Suicide gun that was passed as tradition to VA House Clerks to be destroyed

[RamboLiberal]

RICHMOND, Va. — A Virginia State Police investigation of House Clerk Bruce Jamerson’s death has found that he shot himself to death with a handgun that had been handed down for decades to successive clerks.

The inquiry confirmed a medical examiner’s ruling that the death was suicide. State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said there was no finding of foul play. Now, with the case closed, she said the gun will be destroyed.

Jamerson killed himself along a walking trail beside the James River in Powhatan County on April 24. He was 53 and had been clerk of the House for 20 years.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/state-police-probe-finds-jamerson-killed-himself-with-handgun-handed-down-among-house-clerks/2011/06/08/AGgnezLH_story.html

Wow that's a weird tradition. Read it was a S&W 32 revolver. Anyone know how & when that tradition started?

[MyrnaLoy]

1. I see no reason

to destroy it though. It seems a .32 revolver would be pretty old and it would be nice to see that tradition continued. A lot of collectable weapons have some sort of "history", not all of it good. That doesn't mean we should destroy them. It's not like it's now cursed.

[TheWraith]

18. Cursed, no, but kind of macabre.

Kind of like undoing the noose at a hanging and reusing the rope.

[GreenStormCloud]

31. Amazing. You have made a rational post. And I agree. N/T

[Historic NY]

2. Someone else might find use of it........its an artifact send it to a museum.

[sharesunited]

3. Strange choice by a state which so celebrates guns.

Probably has something to do with the shame of using it on oneself rather than on someone else.

[eqfan592]

5. Wow, that's a shockingly disgusting thing to say...

...even for you, shares.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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[eqfan592]

7. Well...

...I'm saddened by such deaths, but I'm disgusted by the behavior of those who use such deaths to distract us from the primary issues that lay at the root of the issues. The issue here wasn't the gun, but our poor mental health system. The issue with violent crime isn't the particular implement used, but a variety of socio-economic factors that must be addressed.

You and others like you are standing in the way of addressing these issues, shares. Pure and simple. You waste time and resources fighting an un-winnable fight that wouldn't even address the primary factors even if you COULD win.

And don't worry, shares. I have no delusions of you actually understanding any of this. This is more for the consumption of others that may read in passing.

[sharesunited]

8. You're overlooking the fact that the point I awarded was a pro-gun point.

Based squarely upon the propaganda of those who revel in claims of necessity for guns and ammo.

You should savor the moment.

Most of the time the stories run quite contrary to any such justification.

Most of the time, the stories underscore what a mistake it is to indulge guns in society.

[eqfan592]

11. Actually, most of the time, they don't.

Even by conservative estimates firearms are used more often in self defense than to commit crimes. And swimming pools are a much greater danger to our children than firearms are. But hey, you never did let reality deter you, did you, shares?

[sharesunited]

12. I post those stories when I encounter them. Unfortunately for your argument, they are very rare.

[eqfan592]

15. lol, that's because not every single instance...

...makes the news. Criminal scarred off by armed citizen with no shots fired isn't as likely to make the news because it's not sensational enough. I can't believe this even has to be spelled out for you.

[sharesunited]

16. Then please encourage (whomever it is) to report such victories to the Po Leese.

If you think they are under reported.

[PavePusher]

20. They won't come around when people actually break into your property.

Why do you think they'll show up because of someone who isn't there any more?

[eqfan592]

21. Yes, I'm sure the police would just LOVE that.

"So let me get this straight sir/mam; nobody is hurt, the criminal is long gone, no shots were fired and no property was damaged? Yeah, we'll have an officer out there in 3-6 weeks...."

[sharesunited]

25. They readily accept their role as collectors of attempted crime data.

It helps with community policing. Good to know what's up on an ultra local level.

[eqfan592]

29. As pave pointed out...

...their response time is already bad when it comes to crimes that did involve damage of some sort. So bad that they often do not respond at all. So clearly they do not view this as important of a task as you do.

[PavePusher]

30. I was told they would send a reporting form.

I was told that on several instances.

In two countries, and four states, over 10 years.

I'm still waiting for my reporting forms.

What was your point, again?

[PavePusher]

33. What, cat got your fucking tongue?

Where the fuck are my police, you said they'd be there for me, where the fuck are they?

For that matter, why the fuck aren't you picking up the slack? Just like a fucking authoritarian: "Not my problem".

Well bitch, you claimed it as your fucking problem, fucking own your shit.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

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[sharesunited]

26. Where else would I post the truth which wouldn't be moved here??

[rfranklin]

4. We really should keep it, we have so few of them left...

and especially ones that have been used as a method of suicide.

[Ian David]

10. The JFK Limo, The Oswald Rifle, The Bonny and Clyde Car are all in museums, aren't they? n/t

[Ian David]

9. This headline seems to suggest the gun was passed down for the purpose of suicide.

"Welcome to your new job as House Clerk. Here is your traditional Suicide Gun, should you choose to use it."

[petronius]

13. That's how I read it, too. Like spies are issued a cyanide pill or something

Maybe it was clearer to people with a bit more familiarity with the story... :shrug:

[Euromutt]

17. The way a disgraced gentleman is left in the club library...

...with a loaded revolver to "do the honourable thing," you mean? On the other hand, maybe the clerk's job was to retain the revolver for such a purpose in the event any member of the House disgraced himself and had to be left in the library to do the honorable thing...

[TheWraith]

22. It's twisted, but I find that image pretty damn funny.

It would be a hysterical commentary on the job of House Clerk.

[eqfan592]

24. lol, actually I thought the same thing.

It's terrible, I know, but I honestly did laugh out loud.

[RamboLiberal]

32. That's why I'm keeping my day job

Tough to write headlines. Course I've seen newsites with worse than mine.

[ileus]

14. It sinks that one bad apple is going to cause this piece of history to be destroyed.

[PavePusher]

23. I would not equate suicide with being a "bad apple".

That's a pretty crass thing to say about someone who's circumstance you don't know.

[ileus]

28. I meant the act not the person....my bad.

[jeepnstein]

27. No big deal about the gun.

It's a tragedy that someone took their own life. I find it hard to joke about a man's suicide.

If they want to keep the tradition alive I suppose they could go out and buy a new pistol. It's not like they're not widely available to lawful citizens of Virginia.