SUPER LAWYERS AT MURPHY & SPAGNUOLO

Murphy & Spagnuolo is pleased to announce that Vincent P. Spagnuolo, has received the title of ‘Michigan Super Lawyer.’  The Super Lawyer title is awarded to outstanding Michigan attorneys who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.  Only five percent of the lawyers in Michigan are named Super Lawyers.

 HOW SUPER LAWYERS ARE SELECTED

The polling, research and selection are performed by Law & Politics, a division of Key Professional Media, Inc.  Law & Politics has been publishing legal magazines and Super Lawyers since 1990.

Law & Politics uses a multi-step selection process that takes approximately nine months. The foundation of the process is a survey sent to active lawyers in the state.  In addition to the survey, Law & Politics researches credentials of nominees, directly contacts lawyers and law firm representatives, verifies data and conducts a good-standing review of candidates.

Each year Law & Politics sends surveys to more than 30,000 active Michigan attorneys.  The survey asks the lawyers to nominate the best attorneys they’ve personally worked with or observed in action.  Then, the nominees are grouped into more than 55 practice areas and are evaluated by a blue ribbon panel of preeminent peers in their practice areas.  In making the final selection, candidates are divided by firm size—large, medium, and small.  From the pool of candidates, only 5 percent of Michigan attorneys are selected as Michigan Super lawyers.

For more information on all of the firm’s Attorneys, visit the Attorney profiles on this web-site.

CityPulse, 01-25-2011 » Page 8

Two Democrats have opposing views on gun-free zones following incidents at the Capital Area District Library

In the wake of two men openly carrying guns in the downtown branch of the Capital Area District Library, state Rep. Joan Bauer is preparing legislation that would add public libraries to the short list of facilities that are exempt from the state’s open carry law.

Bauer, D-Lansing, is in the process of crafting language that would include public libraries under Michigan’s pistol-free zones. Libraries would be added to schools, college dorms or classrooms, casinos, entertainment facilities that hold more than 2,500 people and taverns.

Also, state Rep. Richard LeBlanc, D-Westland, has introduced House Bill 4009, which would repeal the state’s pistol free zones entirely.

A man walked into the downtown branch on Dec. 11 with a shotgun strapped to his shoulder. Another entered on Jan. 3 with a handgun holstered to his hip. Both left after library authorities asked them to do so.

CADL has a policy prohibiting weapons. The CADL board voted unanimously Jan. 19 to keep the policy in place, based on advice from the library’s attorney, Vince Spagnuolo.

The gun-rights group Michigan Open Carry criticized CADL’s no-weapons policy after the incidents.

Rule three in CADL’s code of conduct says: “All weapons are banned from Library premises to the fullest extent permitted by law.”

The “fullest extent permitted by law” is the part that stirred Michigan Open Carry members, said Rob Harris, vice president of the group.

Open Carry contends the downtown library is not a pistol-free zone because it is not technically a school, even though school activities are held there and the building is leased from the Lansing School District.

Harris said he has contacted attorneys with the city and Ingham County.

“If the county and city choose to not correct this issue, then it could absolutely go to court,” Harris said.

CADL Director Lance Werner also cited the “fullest extent permitted by law” clause. Werner said the clause protects people carrying a concealed weapon but not those who openly carry one. The library enforces the policy by asking anyone visibly carrying a weapon to leave, he said.

“If they refuse to leave we would call law enforcement,” he said, adding that it would be up to the police department to deal with the issue.

Harris said some Michigan Open Carry members plan to attend Feb. 7’s Lansing City Council meeting to discuss the issue.

— Andy Balaskovitz

Wednesday, January 26,2011

 Article from CityPULSE Newspaper (http://www.lansingcitypulse.com)

Guns, Violence, Politics and
 the Right to Bear Arms

by Andy Balaskovitz

“Do you know what violence is?” George Allen asks me.

Allen and I are sitting in the shotgun shack of the Capital Area Sportsmen’s League. He has been the league president for 10 years.

A cash register, refrigerator, coffee pot, tables and chairs decorate the small room. Deer antlers and a red National Rifle Association flag hang on the wall.

The shack is one of a few buildings that sit on about 165 acres in Delta Township, 1 1/2 miles north of Horrock’s Farm Market on Saginaw Highway.

“This is violence,” Allen says as he pulls out a fake orange plastic handgun and points it at my face.

“Now, are you prepared to deal with violence?” he asks.

As I think about Allen’s question, I look down at my hands because I don’t have any weapons. I once took a hunter’s safety course in middle school.

