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#1 |
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This is the woman that went on Birds property!
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...ssault&h=ba929 She would have violated her parole! This all seems so unfair! |
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#2 |
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I just HAD to cut and paste the link from Twoplustwo if this is even 50% true it turns my stomach that Bird is serving even one day for this:
Ward Bird from Moultonborough, NH was sentenced to 3-6 years in prison for criminal threatening with a firearm. The facts of this case, most of which were not allowed into court, should chill anyone who still thinks they have a right to be secure on their private property. Christine Harris, a notorious animal abuser and hoarder with over 60 convictions in at least 3 states, went driving onto Mr. Bird's private, posted land. She claimed in court that she was looking at a property for sale so she could run an "educational farm." Stopping at at least one wrong address, Mr. Bird's niece directed her to the property she was supposed to view. The niece gave her clear directions, and warned her that if she passed a white travel trailer, she had missed her turn and should turn back, as that was private property. The niece called Mr. Bird and said that he may see this "lost" person on his property. Ms. Harris passed the trailer, did not heed the warning from the niece, and continued on toward Mr. Bird's private property after numerous (at least 12) "Private Property" and "No Tresspassing" and "DANGER!" signs. She got out of her vehicle and began to walk around the home, looking into windows. Mr. Bird had come out onto his porch with a pistol in a holster. He saw this woman skulking around his windows and called out to her. He told her that she had received the correct directions from his niece and that the proerty she wanted was (paraphrased)"down the road and over that way." Ms. Harris did not heed this, and accused Mr. Bird of being the spouse or boyfriend of the property owner and trying to deceive her about the property for sale, or somesuch. Mr. Bird then told her she was tresspassing, and to get off his property. Ms. Harris decided to stay and argue with him about not wanting to sell to her. He told her he was going to call the police, and turned to go back into the house. He removed the pistol from its holster to check that the safety was on as he was entering the home. But Ms. Harris, facing more felony counts in court at the time, whipped out her cell phone and called police first! She claimed Mr. Bird was "waving a gun in my face" and threatened her, blah blah... In my opinon, she knew her goose would be cooked if this man got a hold of the police before her. Mr. Bird was recovering from a serious abdominal surgery at the time, and was moving slow, with dozens of stitches to his abdomen. (I am hearing from people who know him that it was surgery to repair his abdominal aorta? If so, that's pretty heavy surgery and recovery, as my own father had it 7 years ago and could barely shuffle his feet, let alone charge down a porch and wave a gun around!) Since I'm posting this story here, you all know what happened. The facts of Ms. Harris' apparent mental disorder(s) were not allowed into court. Mr. Bird is an upstanding member of his community, active in his church, Boy Scouts, charity... he even received a Hero citation about 20 years ago for saving a woman whose Jeep overturned in a swamp; he bent the vehicle frame and held her head above water until rescue could arrive. He has a solid family, wife and four children. He has a farm business, and is really a nice all-around person who whould do anything for anyone- and he has. There are some real freaks or just ignorant people out there commenting on these articles, saying he came out of his house waving a gun at a lady who was lost, and what a crazy gun-toting teabagger, etc... But the facts of the case, most of which were not allowed into court, are extremely important. In my opinion, this paranoid, mentally-disturbed Christine Harris was clearly "not right" and Mr. Bird justifiably, while legally bearing a legal firearm, asked her, and then told her to leave his property after being accused of lying about who he was and lying about his property being for sale. |
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#3 |
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I still can't get past the fact that this lady was trespassing, period. Looking at real estate does not absolve her from trespassing. She had been warned not go on this man's property. She admittedly argued with this man when he told her to get off the property. To me, that rises to the level where I think this guy would be justified revealing a firearm. No shots were fired, according to the court brief, she turned around and got into her car to leave, then apparently called the police. She caused this whole incident, and from what I read here and from the court briefs, I think this man should have been acquitted.
