NBC, David Gregory investigated by police for use of ammunition magazine on ‘Meet the Press’
The District of Columbia police have launched an investigation into NBC News journalist David Gregory’s use of what he described as a high-capacity ammunition magazine on last week’s Meet the Press.
Gregory held up the magazine as a prop during an interview with National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre in the wake of the Sandy Hook school killings by a gunman who used such a magazine.
DC gun laws restrict the possession of high-capacity magazines, regardless of whether the device is attached to a firearm.
According to a statement from a DC police quoted by AP, NBC inquired if they could use a high capacity magazine for their segment before it aired.
“NBC was informed that possession of a high capacity magazine is not permissible and their request was denied,” the statement said.
However, TMZ claims that NBC did get police permission.
“Here is a magazine for ammunition that carries 30 bullets,” Gregory said during the interview holding the magazine in his hand. “Now, isn’t it possible that if we got rid of these, if we replaced them and said, ‘Well, you can only have a magazine that carries five bullets or ten bullets,’ isn’t it just possible that we could reduce the carnage in a situation like Newtown?’” Replied LaPierre, “I don’t believe that’s going to make one difference. There are so many different ways to evade that even if you had that ban.”
No charges
Although the device Gregory held in front of the camera “meets the definition” of the law, DC Attorney General Irvin B. Nathan wrote to NBC that prosecution “would not promote public safety in the District of Columbia nor serve the best interests of the people of the District to whom this office owes its trust.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/nbcs-gregory-wont-be-charged-for-displaying-ammunition-clip-on-tv/2013/01/11/984a7bda-5c1d-11e2-beee-6e38f5215402_story.html?hpid=z2
[…] (blog)White House Petition To Arrest David Gregory Nears 10000 SignaturesMediaiteNBC, David Gregory investigated by police for use of ammunition magazine on …The Global DispatchNew York Times -Philadelphia Inquirer -Reutersall 561 news […]