Viva Zapata! Philip R. Zapata and his family storage unit!

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

I'm on a roll tonight!

• Erie Man Claims In Court That Laws Violate His Rights: http://www.monroenews.com/news/2014/jul ... is-rights/

This one has some fun elements. Philip R. Zapata claims he is not bound by the law. Even though Zapata is a felon and prohibited from owning firearms he, well ... of course he doesn't have to pay attention to that:

An Erie man charged with multiple felonies challenged constitutional laws in a Monroe court and claimed his rights were violated when police searched his home and confiscated several weapons. Philip R. Za­pata, 36, of 6705 Preston St. said in First District Court Tuesday afternoon that he was not bound by Michigan laws, a belief typically shared by those known as sovereign-nation citizens.

“Your laws are violating my rights,” Mr. Zapata told First Dis­trict Judge Jack Vitale. “My rights don’t come from the Constitution. My rights come from the creator.”

...

The case against Mr. Zapata involves his alleged possession of weapons that Erie Township police removed from his home on Feb. 6. Chief Dean Ansel and Officer Jon LaSotta both testified that they had a legal search war­rant when they entered Mr. Za­pata’s house. Mr. Zapata, a convicted felon, is not allowed to legally own weapons. Inside the house that day, the police officers testified to finding and seizing a rifle in a bathroom, a 9mm handgun be­hind a trap door in a wall and a shotgun behind a freezer.

In June, Mr. Zapata was arrest­ed on a three-count felony war­rant charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He said in court that he had a legal right to own guns.

His defence? Everything is something else!

Acting in his own defense, Mr. Zapata challenged virtually every facet of the case, including the police identifying his residence on Preston, which he called his “family storage unit.” He also challenged the use of his name because it was printed on legal documents in capital letters. He referred to his name as a “dead entity.”

...

“I have a right to protect my family no matter what,” he told the judge. “ It’s a survival tool; it’s a recreational tool. You could call it whatever you want.”

...

“Is it illegal in this country to own private property?” Mr. Zapata said. “I didn’t give it up voluntarily. It was robbed from me.”

I wonder what he's going to call his new long-term housing facility?

Viva Zapata!

SMS Möwe

[grixit]

what was he previously convicted of?

[JamesVincent]

What was the warrant based on?

[notorial dissent]

three-count felony war­rant charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms

The warrant was issued as felon in possession of firearms, I would assume either his parole officer or more likely one of the neighbors turned him in. Either way, he is most likely going back to jail, and if he was on parole he'll most likely get to do his whole remaining sentence plus the firearms charge. He sounds like he's also guilty of felony stupid, but that isn't a sentenceable crime.

[AndyK]

Acting in his own defense, Mr. Zapata challenged virtually every facet of the case, including the police identifying his residence on Preston, which he called his “family storage unit.” He also challenged the use of his name because it was printed on legal documents in capital letters. He referred to his name as a “dead entity.”

Would it be too tacky to suggest Zapata's name should have been 'Bates' ?

[LPC]

Acting in his own defense, Mr. Zapata challenged virtually every facet of the case, including the police identifying his residence on Preston, which he called his “family storage unit.”

I wonder what he's going to call his new long-term housing facility?

Perhaps "idiot storage unit" would be appropriate.