THE RICHARD SINGLETON JR. STORY IS A SHAM BY PAUL SPANIOLA

[AQUAMAN]

 Anyone read about this sham on the MC Press? This guy is a veteran and made a mistake on a concealed weapons permit, and is now facing Spaniola's felony court soon. Another political maneuver, or equal and rightful justice? Certainly not the latter, imho. The man has PTSD and it's not a crime to own or possess a gun for that reason unless it's very serious in nature. It's a curable disease, and this man has an unblemished record of citizenship. All God's Speed to you Rick, hope these charges are dropped, as well they should never have been made to begin with. 

Here's the story at Mason County Press detailing what has happened: 

LUDINGTON — An Amber Township disabled veteran has been charged with a felony of filing a false statement on a concealed pistol permit. Richard Singleton, Jr., 39, appeared in 79th District Court where he was arraigned in front of the Mason County magistrate. The charge is punishable by up to 4 years in prison.

Singleton was injured during a boating accident on Lake Michigan while serving in the U.S. Coast Guard in Ludington. He is 100 percent disabled and has had 18 surgeries as a result of his injuries with more scheduled. As a result of the incident, Singleton suffers from post traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Singleton told MCP that one of the questions on the permit asks about history of mental disorder. He said

Singleton told MCP that he applied for a concealed weapons permit in March. One of the questions asked if he suffered a mental disorder.

He told MCP that he did not realize that those conditions were considered mental disorders. He said he asked that the application be withdrawn but instead the Mason County Proseuctor’s Office charged him with the felony. Because Prosecutor Paul Spaniola serves on the county gun board, he has assigned Manistee County Prosecutor Ford Stone to the case.

“This is concerning for veterans who come back from service anywhere who may suffer from depression or post traumatic stress disorder,” Singleton’s attorney, Ryan Glanville said. “They could be prevented from possessing a concealed pistol. Some of these people are the most qualified to conceal a pistol.”

Glanville said Singleton, he entered a not guilty plea, misunderstood and did not mean to commit a criminal act.

“We haven’t seen any evidence at this time. It’s been my client’s position if a mistake was made it was just that, a mistake. I’m looking forward to working with Mr. Stone to come up with a quick resolution. I know that he’s a reasonable man.”

http://www.masoncountypress.com/2014/06/30/veteran-who-suffers-from...

He is asking for donations to fight this malicious prosecution at Gofundme, a friend writes there:

He is trying to fight this and also trying to see if we can get Michigan's Gun Law wording changed. Every veteran that comes home with some form of depression or PTSD won't be able to receive their Concealed Pistol License and enjoy their rights to bear arms.

Who better to be allowed to carry a weapon than someone who was trained for years on handling, maintaining, Use of Force, Deadly force and firing of a weapon then most of our veterans. Or should it be those that take an 8 hour course and fire a hundred rounds that should be able to obtain a permit.

Ask a police officer if they have any form or depression or PTSD from their years of service and most will probably say yes but they are allowed to carry a weapon every day.

Help him pay his legal fees and help change Michigan's Gun Law! We need to define what a real mental disorder is.

Sincerely,

Amy T., Florida, long time friend of Rick's

[XLFD]

 That Paul Spaniola would want to prosecute something like this, is a very good reason why he does not deserve to be the next circuit court judge (nor a prosecutor for that matter).  If you take a look at a Michigan Concealed Weapon Permit Application, here is what you will see in position #8:

It specifically asks whether you have a 'diagnosed mental illness', which most people would not necessarily put PTSD or depression under, they might classify it as a mental dysphoria if it is mild, or a mental disorder.  Historically, there has been differences between mental illness (which is more biological in nature) and mental disorder (which is acquired mainly due to traumatic events, not to underlying biology).   He may have thoroughly believed when filling this out that he had no 'mental illness'.  At the end of the form it mentions:

His filling in the "no" box to question #8 needs to be shown by Prosecutor Stone that it was done intentionally, that Richard filled that box under the belief that he indeed had a "mental illness", but falsified it.  But from his interview above with MCP, he interchanges the terms illness and disorder and freely admits his confusion on the application. 

I say a reasonable person may have done the same thing, much like someone who has committed a low-level misdemeanor in the distant past who checks the "no" box on an application when they are asked whether they have committed a crime (you will notice in this application that they distinguish between different types of misdemeanors and felonies in the first few questions).  To the best of their knowledge, they are answering it truthfully. 

Without clear intent to deceive expressed, this is a waste of both prosecutors' time.

[wildfire]

and this is very confusing to , it maybe a waste of his time but why am i not surprized that he might just put this poor guy away to, another reason Mr. SPANIOLA should not be on the judges bench sit hes out to look good for himself n doesn't care about anybody else

[wildfire]

I hope this man doesn't get put in prison for misunderstanding what the paper work meant , anybody can get or have PSTD  from any kind of stress disorder, not just begin in the war or army, they can get it from other things to, trauma, flash backs ,Anxiety disorder that a person can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event  or life-threatening   situation that   causes stress , horror, helplessness,serious injury, or the threat of serious injury  or death. serious accidents, captivity, etc.. Just like a person  or persons with ADHD doesn't understand what things, mean n  are forced to be put in prison who also .Well their are a lot of cops that need to re learn when n when NOT to shoot someone, so their is issues with them cause their way of training isn't right as i can see n hear. so i believe ALL COPS NEED RE-TRAINING n who better to train them but the VETERAN'S and not a cop one either ("right to bear all arms")

[Willy]

The problem also is that he must retain an attorney at great cost to himself. Spaniola is not thinking clearly on this issue.

[XLFD]

The Second Amendment ("A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.") outdates the classification of PTSD as a problem by 200 years, and the existence of these ridiculous Gun Boards and gun laws that go against the Constitution by more than 200 years that would make felons out of veterans. 

If we look at the history of the diagnosis of PTSD:  "In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) added PTSD to the third edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) nosologic classification scheme (2). Although controversial when first introduced, the PTSD diagnosis has filled an important gap in psychiatric theory and practice. From an historical perspective, the significant change ushered in by the PTSD concept was the stipulation that the etiological agent was outside the individual (i.e., a traumatic event) rather than an inherent individual weakness (i.e., a traumatic neurosis). The key to understanding the scientific basis and clinical expression of PTSD is the concept of "trauma."

 

The etiological (causation) agent is 'outside the individual' rather than an 'inherent individual weakness' (such as neuroses and psychoses, traditionally known as mental illness).  This is why PTSD should fall outside the definition of 'mental illness'.