Police took my guns & charged me with receiving stolen property

[Recumbent ReCycler]

Here's some of the video from the trial.  More to come.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDwUbGZI6to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfVXY52f68A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iDOV-vsn8Y
I'm still waiting for a verdict.

[MTPorcupine3]

Here's some of the video from the trial.  More to come.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDwUbGZI6to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfVXY52f68A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iDOV-vsn8Y
I'm still waiting for a verdict.

I was there. It's well worth watching for the education, and for seeing what a corrupt gang the prosecution is. They've fabricated a case with circumstantial evidence that is flimsy at best, contradictory at worst. Watch the ATF hire (never asked whether he was a machinist) change his story from "The gun frame had to be made from a block," to "It could have been two halves blazed together." Gunsmith Tony could clearly see through the lies, but unfortunately was never called on to testify.

[Recumbent ReCycler]

Here's Officer Thomas Phelan's testimony (part 1 of 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz1cass8DEk
The second half is linked as a video response and the rest of my video is attached in succession.  Phelan testified first, but I uploaded Alan Offringa's testimony first because it was obvious to me and others in the room that he was lying.  Phelan's testimony contained some relatively minor inaccuracies, but it wasn't clear to me whether he was intentionally lying or just didn't have his facts straight and his testimony seemed to be roughly neutral in its effect on the trial, especially when compared to Alan Offringa's testimony.  It appears to me that Alan Offringa is the real villain in this case.  He blatantly lied, and some of the lies I knew were lies as soon as he spoke them.  Other lies I confirmed with a former SigSauer employee later.  Alan knew of KT Ordnance, but made false claims about Richard Celata and his business, which you'll be able to hear once the better and more complete video becomes available.  There were a number of things that my lawyer didn't do like I wanted him to, but the past is the past.  The other witness that he called sadly failed and probably hurt our case rather than helped it, by inadvertently giving incorrect information.  I'm looking forward to getting the other video and will try to post the video as soon as it becomes available or ask smiley to post it.  Unfortunately the prosecution never gave me copies of all of the evidence they submitted even though I had requested discovery.  As you can hear in some of the video, they didn't want me to see some of the evidence, suggesting that my lawyer could look at it instead of me, even though I'm pretty sure that my lawyer would not have known what it was that he was looking at.

[tony]

The whole trial was sad comedy. Except Tim whose skills are in my opinion equivalent of 5 years of experience as a tool maker, and BATF consultant (not employee of SIG) whose manufacturing knowledge is that of junior student in vocational school having tour over manufacturing facility during field trip, no one present was knowledgeable enough to distinguish drill from chisel.
Prosecutor witness tried to explain simple manufacturing process (wire EDM cut) for five minutes just to say that other process (very unlikely used in case of SIG) was probably applied. It would be like if you decided to walk 10 miles to the store while you have good car available. This change in testimony occurred after Tim's bringing to attention the frame was not cut from the singe block of material but from two separate pieces brazed together – CT Ordinance did not have wire EDM so process was entirely different going around technological obstruction.
Tim's lawyer did not use opportunity to grind prosecution.
Tim neglected opportunity to do homework and defend himself which probably he would do better than his lawyer. At least he could consult in his defense with those amongst us who know what they are doing in the courts.
The attitude of the whole circus was to grind Tim regardless of his gilt or innocence, but if it was exposed to everybody I doubt the court would go all the way into kangaroo court mode.
I am not knowledgeable in the laws but when we come back with Ric, some of listening to relation pointed to ton of mistakes on both sides.

[FTL_Ian]

Did he get ten years over this?   

[Kat Kanning]

No, he was accused of molesting his daughter.

[FTL_Ian]

and was found guilty and put in prison for ten years?

[FTL_Ian]

Never mind.  Apparently there is a thread just beneath this one. 

[Heatman]

Tim was found not guilty on these charges.  It was other charges that he got 10 years.

[KBCraig]

Tim was found not guilty on these charges.  It was other charges that he got 10 years.

Thank you for the update.

Are you the brother we've heard about?

[Heatman]

Twin brother Tom.

[jaqeboy]

This was good news to hear today for Tim! What was he facing as penalties on this one? Sorry, but I asked you a question on this one in the other thread, but here's the same question: Was there any detailed explanation of why the judge ruled this way? or did it just say "not quilty". And, to clarify, this was just before a judge, right? not a jury? I'm guessing you may not have actually seen the paperwork yet, right?

[Heatman]

I don't know anything other than what I put here.  When his lawyer is back in the office on 1/4/10, I will try to call him and see if I can find out any details.