EDMUND G. BROWN JR. August 13,2007
EDMUND G. BROWN JR.
State of California DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
AttorneJ) Genernl
DIVISIONOFLAW ENFORCEMENT P . OB . OXr60487 CA 958I6-0487 SACRAMENTO, (916) 263-0699 (9 16) 263-0616 Facsirnile:
August13,2007
DonaldJ. Kilmer Attorney atLaw 1645Willow Street,Suite 150 SanJose,C^95125 Re:
EugeneHoffman - Requestfor Releaseof Firearms
Dear Mr. Kilmer: I am writing in responseto your letterdatedJuly 20,2007, regardingthe requestof EugeneHoffman, Jr., your client, for the CaliforniaDepartmentof Justice(DOi) to releasetwo firearmsin its custodyto Mr. Hoffman. A personwho claims title.to a frrearmthat is in the custody.orcontrol of a law enforcementagencyand who wis-hesto havethe.firearrn returnedto him or her must submit an applicationfor a determinationof his or her qligibility to possessfirearmsto the Departmentof Justice.(Pen.Code ç 12021.3(a).)A law enforcementagencythat hastakencustodyof a firearm is prohibitedfrom returningthe firearm "to any individual unlessthe following requirementsare satisf,red,"including: (1) That individual presentsto the agencyor court notification of a determinationby the departmentpursuantto subdivision(e) that the personis eligible to possessfirearms. (2) If the agencyor court has direct accessto the AutomatedFirearmsSystem,the agencyor court has verified that the firearm is not listed as stolenpursuantto Section11108,and that the firearm hasbeenrecordedin the AutomatedFirearms Systemin the name of the individual who seeksits return. (Pen.Code $ 120213(b) ) In this case,Mr. Hoffrnan is not eligible to seekthe return of a firearm that is in the custodyof law enforcement.Although Mr. HoffrnanpresentedaLaw EnforcementGun Release (LEGR) applicationapprovedby DOJ that indicateshe is eligible to possessfirearms,he hasnot presentedany evidencethat he owned a firearm takeninto custodyby a law enforcementagency at the time the firearm was seizedþy the law enforcementagency. Furthermore,the Automated FirearmsSystemdoesnot indicatethat the firearmsMr. Hoffrnan wishesto obtain are,rrecorded |n his ¡l*. , Becauseall of the requiremeptsof,PenalCode section 1202I,.3(b)(2)have not been satisfied,DOJ is legally prohibited from releasingthe firearmsto Mr. Hoffinan. ¡,
Mr. Kilmer August13,2007 Page2 You enclosedseveraldocumentsthat purportto transferownershipof the firearmsin questionto Mr. Hoffman. However,thosedocumentsdo not indicatethat the firearmswere lawfully sold to Mr. Hoffman, and thereforethat he is the lawful owner of the firearms. Californialaw requiresall firearms salesto be conductedthroughfirearmsdealerswho are licensedby the stateand by the federalBureauof Alcohol, Tobacco,Firearmsand Explosives persons.(Pen.Code $ 12070(a).)The andcriminalizesthe saleof a firearmby unlicensed law applies to sales of firearmsbetweenprivateparties. (Pen. licensingrequirementin California Code $$ 12072(d);12052(a).)The documentsthat you providedmerely indicatethat two individuals(who apparentlywere not licensedfirearmsdealels)attemptedto sell two firearmsto Mr. Hoffman. Licensedfirearms dealersare subjectto numerousstateand federallaws and regulations when sellingfîrearms,from filling out and retainingspecialfrrearmssalesforms and initiating backgroundchecks,to enforcingthe state'sten day waiting period for the delivery of firearms. (See,e.g.,Pen.Code $$ 12071,12072.) When sellinga firearmownedby oneprivateindividual to anotherprivate individual, the dealermust take possessionof the firearm and retainit until the requirementsof PenalCode section 12072(c)are met. According to the documentsyou provided,none of theserequirementswere satisfiedin the caseof the attemptedsaleof the firearmsin questionto Mr. Hoffman. For the reasonsset forth above,we are unableto releasethe firearmsto Mr. Hoffman. i haveenclosedhis approvedLEGR application. Pleasefeel free to contactme if you haveany questions. Sincerely,
ALISON Y. MERRILE
DeputyAttorneyGeneral Bureauof Firearms
For
EDMI.INDG. BROWNJR. AttorneyGeneral
Enclosure- Approved LEGR applicationof EugeneHoffinan (original with gold seal)
State of California DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BUREAU OF FIREARMS P.O.BOX 160487 CA 958I6-0487 SACRAMENTO. (9| 6\ 227-3763 Facsimile: Phone:(916)263-4887
9. 2007 Julv (dafe chebkwas completed) EUGENEE HOFFMAN 751SYLVANV/Y EMERALDHILLS,CA94O62
GUN OF RESULTSFOR LAW ENFORGEMENT NOTIFIGATION RËLEASE(LËGR)APPLICATIONFOR RIFLEOR SHOTGUN to youreligibility confirming checkhasbeencompleted eligibility A firearms to you onlyif you possessfirearms.Íhe agencymayreleaseyourf¡rearm(s) lf you þresentthis letterto the ãgencywithin30 daysof the dateon this notice. 'h"ue pleasecontactthe Firearms this information, questions concerning "ny at (916)263-4887. Division
Sincerely,
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NÄanager STEVEBUFORD,Éi:ogram Division Firearms
For EDMI-INDG. BROWN, JR AttorneyGeneral DOJ SACRAMENTO
Po Ûq56 Panô6l 6'D6/ù'
L E G RC O N T R O L # :
