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OFCC Sues City of Cleveland Heights, Ohio The sign you see here is posted in Cleveland Heights Parks implying possession of a firearm is a crime. On Friday August 12th, 2011 Ohioans For Concealed Carry Filed a lawsuit against the City the City of Cleveland Heights. The litigation comes after many attempts to resolve concerns over laws that Cleveland Heights not only allowed to remain on their books, but also posted signs at their parks that continue to imply it is illegal to be armed. The City of Cleveland Heights has chosen to ignore our attempts at civil discourse. When individuals have contacted them representing themselves as residents of the City of Cleveland Heights their concerns apparently fell on deaf ears. When representatives of the organization have formally contacted the city's legal representation they've been laughed at and hung up on by the Law Director. It is this arrogance and refusal to work with Ohioans For Concealed Carry that has forced us to seek a remedy through the courts.
Our press release follows. Read the Full Story
Canton PD Event Leads to New OFCC Legislation When officer Harless of the Canton, Ohio police department came upon a vehicle stopped in the roadway most of us were focused on getting restaurant carry legislation signed into law. What took place that evening has become an international viral video, calls for the resignation of the City Council president, and criminal charges against a man who is clearly heard trying to state that he has a license. Ohioans For Concealed Carry has not just raised thousands of dollars in a legal defense fund, but we've written legislation to resolve this matter that Representative Danny Bubp has stated he's going to introduce this fall Read the Full Story

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Open Carry A Hot Topic As Cleveland Charges Fought

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Published on Monday, 29 September 2008 06:03
Written by Jeff Garvas

Imagine the irony for readers of the Plain Dealer today who cheered when Cleveland resident Lawrence Hanson III was cleared of charges the day after he shot and killed an intruder in his home.  Today, in a follow up story to our win in the Ohio Supreme Court, the Cleveland Plain Dealer has done a story not only on the right to carry openly, but the legal struggle of Greg Llewellyn.  Llewellyn is now facing criminal charges for merely posessing a firearm in the open while doing nothing illegal.

He spent a weekend in jail for simply posessing a firearm in Cleveland, Ohio.  An act that was made completely lawful by HB347 and Ohio Revised Code 9.68.

Ohioans For Concealed Carry became aware of Llewellyn's legal dealings shortly after he was arrested and immediately began investigating the claims, including a lengthy public records request that was submitted on August 25th.  The City of Cleveland has failed to respond to that request with anything more than "we are still working on gathering the information".  To this day Mr. Llewellyn doesn't even have a receipt for his improperly (if not illegally) confiscated rare firearm.

Llewellyn, relatively new to the area, does not have a license to carry concealed.  He learned that changes in the law made it legal to carry openly, and he chose to do so.  For four straight weeks he was never hassled, until someone spotted his gun, confronted him, and called for officers on duty.  

Whomever confronted Llewellyn reportedly stated "You can't do that, I've arrested people for doing  that," and left the scene.  We are not sure if this person was an off-duty police officer or not.  Moments later police arrived and ordered everyone to the ground. Despite someone visibly seeing his firearm and calling the police he was charged with concealed carry.  Why concealed?  Probably because there is no other law to charge him with.   Interestingly, despite claims by Mayor Frank Jackson that their laws are still enforceable, he was not charged with a city ordinance preempted by ORC 9.68.

Ohioans For Concealed Carry is working with Mr. Llewellyn to help with his legal defense.  You can follow his struggle in our discussion forums here.

In discussing our win in the Ohio Supreme Court last week with a Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter we raised this case as evidence that Cleveland continues to ignore changes in state law.  The Plain Dealer showed interest and pursued the story.

Interestingly enough Ms. Toby Hoover was quoted saying "What are we teaching the next generation? Are we saying we live in a society where everyone should openly carry a gun?"  Readers of this website who have followed the fight for concealed carry will see the humor in this contradicting statement.

Since we began fighting for concealed carry Hoover has been quoted time and time again in the news media, before the legislature, and in debates telling us if we wanted to carry firearms so badly, why don't we do it in the open?

She then encourages her followers to call 911 and leave the area anytime they see someone carrying a firearm.