Op-Ed: Damon Wells wants his gun - and his life - back

Grassroots gun owners have likely not forgotten the name Damon Wells, the concealed handgun license (CHL)-holder who defended himself from a violent attempted robbery in his front yard back in April 2007. Though CHL-holders have defended their lives in many other instances, Mr. Wells' situation played in the media for days and weeks after because of the reaction of his gang-infested neighborhood (they broke out his windows and hoisted memorials to his thug attackers).

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Regina Brett recently reported that not only was Damon Wells made victim by his attackers, and subsequently his neighbors, he is now being made victim by the City of Cleveland's police department. That's because, 9 months later, Wells is still waiting for CPD to return his confiscated firearm.

From the story:

Damon Wells wants his gun back.

His holster, too.

He waited for three hours Monday at the Justice Center as a judge sentenced someone else to prison for killing 15-year-old Arthur Buford.

...They felt some relief that Mardale Williams was sentenced to 18 years to life for the bullet that killed Arthur Buford.

They want to have it all over and done with. Only it isn't over and done with.

Damon still doesn't have his gun back. Police kept it for evidence. Tiffany said that when he asked for it, Damon was told he has to write the safety director for approval to return the gun.

"It's wait, wait and wait," Tiffany said. "We've been waiting since April. He didn't commit a crime. He didn't do anything wrong. The case is over."

Only it's not.

Damon Wells wants his gun back.

His life, too.

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