8568
State of California DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
AttorneJ) Genernl
DIVISIONOFLAW ENFORCEMENT P . OB . OXr60487 CA 958I6-0487 SACRAMENTO, (916) 263-0699 (9 16) 263-0616 Facsirnile:
August13,2007
DonaldJ. Kilmer Attorney atLaw 1645Willow Street,Suite 150 SanJose,C^95125 Re:
EugeneHoffman - Requestfor Releaseof Firearms
Dear Mr. Kilmer: I am writing in responseto your letterdatedJuly 20,2007, regardingthe requestof EugeneHoffman, Jr., your client, for the CaliforniaDepartmentof Justice(DOi) to releasetwo firearmsin its custodyto Mr. Hoffman. A personwho claims title.to a frrearmthat is in the custody.orcontrol of a law enforcementagencyand who wis-hesto havethe.firearrn returnedto him or her must submit an applicationfor a determinationof his or her qligibility to possessfirearmsto the Departmentof Justice.(Pen.Code ç 12021.3(a).)A law enforcementagencythat hastakencustodyof a firearm is prohibitedfrom returningthe firearm "to any individual unlessthe following requirementsare satisf,red,"including: (1) That individual presentsto the agencyor court notification of a determinationby the departmentpursuantto subdivision(e) that the personis eligible to possessfirearms. (2) If the agencyor court has direct accessto the AutomatedFirearmsSystem,the agencyor court has verified that the firearm is not listed as stolenpursuantto Section11108,and that the firearm hasbeenrecordedin the AutomatedFirearms Systemin the name of the individual who seeksits return. (Pen.Code $ 120213(b) ) In this case,Mr. Hoffrnan is not eligible to seekthe return of a firearm that is in the custodyof law enforcement.Although Mr. HoffrnanpresentedaLaw EnforcementGun Release (LEGR) applicationapprovedby DOJ that indicateshe is eligible to possessfirearms,he hasnot presentedany evidencethat he owned a firearm takeninto custodyby a law enforcementagency at the time the firearm was seizedþy the law enforcementagency. Furthermore,the Automated FirearmsSystemdoesnot indicatethat the firearmsMr. Hoffrnan wishesto obtain are,rrecorded |n his ¡l*. , Becauseall of the requiremeptsof,PenalCode section 1202I,.3(b)(2)have not been satisfied,DOJ is legally prohibited from releasingthe firearmsto Mr. Hoffinan. ¡,
Mr. Kilmer August13,2007 Page2 You enclosedseveraldocumentsthat purportto transferownershipof the firearmsin questionto Mr. Hoffman. However,thosedocumentsdo not indicatethat the firearmswere lawfully sold to Mr. Hoffman, and thereforethat he is the lawful owner of the firearms. Californialaw requiresall firearms salesto be conductedthroughfirearmsdealerswho are licensedby the stateand by the federalBureauof Alcohol, Tobacco,Firearmsand Explosives persons.(Pen.Code $ 12070(a).)The andcriminalizesthe saleof a firearmby unlicensed law applies to sales of firearmsbetweenprivateparties. (Pen. licensingrequirementin California Code $$ 12072(d);12052(a).)The documentsthat you providedmerely indicatethat two individuals(who apparentlywere not licensedfirearmsdealels)attemptedto sell two firearmsto Mr. Hoffman. Licensedfirearms dealersare subjectto numerousstateand federallaws and regulations when sellingfîrearms,from filling out and retainingspecialfrrearmssalesforms and initiating backgroundchecks,to enforcingthe state'sten day waiting period for the delivery of firearms. (See,e.g.,Pen.Code $$ 12071,12072.) When sellinga firearmownedby oneprivateindividual to anotherprivate individual, the dealermust take possessionof the firearm and retainit until the requirementsof PenalCode section 12072(c)are met. According to the documentsyou provided,none of theserequirementswere satisfiedin the caseof the attemptedsaleof the firearmsin questionto Mr. Hoffman. For the reasonsset forth above,we are unableto releasethe firearmsto Mr. Hoffman. i haveenclosedhis approvedLEGR application. Pleasefeel free to contactme if you haveany questions. Sincerely,
ALISON Y. MERRILE
DeputyAttorneyGeneral Bureauof Firearms
For
EDMI.INDG. BROWNJR. AttorneyGeneral
Enclosure- Approved LEGR applicationof EugeneHoffinan (original with gold seal)
State of California DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BUREAU OF FIREARMS P.O.BOX 160487 CA 958I6-0487 SACRAMENTO. (9| 6\ 227-3763 Facsimile: Phone:(916)263-4887
9. 2007 Julv (dafe chebkwas completed) EUGENEE HOFFMAN 751SYLVANV/Y EMERALDHILLS,CA94O62
GUN OF RESULTSFOR LAW ENFORGEMENT NOTIFIGATION RËLEASE(LËGR)APPLICATIONFOR RIFLEOR SHOTGUN to youreligibility confirming checkhasbeencompleted eligibility A firearms to you onlyif you possessfirearms.Íhe agencymayreleaseyourf¡rearm(s) lf you þresentthis letterto the ãgencywithin30 daysof the dateon this notice. 'h"ue pleasecontactthe Firearms this information, questions concerning "ny at (916)263-4887. Division
Sincerely,
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¡/} Ég
ß
il
#ÅÅ#-#*3Åd{ -e"{ÊÅÅe
NÄanager STEVEBUFORD,Éi:ogram Division Firearms
For EDMI-INDG. BROWN, JR AttorneyGeneral DOJ SACRAMENTO
Po Ûq56 Panô6l 6'D6/ù'
L E G RC O N T R O L # :
8568
