Man charged after 3-year-old son accidentally shoots himself

DETROIT – A Detroit man faces child abuse and weapons charges after authorities say his 3-year-old son picked up a loaded gun and accidentally shot and wounded himself.

The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office says 34-year-old Melvin Cooley Cline III is charged with second-degree child abuse, using a firearm during a felony and being a felon in possession of a gun. He's due in court Thursday.

Man charged after 3-year-old son accidentally shoots himself

So, another case of someone that is a convicted felon, illegally in possession of a firearm, that resulted in a child shoots himself due to his own disregard for the law.

More proof that criminals do NOT abide by existing laws. So, why would the abide by MORE laws?

Unless you live in a bubble and think another piece of paper will stop these scumbags, why are so many people advocating for more firearm regulations? Let's arrest and convict (yes, actually convict and not dismiss) these type of charges. Also, we need to increase the pressure on illegal firearm sales and possession under the current laws.

About time these things started getting charges attached to them.

There is no such thing as an accident unless the firearm itself is malfunctioning.

It's called negligence, and if you hurt someone due to your negligence with a firearm you should definitely spend time in jail.

originally posted by: projectvxn
About time these things started getting charges attached to them.

There is no such thing as an accident unless the firearm itself is malfunctioning.

It's called negligence, and if you hurt someone due to your negligence with a firearm you should definitely spend time in jail.

Especially if you are a convicted felon, that is prohibited from possessing a firearm legally. THat should be an instant jail sentence IMO.

a reply to: Krakatoa

Are you basing the assumption that the man had a prior felony record, on the charge of being a felon in possession of a gun? If so, are you sure that this does not relate to the fact that the second degree child abuse is a felony, making him, regardless of conviction or not, a felon?

Or has he actually got a prior record?

I’m not one for gun control but I believe people should at least have to pass some kind of competency test if they want to use something dangerous that might hurt or injure another person.

Guns, cars, drugs, whatever. I don’t think any of those things should be illegal, but we shouldn’t just hand them out to people. Stories like this do nothing but paint us responsible gun owners in a bad light.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: Krakatoa

Are you basing the assumption that the man had a prior felony record, on the charge of being a felon in possession of a gun? If so, are you sure that this does not relate to the fact that the second degree child abuse is a felony, making him, regardless of conviction or not, a felon?

Or has he actually got a prior record?

The article states he was a felon in possession of a firearm... so he can't legally own a firearm because he was a previously convicted felon.

originally posted by: Krakatoa

DETROIT – A Detroit man faces child abuse and weapons charges after authorities say his 3-year-old son picked up a loaded gun and accidentally shot and wounded himself.

The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office says 34-year-old Melvin Cooley Cline III is charged with second-degree child abuse, using a firearm during a felony and being a felon in possession of a gun. He's due in court Thursday.

Man charged after 3-year-old son accidentally shoots himself

So, another case of someone that is a convicted felon, illegally in possession of a firearm, that resulted in a child shoots himself due to his own disregard for the law.

More proof that criminals do NOT abide by existing laws. So, why would the abide by MORE laws?

Unless you live in a bubble and think another piece of paper will stop these scumbags, why are so many people advocating for more firearm regulations? Let's arrest and convict (yes, actually convict and not dismiss) these type of charges. Also, we need to increase the pressure on illegal firearm sales and possession under the current laws.

Basically some hoodrats... loaded gun, arguing with a THOT... then actually tried to lie to police that the bullet came from outside the house.

originally posted by: underwerks
I’m not one for gun control but I believe people should at least have to pass some kind of competency test if they want to use something dangerous that might hurt or injure another person.

Guns, cars, drugs, whatever. I don’t think any of those things should be illegal, but we shouldn’t just hand them out to people. Stories like this do nothing but paint us responsible gun owners in a bad light.

So, how does this apply to getting a gun on the black market? You want laws to require black market gun runners to do background checks too??? Or am I misunderstanding your position in that post?

a reply to: Edumakated

Thats just it though. All the advice I can find on the internet says that this is USUALLY what that means, but the fact that they did not state that EVERY person charged with that offence has a prior conviction, leads me to suggest that use of a weapon during a felony, may result in the additional charge, which a person must be found guilty of, if they are also found guilty of the felony, in this case, of child abuse, and of committing said offence with a firearm.

There IS a good reason for me to ask this question, and the answer may not be as simple as first appears. I am asking, if it is possible or if there is any precedent that anyone is aware of, which might result in an individual being charged with being a felon in possession of a gun, without actually having any prior record.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: Edumakated

Thats just it though. All the advice I can find on the internet says that this is USUALLY what that means, but the fact that they did not state that EVERY person charged with that offence has a prior conviction, leads me to suggest that use of a weapon during a felony, may result in the additional charge, which a person must be found guilty of, if they are also found guilty of the felony, in this case, of child abuse, and of committing said offence with a firearm.

There IS a good reason for me to ask this question, and the answer may not be as simple as first appears. I am asking, if it is possible or if there is any precedent that anyone is aware of, which might result in an individual being charged with being a felon in possession of a gun, without actually having any prior record.

