From: gts (gts_2000@yahoo.com)
Date: Mon May 19 2003 - 14:38:24 MDT
Mike Lorry wrote:
> --- gts <gts_2000@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> However I thought they used a
>> bulletproof vest in both tests.
> They used a wall of concrete blocks for one,
> and a bulletproof vest in the other.
According to the transcript, which follows, they tested a banned Chinese
AK-47 against both a bulletproof vest *and* a cinderblock, and found that
the banned AK-47 did more damage than the non-banned civilian version of the
same weapon. The transcript does not indicate if they tested the civilian
non-banned AK-47 against both the bulletproof vest and the cinderblock but
clearly they tested it against at least one of those targets and found that
it did less damage than the banned version. What is the best explanation?
In the transcript below the Sheriff seems to explain the differences in
damage by pointing to the differences in the size of the magazines: 10
rounds for the legal weapon vs. 30 rounds for the banned weapon.
TRANSCRIPT:
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm John Zarrella. Coming up, the ban on
assault weapons heats up. We'll take you live to the firing range.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Mixed signals on Capitol Hill on the assault weapons ban that
expires next year and House GOP leader Tom DeLay has indicated he won't
bring it up for renewal. House Speaker Dennis Hastert says no decision has
been on that vote and that DeLay was caught off guard when he made his
comments.
The 1994 law banned 19 types of semi-automatic guns.
CNN Miami bureau chief, John Zarrella, looks at what the controversy is over
these weapons -- John.
ZARRELLA: Kyra, we're out at -- in western Broward County at Marcam Park at
the Broward sheriff's office firearms training range and Sheriff Ken Jenne
has been gracious to join us out here today and to demonstrate for our
viewers exactly what the issue is with assault weapons.
I guess the first question, sheriff, that I would ask you is -- I know you'd
like to see this ban remain in place. Why? SHERIFF KEN JENNE, BROWARD
COUNTY, FLORIDA: Because I think guns are the tools of hunters, but these
weapons are really the tools to kill people and there's a major, major
difference.
You're going to see a magazine with 30 rounds in it compared to a magazine
with 10. There's a major difference in how these weapons will operate, how
it will be affected and frankly, my deputies volunteer every day to be on
those streets -- lives for greater danger.
ZARRELLA: Let's get to the demonstration with your detective, Chris Worth
(ph). And first, what is he going to demonstrate for us, first?
JENNE: First, the deputy is going to demonstrate a AK-47, the Chinese
version, which is the pre-banned version.
ZARRELLA: It's currently banned, then?
JENNE: It's currently banned.
(CROSSTALK)
JENNE: Absolutely.
ZARRELLA: OK. OK, we'll, let the detective show us.
(GUN SHOTS)
ZARRELLA: That's into a cinderblock.
JENNE: That's into a cinderblock.
ZARRELLA: And now into a bulletproof vest.
JENNE: And this is a vest similar to the ones that our deputies have worn.
It's a used one, but one that's similar.
(GUN SHOTS)
ZARRELLA: Now that bullet's clearly fired right through that.
JENNE: Right through and there's paneling on the front end and the back.
ZARRELLA: Now he's going to change to another weapon and while he changes,
let me ask you then -- you know, a lot of the critics are saying, there's no
evidence that the ban has really reduced crime. What do you think?
JENNE: Well, this is what I can tell you. I've got a heck of a lot of people
in my jails that would like to get their hands on weapons like this. So that
tells me it's doing something good.
ZARRELLA: Now this weapon now is legal under the current laws.
JENNE: Absolutely. This is an AK-47 also, but a civilian model. It has some
differences and right now this only has a clip of 10 in the magazine -- or
10 rounds in the magazine. So this is a big difference than the 30 rounds in
the previous magazine.
ZARRELLA: OK.
(GUN SHOTS)
ZARRELLA: So what makes the big difference here is the amount of firepower,
then.
JENNE: Absolutely. When deputies and people are on the street, or people
that are subjected to drive-by shootings, these weapons are not that
particularly accurate to begin with. When the more rounds you have, the more
firepower you have, the more danger it is to law enforcement as well as the
general public.
ZARRELLA: Sheriff, as we wrap up real quickly, do you believe, then, the ban
should be extended and do you believe that most sheriffs and police officers
are -- and deputies are in agreement? What do you think?
JENNE: I would hope that most law enforcement officers across this country
would be in agreement with it. I'd like to see it extended.
You know, frankly, no one is suggesting long guns. No one is suggesting
handguns should be banned. They -- a matter of fact, a lot of us go hunting
on a regular basis in Florida.
ZARRELLA: Sheriff, thank you so very much for joining us.
Kyra, a pretty powerful demonstration of the firepower of these weapons that
police, at least Sheriff Ken Jenne and the Broward sheriff's office, want to
see kept off the streets -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: No doubt. It puts in perspective. Our John Zarrella, great report.
Thanks, John.
Well, you probably remember this scene: the 1997 shootout between two men
armed with a cache of assault weapons and Los Angeles police. It followed a
botched bank robbery and amazingly ended with only the two suspects killed.
Bernard Parks became chief of the LAPD shortly afterward. He is now a Los
Angeles city councilman. He joins us live to talk about the ban.
Councilmember Parks, we both remember that well. You were on the force. I
was a reporter at that time. That really changed the face of how everyone
looked at those weapons, didn't it?
BERNARD PARKS, LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL: I think it was the most graphic
illustration of why assault weapons have no place in domestic society.
PHILLIPS: So what would letting the assault weapons ban expire do?
PARKS: I think it gives really a license and an indication to the criminal
element that we can go back to the days of prior to '94, that everything
goes and that the communities are going to be victimized by these
high-powered weapons and a criminal community that will be in charge of our
cities.
PHILLIPS: Now councilmember, some gun control groups say police are more
likely to be killed by an assault weapon than the average citizen. Are we
putting police at risk?
PARKS: I think we're putting police, but the overall community. We lose
several thousand people in the United States each year and about 80 plus
percent is by gun violence and the I think the issue of talking about gun
control really doesn't capture the issue. It's the gun violence that really
hits at the heart of every community in our country.
PHILLIPS: Well, you were a police officer for 38 years. How difficult is it
to defend against an assault weapon?
PARKS: It is very difficult because generally the first responding officer
is totally unaware of the circumstances and the firepower. You may later be
able to bring a SWAT unit or someone that can match that firepower, but
there's nothing that an officer or first responder carries with them that
can compete with that. And there's certainly nothing in the community that a
citizen or community member can compete with. So you are at a total
disadvantage when confronted with something of this high power.
PHILLIPS: So can you think of any reason to have an assault weapon.
PARKS: There's no reason. As the sheriff said earlier in your report
there's. Only one reason for it. You cannot hunt with it. It's only one
reason and that is that it kills people. It's a military weapon. It should
be kept in a military arsenal and out of the domestic society.
PHILLIPS: Well, sir, as police chief I know the homicide rates fell, the
robbery rate, the rape rate, you really did know how to handle crime. I have
to ask you about a new project you're working on as council member there in
Los Angeles.
PARKS: We are working on bringing football back to the city of Los Angeles
although Atlanta has the Atlanta Falcon, we have been without football since
'94, the same year that the assault ban went in place. But we want to bring
football back to the Colosseum, the historical site, the community and the
economic benefits would be tremendous for a city that's the second largest
media market in the country.
PHILLIPS: From police chief to council member, still making inroads in all
types of ways. Bernard Parks thank you. PARKS: Thank you Kyra, nice seeing
you.
PHILLIPS: Great seeing you too.
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