Two guns = one gun violation, court says
Is a felon caught with two guns guilty of two offenses of illegal possession of a firearm, or only one?
The state Court of Appeals, in a case of first impression for North Carolina, chooses the more lenient option.
The opinion was delivered today.
It was written by Judge Douglas McCullough and joined by Judges John Tyson and Donna Stroud.
The case stems from a March 2006 wild-west shootout between the gun-toting bad guy and Thomasville police officers.
The cops got the better of the exchange, but defendant Darrell Lugene Garris won a small victory in court today.
But only one. He was also convicted at trial of attempted first-degree murder, communicating threats and possession of marijuana.
Dropping one of two weapons charges won't spare him much prison time.