To: FJB who wrote (740917 ) 9/21/2013 11:35:58 PM From: joseffy 1 RecommendationRecommended By FJB
Respond to of 1576160 IL:Edward Hambrick freed from jail after gun law ruled unconstitutional myfoxchicago.com ^ | 18 September, 2013 | Mike Flannery Edward Hambrick also enjoyed choosing his own clothing Wednesday, something he could not do in 14 months at the Cook County Jail. He was locked up longer than some convicted of violent crimes, though authorities said the 40-year-old computer programmer's record is completely clean. He was among four defendants freed from the jail overnight. State's Attorney Anita Alvarez dropped gun possession charges against 103 defendants Tuesday. The Illinois Supreme Court last week ruled the gun possession charges they all faced were based on a law that is unconstitutional. "Everything is pretty much destroyed," Hambrick said of being locked up. "But that's -- I can rebuild the financial stuff and make arrangements to make payments on my debt. But one thing I can't recover is the time I spent in jail." The unanimous State Supreme Court ruling that freed Hambrick essentially agreed with a Second Amendment argument he'd been making since July 2, 2011, the night Chicago Police pulled him over near 79th and Ashland because he was allegedly not using a seatbelt. Hambrick told them he had a firearm. When they took his chrome .45 caliber Taurus handgun, he admits becoming belligerent and lecturing the cops on his rights as an American citizen. Later, when he tried to file criminal charges against the arresting officers and the Circuit Court Judge hearing his case, the judge revoked Hambrick's bond and ordered a psychiatric evaluation. He was found to be sane, but as his case bounced through three courtrooms, no new bond was ever set. Hambrick's mug shot from 26 months ago indicates he lost a lot of weight while in Jail, refusing even to consider pleading guilty to any charge, despite pressure from some in his family. (Excerpt) Read more at myfoxchicago.com ...