rested their presentation, Circuit Judge Eugene P. Daugherity denied a motion filed by Pontikes to immediately dismiss the case for lack of evidence. Pontikes said the state had offered no testimony as to where any of the "so-called stray bullets" had originated.

 

Daugherity ruled there was enough circumstantial evidence presented by the state to continue the proceedings.

 

On the stand for most of the afternoon session, criminalist Cayton contradicted previous state's witnesses. He insisted a person could not hear the "whizzing" of a passing bullet overhead or tell which direction an errant shot might be coming from.

 

"Are bullets shot from Buffalo Rock (shooting range) falling in the state park?" Pontikes asked Cayton.

 

"No."

 

"Are bullets (from the range) hitting the I&M Canal?"

 

"No."

 

In the state's cross examination, Matthew Dunn, chief environmental litigation attorney of Chicago, showed Cayton and the court several YouTube videos of automatic weapon firings taken at the shooting range.

 

After one of them played, Dunn asked Cayton, "Was the muzzle creeping up on him (while firing)?"

 

Cayton admitted it was, but added, in his opinion, "none of those shots (depicted) left the park."

 

Among those watching from the courtroom's gallery Tuesday were several members of the Sandy Ford Sportsman's Club which operates its own shooting range outside Streator. Speaking for the group, club members Brian Jenson of New Lenox said members attended the hearing to show support for Buffalo Range owner Evelyn Muffler and her business.

 

"If the state can come after this gun range, what is to keep them from coming after ours?" asked Jensen.

 

The hearing continues at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

 

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Here is today, Wenesday April 25th update:

 

no court today, the defendent attorney is ill. Next court appearance will be Monday, April 30th at 10:00AM.

 

Point of interest. I joined Sandy Ford Sportsman's Club last Thursday at their monthly business meeting. I will post a thread about Sandy Ford in "Training" or "Gear" later today.

 

At the business meeting I spoke about the need to support Buffalo Range and the importance of having range supporters observing the trial. I lerarned this morning that a number of folks from Sandy Ford were in court yesterday and more showed up today.

 

Too cool.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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