Just a reminder for all my donors that I am writing updates as I have them on my blog, A Soldier's Perspective.   I wanted to take a quick moment and provide an update here in the hopes everyone left an email address and will get this update.

Currently, we are in a holding patter.  The city has still not given up the dashcam footage to my attorney who requested it weeks ago.  This reeks of cover-up to me.  We anticipate the charges will be dropped soon - something that should have been done long ago. 

I have retained attorney Brett Pritchard in Killeen to handle the civil case against the officers, police department, and city.  Kurt Glass is still handling my criminal case.  I have also hired a very good private investigator and expert witness on police procedure.  He has over 19 years of service in various roles of law enforcement, but I don't want to release his name yet. 

If there is any money left over from this campaign, it will go into either a trust to help other local Soldiers dealing with being illegally disarmed or sent to a gun rights group like Gun Owners of America or Texas State Rifle Association.

Again, thank you for your support.

I've written and update to my case on my blog here:

http://asp.militarygear.com/2013/04/18/the-hard-right-over-the-easy-wrong/

I will also be providing updates on my blog, A Soldier's Perspective.

Please email me at: cj@soldiersperspective.us

UPDATE3 (12 April 2013: Clips from the video my son took of the incident were released and the Daily Caller has them up on their site.

Video of the incident obtained by The Daily Caller shows officers defending their behavior to Grisham while restraining him.

“In this day and age, [people] are alarmed when they see someone with what you have,” one of the officers tells Grisham in the video. “They don’t care what the law is.”

Grisham, who is stationed at Fort Hood, was arrested in his hometown of Temple, Texas, east of the base, after police stopped him for carrying an unconcealed rifle slung over his shoulder. Texas is a right-to-carry state, and law-abiding gun permit owners can carry rifles and hunting weapons openly, so long as the weapons are not being carried in a threatening way.

But one of the Temple police officers told Grisham that anyone holding a gun is considered dangerous, according to the video.

“When you alarm people, and they call us,” one of the officers in the video begins to say, after Grisham asks why the officiers failed to ask for his concealed-carry permit.

“And did you explain to them what the law is, sir?” Grisham asks.

“They don’t care what the law is,” the officer replies. Grisham then shoots back, “Do you care what the law is?”

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/04/12/police-anti-gun-prosecutor-clash-with-soldiers-in-area-around-fort-hood-video/#ixzz2QGpIL4ZC

UPDATE2 (4 April 2013): One of the local stations did a story on my case that I wanted to share with you.  If the video html doesn't work, click here.

Charge reduced against man hiking with gun in Temple

Wednesday, Apr 3, 2013 4:30 AM

The charge against Christopher Grisham, who was arrested after police found him carrying a rifle while hiking with his son, was changed from resisting arrest — a Class A misdemeanor — to interrupting, disrupting, impeding and interfering with a peace officer while performing a duty, a Class B misdemeanor.

The original charge said a call came in of two men walking along the road, termed “suspicious males,” in the area of Airport Road and Old Howard Road. One appeared to be armed, according to the police report provided by Cpl. Christopher Wilcox, Temple Police spokesman.

UPDATE (1 April 2013): My attorney received the incident reports and official charges from the DA today.  The "resisting arrest" (class A misdemeanor) charge has disappeared and been replaced with "interference with public duties" (class B misdemeanor) charge.  Neither charge is cause for taking my firearms and they still have not been returned.  Now that we have official charges and incident reports, more information will be released this week.  I am completely innocent of this and all charges and time will show that I did nothing wrong besides stand up for my rights as an American.

 I am an active duty Soldier and veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan.  I'm a concealed handgun license holder in several states.  I have never in my life been charged with a crime.  I live in the country and love to shoot.  I strongly believe in the Constitution and the rights guaranteed by it. 

While out hiking with my son through back country roads to help him earn his Eagle Scout rank, I was illegally arrested and disarmed without cause. I was thrown in jail and my lawfully owned weapons were confiscated without receipt or notice.  

This shouldn't happen in the United States of America, much less the State of Texas.  

By helping me fight for my rights, you are helping to fight for the rights of all Americans!

No one should have to fear being illegally disarmed without warrant, especially someone who has never committed a crime in his life.  There is an overt attempt to disarm Americans, and especially veterans, in this country.  

I live on a military salary and my wife had to use our savings to bail me out of jail so I didn't have to spend an entire weekend waiting on the magistrate to enjoy his/hers.  So, I need help fighting for my rights.  I can't afford the $10,000 retainer to hire a good lawyer familiar with these issues.  

My attorney is Mr. Kurt Glass, an attorney at law and fellow US Army veteran.  If you'd like to contact him directly, his email is kurtwglass@gmail.com to verify the specifics of my case.  His website is www.kurtwglasslaw.com.  

This campaign is not endorsed, affiliated, supported, or in any way supported by the DOD, United States Army, or any branch or unit of government.

Other Ways You Can Help

Please share this campaign with like-minded gun owners and patriots and ask them to support me.  This case has state-wide and national implications.  

UPDATE:  The Temple Daily Telegram published the following story about this case.  As more information is made public, I will add it to the page here.  Unfortunately, it costs $1 to read the entire article but does not refute my claims here.  

http://www.tdtnews.com/index/news/show/98500?ti...

Weapons confiscated: Man, charged with resisting arrest, wants his guns back

Christopher J. Grisham, 39, has an issue with Temple Police after they stopped him and his son on a Boy Scout hike, disarmed and arrested him, his attorney says. Officers say he resisted arrest. 

Now the U.S. Army counterintelligence agent wants Temple Police to return the rifle and handgun they confiscated from him. 

Grisham was arrested March 16, five days after he urged the Temple City Council to declare that citizen rights to keep and bear arms will not be infringed upon.