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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Pawn Shop Sold Gun to Felon, Victims Say

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (CN) - A pawn shop sold a handgun to a felon who used it to shoot up a Quality Inn hotel tavern, say four of the men who were hurt in the shooting. They sued Mountain State Pawn dba Famous Pawnbrokers/Jewelry & Loan in Federal Court.

The men and their wives say that James R. Jones was convicted of felony robbery in 2000, but the pawn shop sold him a Hi-Point Luger 9mm semi-automatic handgun anyway.

"Mountain State sold the handgun to Jones, either knowing, failing, or refusing to discover that Jones was a convicted felon and therefore was ineligible and not permitted to purchase such handgun, or any firearm," according to the complaint.

Richard Bannerman and Shawn Foster say they were shot and wounded. William Gardner says he suffered a head injury when Jones struck him with the gun.

"The bartender was killed," the men say. It is unclear what, if any, injuries the fourth plaintiff, Jesse Bryan, suffered in the Dec. 2, 2006 shooting.

They want damages to be determined at trial and are represented by Paul Taylor of Martinsburg.

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