This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Dec. 9, 2009 - At the behest of St. Louis Police Chief Dan Isom, Mayor Francis Slay is calling on Missouri legislators to consider making it a felony for someone to commit a crime while carrying a concealed weapon.
Such a suggestion by Slay, first broached Wednesday on his blog site, is likely to stir up a lot of Second Amendment talk in Jefferson City, if his proposal gets any traction.
Now, it's a misdemeanor in Missouri for someone to carry a weapon while committing a crime, unless the person actually flourishes the weapon and points it at someone, said Slay chief of staff Jeff Rainford.
He said it's unfair to give criminals such a break in Missouri when "the reason they're carrying a gun when they're committing a crime'' is that they plan to use the weapon if they are challenged or run into police.
Many other states already make it a felony for a criminal to be caught with a firearm, regardless of whether it's displayed, Rainford said.
"The chief doesn't think someone in the act of committing a crime should be allowed to carry a concealed weapon,'' Rainford concluded. "The mayor doesn't either."
The proposal is an outgrowth of discussions between the police department and City Hall on how best to confront car break-ins. As it stands, Rainford said, someone in Missouri who breaks into a car is guilty only of a misdemeanor unless they steal at least $750 worth of items.
A new car break-in initiative is expected to be unveiled soon, Rainford said.
