OFF THE WIRE
Edward Peruta, an independent journalist, is one of the people who has sued the county and sheriff after being denied a concealed-weapon permit. Peruta says he needs the permit because of threats he receives from his work.....
Litigants suing county, sheriff
Edward Peruta, 61, an independent journalist who lives with his wife, Lois, in a motor home, parking it in San Diego for several months out of the year. Peruta said he should be armed for self-protection because he often ventures into areas of high crime for stories and travels across the country with valuables. He was denied a permit in February 2009.
Michelle Laxon, 26, owns a hair salon and often travels alone late at night with large sums of cash. She was denied a permit in January due to lack of good cause.
James Dodd, 67, a retired Navy officer who wants a gun for self-protection. He took a CCW permit class in anticipation of getting a CCW but was told upon applying that he likely didn’t meet the good cause requirement and would be wasting his money on an application.
Leslie Buncher, 71, a retired physician who said he
still receives threats from protesters due to the abortions he used to perform. He had a CCW permit in the 1970s because of this, but a new application was denied in 2008 because of his retirement.
Mark Cleary, 58, a registered nurse who works with psychiatric patients and has received death threats. He was issued a permit in 2005 upon joining the Honorary Deputy Sheriff’s Association after being previously denied, but could not renew it this year. He was no longer an association member.
The California Rifle and Pistol Association Foundation, a gun-rights organization that joined the suit to represent the interests of
other gun owners.
Source: Peruta v. County of San Diego
