Guns taken after suicide. (LA county)

[pandimus]

My good friend unfortunatly commited suicide monday night. He went in the backyard and shot himself.
His wife heard the shot, ran to the backyard saw his body and called 911. When the police came his wife was hysterical, so they basically 51/50 her to the hospital. But in the process they confiscated his guns. He had 12 guns in total.
They took several pistols, an m1 garande, and several others.
Basically she now needs to go through a beauricratic nightmare to get the guns back. Apparently a 30 dollar fee to initiate the process and 54 dollars per gun fee as well.

There are a few guns in particular that i have a question about.
He had 1 AR15 that was an 80 percent that he didnt serialize nor register.
Plus several AR15 that he bought pre-ban and legally DROSed them, but did not register them as assault weapons nor turn them into featureles or do the reciever mod to keep magazine locked in.

Are those particular weapons gone forever? i/e not worth the hassle to get back?

Thanks.

[Dano3467]

I would say those AR's are gone forever..but someone with more knowledge will chime in for sure

[pandimus]

Not to sound harsh; however, a good friend, and her husband, shoots himself and within a week you/she are concerned about getting the guns back. I guess the bigger question would be, does she even want the guns back. Unless she is an avid shooter, most in her situation would not be in a hurry to get them back. In regards to the "illegal" stuff, it's gone and she won't get it back. If she still wants a firearm for personal protection, it might be easier, and much faster, for her to purchase her own while playing the waiting game of getting back whatever she is still legally allowed to have returned to her.

Well there are a lot of moving parts, but the guns were worth a lot of money. She will have very limited income, and they are concerned about selling them to help with expenses. There was also one gun that her father gave her that was very sentimental to her. Her father actually made shotguns before he died. Lastly she has no family down here. So this is about cleaning up his estate and get everything sold so that she can move back to WA.

I am not concerned with the guns. I am concerned about helping her get her affiars in order to get her moved to where family can help The AR-15's are probably worth about 4k.......

Thanks for the info, i'll let her know that the AR's are probably gone.

[emgee00]

Any firearms deemed to be an AW is gone for ever! I have a client that went through the same situation and the guns ended up getting destroyed. They would not even release them to someone with a Dangerous Weapons Permit.

Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend and my condolences go out to his family as well [emoji53]


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[pacrat]

His wife heard the shot, ran to the backyard saw his body and called 911. When the police came his wife was hysterical, so they basically 51/50 her to the hospital.

As stated by others. Anything deemed "illegal" is likely on the way to the smelter.

Another concern is the [5150] issue. She needs to get copies of the intake and diagnostics of her visit. If the medical professionals/not the cops. Determined her to be "5150" danger to herself or others. She cannot get the firearms back.

Sorry for the loss of friend and the mess he left his wife to deal with.

[Steve G]

If she was 5150’d as you say, she’s not getting any guns no matter what

[ptalar]

It is absolutely despicable, mean spirited and unethical that the police confiscate her guns and not return them without any sort of compensation. It is typical of a police state to do things like this. It is time to leave California. If they paid her market value for the guns they confiscated they would make the gun control issue in California a lot more reasonable.

[Gundiver]

Well there are a lot of moving parts, but the guns were worth a lot of money. She will have very limited income, and they are concerned about selling them to help with expenses. There was also one gun that her father gave her that was very sentimental to her. Her father actually made shotguns before he died. Lastly she has no family down here. So this is about cleaning up his estate and get everything sold so that she can move back to WA.

I am not concerned with the guns. I am concerned about helping her get her affiars in order to get her moved

Have her beg for the uppers citing financial emergency

[P5Ret]

It is absolutely despicable, mean spirited and unethical that the police confiscate her guns and not return them without any sort of compensation. It is typical of a police state to do things like this. It is time to leave California. If they paid her market value for the guns they confiscated they would make the gun control issue in California a lot more reasonable.

According to the OP the AR's were never registered as assault weapons, (Yes it's a stupid law, but however it is the law) and he estimate's their value at $4k. Do you honestly think that anyone should be compensated when something of value that is illegal to possess is confiscated?

She probably will be able to take possession of, or arrange for the sale of anything that is legal. Yes it may cost her a bit up front, but that's the process and the law. Don't blame LE for following the law.

[ptalar]

According to the OP the AR's were never registered as assault weapons, (Yes it's a stupid law, but however it is the law) and he estimate's their value at $4k. Do you honestly think that anyone should be compensated when something of value that is illegal to possess is confiscated?

She probably will be able to take possession of, or arrange for the sale of anything that is legal. Yes it may cost her a bit up front, but that's the process and the law. Don't blame LE for following the law.

The state is intentionally making all these laws to make the guns illegal and the laws are getting confusing. He bought the guns when it was legal to do so. The laws are getting cavalier and subject to the whims of the politicians. Here today, gone tomorrow. You know better than that on what is going on. His widow is the one getting screwed. Husband dead, a 5150 and the guns taken away that she could of sold out of state.

[edgerly779]

80% likely history.

[RickD427]

A couple of quick thoughts here:

1) If the wife was actually treated under WIC 5150, it likely have occurred under the "Gravely Disabled" clause of WIC 5150. That's an important distinction because "Gravely Disabled" 5150's do not result in a firearms prohibition.

2) Check out the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Henderson v U.S.. That case held that a prohibited person has a right to sell their firearms as an alternative to surrender. The court did not address the status of illegally possessed firearms. The context of the decision suggests that they're not covered.

[The War Wagon]

Lawyer up. And when the municipality loses, make THEM pay.

[ptalar]

Lawyer up. And when the municipality loses, make THEM pay.

That's the problem. It takes a lot of money to lawyer up with no guarantee of a win. The politicians know this. That is why most don't fight it. In the United States only money provides justice. Look at OJ Simpson. If it was anybody else they would be in jail. Money talks in the legal system.

[Jimi Jah]

Suicide is a crime. The impliments are confiscated just like they are after any crime. If you don't want to lose your guns don't commit crimes.