Apparently Mr. Ward admitted to the police that he unholstered his gun. I have to think to what I have been told by lawyers: don't talk to the police, especially if you think you are in trouble. I'm thinking that had this admission not been made, that this case would have gone differently, food for thought when dealing with police. Anyway, this guy should be freed. This woman obviously got away with trespassing and saved her own skin. I'd like to know where the "public funds" she was going to use to buy this land was coming from? |
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#4 |
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Re-reading the article submitted by Twoplustwo I can't get this one image out of my head:
If in fact Bird was recovering from surgery and was in pain imagine dealing with a woman who most likely engaging him in some sort of argument that he was being less than truthful about the property. Based on what we have learned about the woman she appears to be less than stable. So again even if we only believe half of what we read I can imagine that he could have felt threatened by her aggressive questioning and at that point he was physically impaired due to the recent surgery. Take a look at the article submitted by wuwu I'll quote it for you: "The owner of the dogs, Christine Harris, 54, of 75 S. Policy St., Lot 61, was charged with simple assault for allegedly shoving a tow truck operator..." So is it a stretch to think that Ward may have felt threatened by this woman? I know the shoving incident was long after the encounter with Ward but it certainly shows what kind of "woman" she is. Is it hard for anyone to imagine that she was probably aggressive towards Mr Bird? If that is the case I go back to illustrating my point where if Mr. Bird was in pain and physically limited at the time can you really blame him for letting her know that if she persisted he was capable of defending himself and his property. Before anyone attacks me I am merely illustrating a reasonable scenario that could have happened. I am not suggesting that I know exactly what happened. But with all of the information coming in does anyone really believe that this was a "damsel in distress" that was attacked by and ogre of a man hell bent on blood shed? It sounds to me that the State of New Hampshire has grossly failed in this case. |
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#5 |
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I guess I like many of you I only know the story about what happened from other people who claim to know what happened. The version I heard was the Bird was recovering from hernia surgery and not something more serious. I am told he is a large man and hernia surgery or not I very, very much doubt that this woman posed any type of threat to Bird. Finally, I have no idea what type of gun he had but many guns do not have a safety, regardless I do not find it credible that he removed the gun to check the safety.
I am not a believer in mandatory sentencing however Bird flat out was wrong to remove his gun with the implied threat of deadly force when there was no reason whatsoever for him to believe his life was in and danger. So, before you all bash me I am not saying he should have received 3 years in prison but on the other hand does anyone want people “waving” a gun just because someone ignoramus trespassed on your property? |
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#6 |
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When people have an injury and have the pain of healing and recovery it can easily alter their usual good judgement as to how they react to other people. Basically, sometimes people just get cranky and do something dopey.
All things considered, based on his life history, a much more just sentence would be to let Ward go free. No shots fired, no harm done, no big deal, everybody has a temper and sometimes their temper may show its' bad side especially when recovering from a medical operation. It is incredibly unfair that Ward is stuck away in a prison cell for what may or may not have happened considering there is no personal injuries here.......no bruises, no blood, no marks, no scrapes, NO NOTHING! And, let's not forget the big impact of the huge legal expense for Ward to get to this place legally. Hiring a defense attorney is very expensive, with all payments up-front, and having this whole event drag out from 2006 must be very difficult. The whole Carrol County legal process here is a BIG STINKER! Had I been sitting on that jury, and I usually like to disagree with people, I would have held out as one vs eleven, and not been swayed just to get the trial over and done with. It just takes one out of eleven to get a 'no decision' aka a 'hung jury' which ends the trial with no finding of guilt and may lead to a second new trial.
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#7 | |
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There is No proof that he "pulled the gun out" to imply a threat. Only the womans say so, that he waved it in her face. You obviously no Very Little about firearms ! Short of revolvers, Most All modern firearms have safety's. I find it quite credible that he removed the gun from the holster to check the safety as he reentered his house. It would have been a conscious act of a responsible gun owner. I own and actively carry and I frequently check the status of my weapons safety. There is also No proof that he "waved a gun" again, only this womans say so. His word against hers. Read the letters on this website from people who know Ward Bird, http://freewardbird.org/ there is even one letter that will give you some history of what kind of person this Christine Harris really is and there is also the recent post from "sa meredith" who has personal knowledge of this woman. Do some research and reading up on this woman and decide for yourself if you think she was really a credible person who was being honest and truthful with her testimony or is it possible she would have said anything to cover her a$$ and make everybody believe she was a poor innocent victim. |
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#8 |
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Does anyone own a Glock? Great gun....no safety.
Where any of you who are so adamant about this at the trial? Better yet where you there? I was not. I hate to agree with anything FLL has to say but I too would not have convicted Bird. |
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#9 |
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Sometime about two months ago, the LaDaSun had a photograph and article of the then candidate Jeannie Forester either holding or taking aim or something with her pink colored Glock pistol, and she went on to win the race and become State Senator (elect) Jeannie Forester for the district that includes Meredith and Center Harbor.
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#10 |
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http://www.alpharubicon.com/leo/glockpistols.htm 4th paragraph down.