“Are you prepared?” Allen asks again.

“As best I can,” I reply.

Allen still has the fake gun pointed at me.

“No, you are not,” he said. “Don’t prepare and you’re going to be in a shit storm.”

Indeed — “Send lawyers, guns and money, the shit has hit the fan,” Warren Zevon once sang.

The gun control debate in this country got electric after the shooting in Tucson Jan. 8 that left six dead — including a federal district court judge and a 9-year-old girl — and a congresswoman in critical condition.

Gun control advocates called for limiting the number of rounds in a clip or setting minimum distance requirements for carrying guns around politicians. Gun rights advocates say less regulation and a better mental health system is more logical.

In Michigan, a favorable state for gun owners, there is legislation afoot (crafted by a Democrat) that would eliminate the state’s gun-free zones. In Lansing, two people recently walked through the downtown Capital Area District Library openly carrying guns. One had a shotgun over his shoulder.

But not everyone has warmed to the idea of being around well-engineered hunks of steel capable of ending a human in seconds.

And yet, the gun rights folks are having it their way thanks to a powerful political lobby, ambiguous gun control demands and the belief that, well, guns are America.

 What is stopping gun control?

Kenneth Harrow is a professor of English at Michigan State University and member of the Greater Lansing Network Against War and Injustice. Harrow said GLNAWI took a mild position on gun control following the Tucson shooting, calling for things like more money for mental health or stronger background checks.

“We were kind of shy as a group,” he said. “I don’t know what that represents. It shows really how weak the gun control lobby working against the gun lobby may be.”

But, speaking for himself, Harrow is more candid.

Harrow moved to Michigan from New York City in 1966. He didn’t see many guns growing up. When he moved to Michigan, he saw the hunting culture and his perception changed. “I became more receptive to the idea of people owning guns.” When people were allowed to carry pistols, Harrow said guns moved from the country into the cities. “The permission to hunt didn’t exist in a vacuum anymore, and it had implications for inner cities, like Detroit,” he said. “There needs to be a balance and we don’t have it. The NRA (National Rifle Association) has been able to successfully mobilize people and they’ve created a nightmare.”

And once you’ve got Harrow started on the NRA … .

“The notion that you can have a semi-automatic weapon that is relatively easily acquired and fires a lot of rounds of bullets — the notion that we can do that in our society is totally insane,” he said. He understands people want to protect themselves, but he questions the risks in the long run. While owning guns has value (protection), the costs (more guns) outweigh the benefits, Harrow says. “Even if I manage to be a great shot and kill an intruder, the danger of guns to society as a whole is greatly increased,” Harrow said. “(Self-defense) is a selfish argument. You balance the individual desire with the greater needs of society. The needs of society need to prevail.”

And he calls out Democrats who have bowed to the NRA. “Democrats have been cowed by a very large group (in the NRA). The NRA is powerful enough to intimidate politicians,” he said. “Democrats are afraid to take a position (on gun control). I find that abhorrent.” Unfortunately, Harrow adds, this is a political issue, even though he wishes it wasn’t. “It’s too damn bad the Democrats have no courage on this matter.”

 Guns and mental health

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, appeared on the “City Pulse on the Air” radio show the week after the Tucson shooting. He was quick to say that the event was not a result of unfettered gun laws, but of a failed mental health system.

Bob Sheehan, executive director of Clinton-Eaton-Ingham Community Mental Health, said one misconception arises when drawing that conclusion: that mentally ill people are all violent and need to be closely watched. “The public has very odd notions of mental illness,” he said. “People with mental illness are far more likely to be victims than not.”

Sheehan said it’s wrong to debate whether it’s a gun control problem or a failed mental health system. “I think that’s a false dichotomy,” he said. “Most gun violence is done by people who aren’t mentally ill.”

Sheehan offers three suggestions for making headway in the guns debate: better access to mental health care, continue the movement to remove the stigma from mental illness and improving civil liberties for those with mental illness. “In Ingham County, 700 people at any one time are on court orders for mental health. But not for diabetes,” Sheehan said. “We as a society are concerned by people with mental health needs.” And in the end, there simply needs to be more funding for mental health services. Sheehan says the tax dollars devoted to mental health is the lowest it’s been in 30 years. “I’m concerned that the common good is eroded when we say we’d like to take care of the mentally ill but we don’t have the money,” he said.