To answer your question, simply, no. To be called a felon, you have to have been previously charged and convicted of a felony. Here in the U.S. existing laws clearly state that status immediately makes you unable to legally posses a firearm for life.

a reply to: Krakatoa

Fair enough.

originally posted by: Krakatoa

originally posted by: underwerks
I’m not one for gun control but I believe people should at least have to pass some kind of competency test if they want to use something dangerous that might hurt or injure another person.

Guns, cars, drugs, whatever. I don’t think any of those things should be illegal, but we shouldn’t just hand them out to people. Stories like this do nothing but paint us responsible gun owners in a bad light.

So, how does this apply to getting a gun on the black market? You want laws to require black market gun runners to do background checks too??? Or am I misunderstanding your position in that post?

It doesn’t apply to buying anything illegal. They’re will always be illegal guns. I don’t believe simply having a felony in your past should disqualify you from exercising your second amendment rights either. It should be on a case by case basis.

That being said, would what I said in the first post have stopped this three year old from being shot? Probably not. There will always be idiots. But that doesn’t mean it still isn’t a good idea to train people on something dangerous before letting them loose on the rest of us.

Poor kid

If the US would ban guns, I´m sure every criminal comes to their senses and at least buys a storage-safe. I mean, after all those criminals are law abiding people.. that´s the least thing they could do and I´m sure we can trust in their good intentions.

oh wait ...

originally posted by: underwerks

originally posted by: Krakatoa

originally posted by: underwerks
I’m not one for gun control but I believe people should at least have to pass some kind of competency test if they want to use something dangerous that might hurt or injure another person.

Guns, cars, drugs, whatever. I don’t think any of those things should be illegal, but we shouldn’t just hand them out to people. Stories like this do nothing but paint us responsible gun owners in a bad light.

So, how does this apply to getting a gun on the black market? You want laws to require black market gun runners to do background checks too??? Or am I misunderstanding your position in that post?

It doesn’t apply to buying anything illegal. They’re will always be illegal guns. I don’t believe simply having a felony in your past should disqualify you from exercising your second amendment rights either. It should be on a case by case basis.

That being said, would what I said in the first post have stopped this three year old from being shot? Probably not. There will always be idiots. But that doesn’t mean it still isn’t a good idea to train people on something dangerous before letting them loose on the rest of us.

I agree with the training aspect, as it does apply to the 2nd amendment as written. When it states, "a well-regulated mililitia" it means well trained, orderly, in order.....not more laws and regulations. That is the true meaning of that aspect of the amendment.

Unless your felony conviction involved a firearm your 2nd Amendment rights shouldn't be taken from you.

Nor should your right to vote.

originally posted by: projectvxn
About time these things started getting charges attached to them.

There is no such thing as an accident unless the firearm itself is malfunctioning.

It's called negligence, and if you hurt someone due to your negligence with a firearm you should definitely spend time in jail.

Hmmm, my cynicism kicks in on this. When i see the parents of children that have drowned in their own swimming pools, even bathtubs, charged with 'negligence' I might give this more credence. There's a lot more kids who drown at home than killed by guns, if one checks the numbers.

a reply to: Krakatoa

Also, we need to increase the pressure on illegal firearm sales and possession under the current laws.

I've given this a great deal of thought and while I'd agree with this idea, there's two real problems with it.

First, the only way to effectively put meaningful pressure on illegal fiream sales is to mandate registration of all firearms in the US with serial numbers to owners identity and address. Assuming that even gets past the Supreme Court, it wouldn't work because there would be very low compliance. And with the criminal population, there would be Zero compliance!

Second, there's already a huge underground market in illegal firearms in the US. Mandating registration would only increase traffic in that market.

The real problem in the US isn't so much the firearms, as it is the ineffective, low-tech manner in which Parolee's are monitored and tracked. Without fixing that, there's just no viable solution.

originally posted by: PistolPete
Unless your felony conviction involved a firearm your 2nd Amendment rights shouldn't be taken from you.

Nor should your right to vote.

Right because we really want scoflaws voting in the people who write the laws. Allowing convicted felons to vote does nothing except swell the ranks of one party's ranks all the while diluting the vote of the law abiding citizenry. It truly renders voting even more pointless than it already is.

Every single time a child gets a hold of a fire arm, the owner should be charged with criminal negligence.

originally posted by: TonyS

originally posted by: PistolPete
Unless your felony conviction involved a firearm your 2nd Amendment rights shouldn't be taken from you.

Nor should your right to vote.

Right because we really want scoflaws voting in the people who write the laws. Allowing convicted felons to vote does nothing except swell the ranks of one party's ranks all the while diluting the vote of the law abiding citizenry. It truly renders voting even more pointless than it already is.

Once you've paid your debt to society your right to vote (or own a firearm) shouldn't be infringed on.

The biggest criminals are the ones that write the laws in the first place. Being a felon doesn't disqualify you from being elected to congress:

www.factcheck.org...
It is possible for a felon to serve in the U.S. Congress – but the House and Senate can vote to expel any member that colleagues deem unfit or unqualified to serve.