PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - There will be no criminal action taken against members of Pittsburgh council and Mayor Bill Peduto over gun control measures in the city, at least not yet.
A spokesman for District Attorney Stephen Zappala says there is no evidence to charge anyone with a crime.
“A Criminal Attempt or Criminal Conspiracy charge requires more than a political discussion. It requires an overt act,” according to Zappala spokesman Mike Manko. “Neither the United States Constitution nor the Pennsylvania Constitution criminalize the exercise of a public discussion or public debate of an issue.”
The first private criminal complaints against gun control bills pending in Pittsburgh council were brought to Zappala Thursday. Val Finnell of Kennedy Township is a member of Firearm Owners Against Crime and believed he didn’t have to wait until council voted to file his complaint. “You don’t have to wait for a crime to be committed in order to stop it,” said Finnell.
The president of the firearms group, Kim Stolfer of South Fayette, was also expected to file a complaint. He says passage of the bills, “would intimidate and deny citizens the ability to possess firearms because they are afraid even to purchase one and drive it somewhere.”
Zappala had previously written city council warning members not to pass gun laws that would violate the Pennsylvania Constitution. He said they would leave themselves open to criminal prosecution. But his spokesman today says, “It only becomes a crime, when a person’s actions are contrary to established law.”
The statement also advised that private criminal complaints must be personally submitted through the local magistrate’s office.
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