"As for the rumors of a lack of safety, they were based on the fact that Glock handguns were one of, if not the first, semi-automatic handguns designed with no external safety lever. However, there are more safeties on a Glock handgun than there are on any revolver. The Glock handguns all have three safety mechanisms: 1) the trigger safety, 2) the firing pin safety, and c) the drop safety. The only way a Glock handgun will fire is for the trigger to be pulled fully to the rear. The Glock is neither a technically true Single Action, nor a Double Action. Glock calls its action the "Safe Action", which is close to a Double Action. The rumors of a lack of safety also stem from the integration of polymer into the receivers." The following comes directly from Glocks website ! TRIGGER SYSTEM The “Safe Action” system is a partly tensioned firing pin lock, which is moved further back by the trigger bar when the trigger is pulled. When the trigger is pulled, 3 safety features are automatically deactivated one after another. When doing so, the trigger bar is deflected downward by the connector and the firing pin is released under full load. When the trigger is released, all three safety features re-engage and the GLOCK pistol is automatically secured again. TRIGGER SAFETY As the first of the three GLOCK “Safe Action” safety features, the trigger safety prevents inadvertent firing by lateral forces on the trigger. Releasing the trigger will automatically reactivate the safety FIRING PIN SAFETY The GLOCK firing pin safety is a solid hardened steel pin which, in the secured state, blocks the firing pin channel, rendering the igniting of a chambered cartridge by the firing pin impossible. The firing pin safety is only pushed upward to release the firing pin for firing when the trigger is pulled and the safety is pushed up through the backward movement of the trigger bar. Releasing the trigger will automatically reactivate the firing pin safety DROP SAFETY In the line of duty it may happen that a loaded pistol is dropped on the floor. Contrary to conventional pistols, the GLOCK drop safety prevents unintentional firing of a shot through hard impact. When the trigger is pulled, the trigger bar is guided in a precision safety ramp. The trigger bar is deflected from this ramp only in the moment the shot is triggered. The internet is a Wonderful tool. ![]() |
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#11 |
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Please. There is NO SAFETY on a GLOCK that you turn on or off. The "safety’s built into the trigger. Pull the trigger and that is it....bang!
As for guns with true safety I would assume (as I do) with those that have one that I keep the safety on. Why would I take it off unless I was prepared to fire? Some of you are a bit gullible. Do you really believe that he was convicted beyond all reasonable doubt if he did not brandish the weapon? Cleary some of you know nothing about guns or guns laws but you sure do like to spew your opinions. The argument is not if Bird should or should not be in jail. The argument is over the mandatory sentencing. Should the Judges hands be tied? I do not believe in mandatory sentencing but that is the law. I also believe in people rights to own a gun BUT with that right comes a profound responsibility. Bird it appears breached his responsibility. Superior Court and Supreme Court agreed. ![]() |
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#12 |
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Slightly off-topic with this...but a very colorfull sidenote.....Is there any chance that someone could post a photo of a pink colored Glock just like what State Senator Jeannie Forester has.....a Glock in designer pink....like wow....can you get bullets in matching pink too?
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#13 | |
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Let me re quote you Exact comment.
You clearly stated that a Glock has no safety ! I believe I have proved otherwise. ![]() I also believe that if you read how the multiple internal safety's of a Glock work you will see that you Do indeed turn them off / on through the squeezing and releasing of the trigger. It may not be in the form of the traditional external button or lever but you certainly turn the safety"s Off and On. Quote:
With over 40 years of owning, collecting, reloading, target practicing, skeet and trap shooting, hunting etc. I believe I can comfortably hold my own in most conversations. It most certainly is ! Just because You believe he belongs in jail doesn't not make it written in stone. The judicial system very clearly failed it's duty's in this particular case. Unfortunately it happens. You are correct about the argument over the mandatory sentencing. In this particular case the mandatory sentence does not fit the supposed crime. This is why so many people are now pushing to change this particular law. |
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#14 |
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I will stand by my stating that you know nothing about guns or you would not be arguing such a silly point. Glock does not have a safety that I can turn on or off. You are simply arguing semantics. I could not remove a Glock from my holster and check the safety. Period!
No responsible person pulls a gun out of their holster to check the safety. Do you have any idea what type of gun Bird was carrying? Who knows if it even had a safety. You do not seem to know much of the “story” or history of the family, land for sale etc. Does Bird belong in jail? Based on the law yes, he does. Do I have sympathy for the guy? Yes, because maybe it is a stupid mistake some of us could have made. Then again you do not simply pull out a gun because someone has trespassed. He was wrong, not MPD, and not the courts and he paid a very high price for it. |
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#15 | |
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Let me re quote you Exact comment.