Ingham County Medical Examiner Dean Sienko agrees that mental health services are badly underfunded. As for what happened in Tucson, the fact that there are millions of guns in America should not be overlooked. “We can come up with a number of reasons to try and explain this,” Sienko said. “Vitriolic political talk, underfunding of mental health. But from my standpoint, when people have such easy access to firearms we will continue to deal with this.”

Sienko has served 30 years in the Army National Guard. He was deployed three times: the Persian Gulf War, Kosovo and Iraq in 2003. “There is certainly something to be said for (the mental health system),” he said. “But a large number of people can walk into a gun store, buy an assault weapon with a clip that fires off any number of rounds in how many seconds. Why do you need that? We’re not living in combat here in the U.S.”

As of Jan. 3, the state approved 255,874 Concealed Pistol License (CPL) permits. That’s about one permit for every 39 people. Nearly 5,000 of them are in Ingham County, while Eaton and Clinton counties account for about 5,500 licenses.

Between 2005 and 2009, there were 69 homicides in Ingham County. Thirtyfour of those (49 percent) were from guns. In the same time period, there were 150 suicides in Ingham County. Fifty eight (38 percent) of those were with guns. The state also tracks crime rates among concealed weapons permit holders and publishes statistics annually. In 2008-2009, 1,292 charges were brought against CPL holders for various crimes. Most of the charges were still pending at the time of the report (577). About 28 percent (366) led to convictions, while in 349 cases (27 percent) the charges were dismissed or the suspect was found not guilty.

 How Michigan stacks up

Michigan has been a “shall-issue” state since 2001 and is one of 37 such states. This means that when applying for a concealed weapons permit (a permit is required to carry concealed in Michigan), the state must issue it if certain criteria are met. A “may-issue” state leaves the ultimate decision up to a granting authority. There are also three “unrestricted” states, including Arizona, that do not require a permit for carrying a concealed weapon. Wisconsin, Illinois and Washington, D.C., are “no-issue” jurisdictions.

In Michigan, a permit is not required to buy a rifle or shotgun, though you must be 18 years old and cannot be a convicted felon. For a Concealed Pistol License, you must be 21, free of mental illness, a resident in Michigan for at least six months and successfully complete a training course. You cannot have been dishonorably discharged from the military or have been convicted of certain misdemeanors, such as operating a vehicle under the influence. You also need a permit to buy a handgun if you don’t plan on carrying it concealed.

Michigan is also an “open carry” state. A permit is not required to openly carry a firearm in public. However, you do need a concealed weapons permit to open carry in your car.

Seven states (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, New York and Illinois) and the District of Columbia completely restrict open carry, while the rest of the states have various levels of regulations.

Trends indicate that nationwide, more states are opening up to shall-issue and open carry policies.

On Jan. 13, state Rep. Richard LeBlanc, D-Westland, introduced House Bill 4009, which proposes to do away with the state’s pistol-free zones: school property, daycare facilities, a sports arena/stadium or entertainment facility that holds more than 2,500 people, taverns, church property, dorms, classrooms and casinos. LeBlanc did not return calls for comment, but Rep. Mark Meadows, D-East Lansing, who is the minority vice chairman of the Judiciary Committee, where the bill was referred, said it would be a substantial change.“I would probably never vote for it,” he said, adding that similar bills have surfaced in the past two legislative sessions without coming up for a hearing. “We had more important things to do.” Meadows added that the pistol-free zones were “part of the deal that was cut to liberalize concealed weapons. I have no problem with CCW provisions, but it’s a deal that was cut and should be honored.”

 ‘Sheep and wolves’

The Capital Area Sportsmen’s League formed in 1935 as the Ingham County Conservation League. It has about 460 members. All ages are welcome to practice shooting shotguns, rifles, pistols and bows and arrows.

Allen, the league president, believes there are two kinds of people in the guns debate: “sheep and wolves.” The sheep are those who argue peace can only be achieved when guns are eliminated from society. The wolves use guns to prevent violence, he says. “You’ve got sheep and you’ve got wolves. You’ve got meat eaters and grass eaters,” Allen said. “Predators are people who perpetuate the violence first. And you want to blame that on a gun? Sarah Palin? Rhetoric?”

Allen says you can’t expect someone else to protect you, even the police. “If you accept the cliché of the liberal establishment that guns are bad and you can’t talk about it,” Allen started. He was getting worked up at the thought of liberals. “This is all crazy crap. It’s the way you create sheep.”

I couldn’t help wondering what Allen’s personal firearms collection looks like.

“How many guns do you own?” I ask Allen.

