Men accused of pointing gun at new homeowners changing locks

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A father-son pair of neighborhood watch volunteers have been arrested on criminal charges for allegedly holding at gunpoint the new owners of a neighboring house who were changing their locks, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Robert Canoles, 45, and his 18-year-old son, Branden, have been charged in Newton County with aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal trespass, the newspaper says.

The pair, armed with semiautomatic weapons, allegedly sneaked up behind Jean-Joseph Kalonji, 61, and his wife, Angelicia, 57, who were changing the locks on the home in Porterdale that their son, Bruno, had just purchased for the family.

The Kalonjis -- who moved to the U.S. from Zaire in the late 1990s -- said they stood with their hands in the air for 10 minutes during the ordeal Thursday evening.

"(I was) told to put my hands up and to get out, otherwise he shot us," Kalonji tells WSBT-TV.

It took four days for events to turn completely around, with charges of loitering and prowling dropped against the Kalonjis, and the criminal charges filed against the Canoles. Robert Canoles says he was initially praised by responding officers, the Associated Press reports.

"I don't know what they can charge me with," Canoles said late Monday before turning himself in, the Journal-Constitution reports. "This is my Second Amendment right. Look, this is the country out here, and we protect our own."

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/04/men-accused-of-pointing-gun-at-new-homeowners-changing-locks/1#.T5hENNXk2xo

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The second amendment allows you to trespass on someone else's property and threaten their lives? I learn something new every day.

[sandinista! 1,816]

Were the new homeowners wearing hoodies?

And I thought Zaire had been the DR Congo since the nineties.

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The second amendment allows you to trespass on someone else's property and threaten their lives? I learn something new every day.

"... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed"

maybe your reading ain't so good no more but i don't see nothing in that text about where you can bear arms.

[Pitaya 2,577]

I am a firm believer in 2A rights. Moulon labe!

IMHO, however, it looks kinda like Barney Fife and his son, didn't first ask Andy if they could put their bullet in their gun(s). It doesn't sound like Barney and his son were protecting their own personal lives or property. They sound more mike armed vigilantes, aiming deadly weapons at law-abiding citizens. Sounds like a bit of very poor gun etiquette was displayed by Barney and his son.

Barney and his son make the rest of us reasonable gun owners look bad, they should be charged, It will be interesting to see how this plays itself out.

YMMV

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IMHO, however, it looks kinda like Barney Fife and his son, didn't first ask Andy if they could put their bullet in their gun(s). It doesn't sound like Barney and his son were protecting their own personal lives or property. They sound more mike armed vigilantes, aiming deadly weapons at law-abiding citizens.

Two individuals not known to be the rightful owners, not possessing the proper documents to demonstrate ownership (I read in another article on this story that they did not have their closing papers with them while trying to change the locks) and not appearing to belong in that neighborhood... trying to do what any reasonable observer would think was picking a lock.

Not justified?

Really?

[jaycali 415]

"... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed"maybe your reading ain't so good no more but i don't see nothing in that text about where you can bear arms.

Two individuals not known to be the rightful owners, not possessing the proper documents to demonstrate ownership (I read in another article on this story that they did not have their closing papers with them while trying to change the locks) and not appearing to belong in that neighborhood... trying to do what any reasonable observer would think was picking a lock.Not justified? Really?

They weren't charged for gun possession, they were charged for aggravated assault and false imprisonment. Aggravated assault is pushing it, but false imprisonment and criminal trespassing is pretty much exactly what happened.

I get how it could look suspicious, but no one should have to carry a bunch of paperwork every time they want to change locks on their own house.. You can't really be holding someone at gunpoint because you suspect they might be breaking in because they don't "appear to belong in that neighborhood." Especially when it turns out you just trespassed on their private property, armed to the teeth and threatened to kill the owners.

Edited April 25, 2012 by jaejayC

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You can't really be holding someone at gunpoint because you suspect they might be breaking in because they don't "appear to belong in that neighborhood." ...

I'm sorry but that's a load of feel good bleeding heart liberal claptrap. Maybe you want people to suspend their senses (and not care how things appear) because that helps advance your radical left wing agenda.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

This is not a second amendment issue. This is a trespassing and false arrest issue.

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This is not a second amendment issue. This is a trespassing and false arrest issue.

"I don't know what they can charge me with," Canoles said late Monday before turning himself in, the Journal-Constitution reports. "This is my Second Amendment right. Look, this is the country out here, and we protect our own."

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

"... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed"

maybe your reading ain't so good no more but i don't see nothing in that text about where you can bear arms.

I see, so there's no such thing as armed robbery since the robber merely exercises their second amendment right. Awesome!

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

"I don't know what they can charge me with," Canoles said late Monday before turning himself in, the Journal-Constitution reports. "This is my Second Amendment right. Look, this is the country out here, and we protect our own."

He is being illogical.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I'm sorry but that's a load of feel good bleeding heart liberal claptrap. Maybe you want people to suspend their senses (and not care how things appear) because that helps advance your radical left wing agenda.

Oh, now I get it. AJ has one of those days again. This should be fun.

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I see, so there's no such thing as armed robbery since the robber merely exercises their second amendment right. Awesome!

These fine gentlemen didn't take anything. Robbery? Are strawmen all you leftards have?

He is being illogical.

Ok, Spock.

[slim 1,533]

I don't know about Georgia, but in most states you don't have the right to defend someone else's property.

Neighborhood watch can't pull guns unless they're threatened - like George Zimmerman was. These guys could've stood on the sidewalk and watched while they phoned police. That's about it.