You clearly stated that a Glock has no safety ! I believe I have proved otherwise. ![]() I also believe that if you read how the multiple internal safety's of a Glock work you will see that you Do indeed turn them off / on through the squeezing and releasing of the trigger. It may not be in the form of the traditional external button or lever but you certainly turn the safety"s Off and On. Quote:
With over 40 years of owning, collecting, reloading, target practicing, skeet and trap shooting, hunting etc. I believe I can comfortably hold my own in most conversations. It most certainly is ! It is merely one of the aspects of this whole mess. The judicial system very clearly failed it's duty's in this particular case. Unfortunately it happens. The county attorney bought the Lady's song and dance and turned right around with prejudice and sold it to the jury. You are correct about the argument over the mandatory sentencing. In this particular case the mandatory sentence does not fit the supposed crime. This is why so many people are now pushing to change this particular law. I believe that we will just have to agree to disagree on this matter. ![]() |
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#16 |
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I don't know why I am reading this thread! Unless we know the facts, sitting in court and listening to the full proceeding, how can 90% of us make a valid statement? I agree that the Ward Bird family are great people, but I was not in court so will not comment on proceedings. PERIOD!
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#17 |
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How can you listen to ALL the facts when most of them are no longer allowed in courts. They don't really want the WHOLE truth, only what they will allow.
Lawyers being lawyers. |
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#18 | |
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#19 |
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Better to wave a broom & smile friendly, than to raise a gun and curse!
Old Chinese proverb: If you want an enemy for a neighbor then you should treat him like one!
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#21 |
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they took the word of a possible fellon over that of Mr. Bird. It is scary that he goes to jail for 3 years and she continues on her way. This lady is no peach. She new exactly what she was doing. I am confused about my rights as a land owner and when it is okay to show someone a gun. I am not sure why people are thinking they are missing something. Yes we do not have all the details, but the state is trying to get the sheeple under control. This is just another small removal of your rights... test case, trial ballon.. you fill in the blanks.
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#22 |
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I find it hard to believe that anyone who owns a firearm would do what the article in todays LDS said they did...and it was Ward Bird in 2002.
Thank God that no one was killed when this happened! Here is part of the article and you can read the rest of it Here: It was on June 15, 2002 — a Bike Week Saturday around 6 p.m. — when Moultonborough Cpl. James Fogarty got a report of shots being fired into a home. Daniel King of Maspeth, N.Y. andtwo of his friends from Pennsylvania were watching television in a rented cottage at 84 Langdorf Street in the Suisseville section of Moultonborough. All three told Fogarty they heard seven gunshots, then silence, then five more. King told Fogarty that at least one bullet had entered the cottage. While Fogarty took pictures of the bullet hole in the back window, searched for and finally found the .30 caliber slug in the closet, other officers fanned out and began searching for the source of the bullet. About 600 yards and two streets away, police found a “large gathering” at 51 Sandorf St. As the three officers began asking questions and searching the area for spent shell casings, Fogarty noticed one party goer was a little more interested than were the others. “Please, let me know what you find out. I’m interested to see what happened,” Fogarty recalled Ward Bird saying before he left the scene in his white flatbed pickup. Moultonborough Sgt. Shawn Varney also responded to the area and was the incident supervisor. His statement said he learned from the other officers there was a “large party” on nearby Sandorf Street but everyone had denied any involvement, telling police they thought “someone was lighting off fireworks.” One of the officers also told Varney that all the guns held by the party goers had been checked, including a .25 caliber pistol owned by Bird, and none appeared to have been recently fired. In his report, Varney said the party host’s “body language and tone of voice indicated to me that he knew more than he was saying.” Varney report also said police didn’t find any shell casings. He suggested Fogarty “attempt to track [Bird] down” but said Fogarty checked Bird’s home and he wasn’t there. The next day Varney got a call from the N.H. State Police dispatcher requesting he go to Bird’s house to discuss the shooting with him. While one of his patrol officers was already interviewing Bird, Varney said Bird “was visibly upset” and had wanted to speak to a supervisor. “He advised me that he was the one who shot the firearm in Suissevale last night,” Varney wrote. “He advised me he felt really bad about the incident and apologized many times.” Varney said Bird told him he was “intoxicated” and he had been shooting into a tree stump across the street from the house with the party. He told Varney he had no knowledge there were houses beyond the stump and later came to the police station and voluntarily surrendered an AMT Automag III .30 carbine with eight rounds and two clips. Bird was charged with unauthorized use of a firearm, showed police the stump with nine bullets lodged in it and said he was the only one who did any shooting. He was charged with the unauthorized use of a firearm, which was negotiated down to a violation. The owner of the house with the bullet hole in the window was content to have the window replaced and “to leave it at that.” Bird paid a fine and the incident was largely forgotten. |
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The "carbine" mentioned above isn't the famous "long-gun" of WW2, but a pistol chambered for the 30-Carbine cartridge. |
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#25 |
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have you read the news lately... there are alot of desperate people out there during these hard times. Robberies, mental instability, murders in small towns... you can wave your broom all you want. Never bring a broom to a gun fight or a knife fight for that matter.
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#26 | |
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Old chinese proverb: It is better to be thought a fool, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt! |
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