“Not a good question,” he replied and moved on.

Allen carries weapons like most people carry pocket change, a cell phone or perhaps a wallet. He is enrolled in a class on using a cane for self-defense. He walks just fine, but the sharp, pointed handle on the oak cane could come in useful should something happen on, say, an airplane. He has a bottle of pepper spray on his key chain and two knives (a Spider and a Swiss Army) in his pocket. He says he could pop out my eyes with his thumbs. He prefers his pistol tucked into his pants above the right front pocket. He’s always prepared because “when seconds matter, the police are only minutes away.”

Allen is 56 years old. At 18, he spent $32 on a rifle at K-Mart because his mother never let him have a gun when he was a kid. He has a sturdy build, close to 6 feet tall. His eyes are stern behind modern glasses as he answers questions with questions. A few gray hairs are noticeable in his black flattop. He’s a religious man, and it shows in his passion for firearms. He tells me why it’s important to defend oneself.

“If you believe in a creator, then you have to believe that your life itself has some tie to that creator. Your gift of life came from somewhere,” he said. “If you can’t defend your life, you really are abusing that gift.”

 The gun show

On Sunday, the state’s traveling gun and knife show was in Flint at Perani Arena just off Interstate 69. It will be in Lansing Feb. 11-13 and again April 8-10.

Thousands and thousands of weapons. Ruger. Smith and Wesson. A Colt assault rifle for $1,395. A 12-gauge Remington shotgun with a 28-inch barrel for $550.

Some are modern, while others look medieval. One exhibitor had swords, morning stars (those clubs with a spiked ball at the end the size of a softball), sai and nunchuks — the complete Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles suite.

Doug Carl owns Sport Shows Promotions and has been putting the event on for 25 years. He has been in the gun business for 40 and owns Total Firearms in Mason.

Journalists have to get permission from Carl to do any interviews at his shows. No cameras are allowed.

“I’m real leery of the liberal media,” he said.

We talk of Arizona: “He (Jared Loughner) was just an insane idiot. It doesn’t have anything to do with gun control,” he said. “Anyone that’s got a suggestion on what gun law would have stopped him, have them write into your paper.”

We talk of gun show policies: “We don’t allow any concealed carry. Not because we don’t trust them but because the insurance company doesn’t allow it. Safety is our No. 1 concern. Dollars are secondary. No shortcuts.”

This is one of the smallest gun shows he’s put on, Carl said. He averages between 47 and 50 a year. On Sunday there were about 120 exhibitors from all over the country. Depending on the size of the show, Carl gets between 2,000 and 10,000 visitors. At $5 a ticket, that’s not a bad gig.

Carl lets me interview Al Stark, owner of Al’s Appliance Long Guns and Hand Guns in Bad Axe. Stark has been an exhibitor at Carl’s gun shows for nearly 19 years. The gun laws in Michigan are “a bit tight,” Stark says. And there should be no litigation if you kill an intruder. “My house, my castle, my family — it’s biblical common sense,” he said. “We don’t need liberals’ laws trying to take guns.”

To Stark, guns are as normal as learning to walk and talk. They are the American way, right up there with religion, kin and killing anyone or anything that gets in the way. “This country was founded on God, family, guns and guts,” Stark says.

And he’s confident of that.

Entertainment Entrepreneurs of the Year- 1999

The Greater Lansing Business Monthly magazine awards several businesses each year in

several categories. This year, “Three Men and a Tenor” was awarded the “Entrepreneurs

of the Year” in the Entertainment category. The winners were selected from 70-80 total

entrants for all categories. The award helps lend some credibility to the behind the scenes

business decisions of TMNT. The group wishes to acknowledge some very important

people who have assisted in their business guidance; those who also deserve credit for the

award:

Dr. Gordon Guyer Michigan State University President Emeritus

Mike McLemore The Sound Doctor

Marsha Lyttle Management Resources Alternatives

Gary Bender Murphy and Spagnoulo, P.C. Law Firm

The Arhangelos’ Kolossos Printing

Sherry Miller Vocal Training and Stress Management

Bo & Nia Noles Capital Imaging

Harvey LeBeau Michigan National Bank

Roger Grove Mariner Financial Services

J.D. Small J.D. Small Photo Studios of Okemos

Brian Kavanagh Slick Shirts of Lansing

Chris Holman WJIM-AM 1240

Scott Moore WJIM-AM 1240

Eric Wing Lighthouse Recording Studio

Bill Drake Michigan State University