A Florida man who shot down a law enforcement drone faces 10 years in prison | Hacker News Reader

A Florida man who shot down a law enforcement drone faces 10 years in prison

apnews.com

14 pointsfortran7716 comments

There's currently a "split" between districts on whether or not banning ex-felons from gun possession violates the Second Amendment. It might eventually get decided by SCOTUS. If it goes his way, they'll need to find something else to charge him with, such as destruction of property, which would impose a lessor sentence.

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-appeals-courts-o...

It's illegal to shoot down a drone; second amendment issues aren't relevant. Even if the drone is flying over your property, it's still considered an aircraft by the FAA and homeowners don't own the airspace above their property.

To directly address your argument though, firing a weapon in pubic is considered criminal mischief in many jurisdictions.

The main charge against him seems to be possession of a firearm, though.

> firing a weapon in pubic is considered criminal mischief in many jurisdictions.

Presumably if there is a drone flying sufficiently low inside your property you might be able to shot it with no legal repercussions.

> Presumably if there is a drone flying sufficiently low inside your property you might be able to shot it with no legal repercussions.

I'm doubtful height alone is enough to permit you to shoot it down. Items you don't own being on property you do own doesn't give you the right to destroy them. I.e. you can't set your neighbor's car on fire if they park in your driveway.

I would imagine you could shoot down a drone trying to harm you. I would be curious about whether you could net/EMP a drone that was stalking/spying on you. Removed the guns because it's irrelevant to the property damage issue I'm curious about.

So losing your voting rights after a felony doesn't violate your constitutional rights but banning gun possession does?

Nuts.

Seems like it's harder to vote in the US than getting a gun.

It should be.

Why? It's one man, one vote not only certain man a vote

There's no constitutional right to vote. The Second Amendment makes it clear that the government cannot infringe your right to bear arms.

https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/what-does-the-const...

https://supreme.justia.com/cases-by-topic/gun-rights/

That's even worse in a democracy.

It's weird how the hivemind works. People frequently lament conspiracy theorists incredibly stupid. People frequently take as granted that Republican policies are fatally flawed by default. Or Democrat ones, pick your poison. And that the supporters thereof are either incompetent or cruel.

But Madison says things like the masses are ignorant & we must guard against the tyranny of the majority and suddenly it's a travesty indicative of whatever flaw or vice is faddish. It's almost like you're the person Madison was afraid of.

If it was "harassing" him, he did the right thing.

Not for shooting it down, but for possessing a weapon as a felon (he admitted to having shot it down and thus being in possession of a weapon).

Even if he was legally allowed to have said firearm they would have got him for something else I’m sure. I wonder though, as a civilian how do I tell the difference between a law enforcement drone and the drone of Joe citizen?

> 29 Florida felony convictions

Why was this person out at all?

You need at least 20 to call yourself a Florida Man

Look up your birthday and "Florida man", fun pastime when out with friends

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