Law enforcement seized Frank Pinter’s guns via a “risk protection order” (Photo: NBC6 South Florida)
A Florida judge signed a “risk protection order” last week that allowed the Broward County Sheriff’s Office to seize 67 guns from a bailiff deemed to be a risk to himself or others.
The order was signed after the bailiff, Franklin Joseph Pinter, allegedly exhibited troubling behavior in the courthouse, and he’s since been relieved from duty.
Court documents obtained by the Sun Sentinel detail several allegations leveled against Pinter by his colleagues. In one May incident, a bailiff said that Pinter told him to “get the f— out of here” and that “all you rats should be exterminated.”
In another incident in January, Pinter was allegedly seen pretending to hold a rifle and shoot the people walking below the court’s atrium. He also told another bailiff that he wanted to burn two other bailiffs with a blowtorch and “exterminate” another of his colleagues.
The court was also concerned by an alleged statement Pinter made that “nobody will take my guns, not over my dead body.” Court documents cite another incident in which Pinter showed off a new Glock in the courthouse parking lot and told a colleague that he had bought an AR-15.
SEE ALSO: Exclusive: ‘Sending People Home To Die,’ The Truth About Red Flag Laws
In granting the initial risk protection order, Judge Sandra Perlman wrote that “there is reasonable cause to believe the respondent poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to himself or others in the near future” by having firearms and ammunition.
Florida’s new Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act allows law enforcement to petition the court for a risk protection order under which law enforcement can seize guns and ammunition. The act also created “temporary ex-partre risk protection orders,” which permit law enforcement to immediately seize a person’s firearms until a full hearing can be held.
Law enforcement appears to be taking full advantage of their new toy.
A South Florida Sun Sentinel review found police in Broward County led the state in obtaining the risk protection orders with 34 in the last six weeks. Broward County’s Chief Judge Jack Tuter said in the April 26 report that half the cases involved mental health crises and the rest were for people accused of making online threats.
In this case, according to court records, Judge Perlman granted the ex-partre order on May 25, a hearing was held on May 30, and Perlman signed the full risk protection order on June 6.
SEE ALSO: Florida May Have Just Accidentally Banned Aftermarket AR-15 Triggers
The law stipulates that the petitioner (the Broward County Sheriff’s Office) must present clear and convincing evidence that the “respondent” (Pinter) poses a “significant danger of causing personal injury to himself or herself or others.” To prove this, the petitioner can submit a variety of evidence, including “recent act or threat of violence by the respondent against himself or herself or others, whether or not such violence or threat of violence involves a firearm.”
The court, apparently, deemed the testimony from Pinter’s fellow bailiffs’ evidence enough to grant the order.
Lawyers representing both parties were contacted without response.
The order expires on June 5, 2019, at which point the Broward County Sheriff’s Office can petition the court to extend the order another 12 months. If they choose not to seek an extension, the sheriff’s office must return Pinter’s firearms.
Pinter can also ask the courts to vacate the order at any point within the next 12 months.
It’s interesting that the Broward County Sheriff’s Office asked for this order. That’s the same agency whose deputies failed enter Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School to confront an active shooter who was killing multiple students there. It was that shooter’s actions and the deputy’s failure to act that led to this law in Florida.
Heck, I just wish I could afford 67 guns!
This county is full of lunatic/liberal cultists. They tried to sway the voters in that county using typical communist trickery. They change, threw away ballots that were against the democrat/communist party. The state has know ordered a hand recount with witnesses to catch these despicable people. Hope they all get arrested for
this federal crime!!
Due process in a court.ok!
It\’s all fun and games until a bunch of LEOs are killed trying to confiscate some guy\’s guns who is serious about the cold, dead hands.Seems to me any old hearsay is enough to have your guns confiscated in FLA now. Coming to a state near you.
I wonder if the law or order or whatever they call it would apply to Robert De Niro for inciting reactions to the President when he said, and received a standing ovation, “fuck trump.” it sounds as if he might be a danger to himself and others.
BTW F*CK DENIRO.
Well, well, I see some real moronic idiots spewing nonsense about what happened to this person who has clearly demonstrated a LESS THAN sane thought process. When you go talking about wanting to KILL people, simulate shooting people with a rifle and commit acts of aggression against co-workers then your “right” to own the very weapons you threaten to use falls into question especially when that person is employed as a part of the court system.
What if the the stories are made up lies…used by officers who know how to manipulate the new law? Look at how “swatting” is used…one phone call and a tactical unit kicks in your enemies door and starts shooting. EASILY abusable law……
“BuT tHe PoLiCE Won’T tAkE MuH GuNs!”
Apparently they will, and with much enthusiasm, as long as they have real evidence, such as anybody saying anything without actual proof. Fuck Broward County and any boot lickers that think the police will do anything other than what they are ordered to do. I apologize for my language.
Don’t know all the facts but one thing missing is testimony from a medical board that would do extensive interviews with a patient before making recommendations to a court. The administrative penalties have been left out also is he suspended fired in jail. The order runs out in a year if he is mentally unstable this judge has just delayed what possibly could be a tragedy.
On this one they may be right , but if he really wants to kill no one will stop it. Clubs have and do kill thousands yearly . Are they band no .Knives kill thousands and so on. Cars and trucks if he wants a person he’ll find away. All they’ve done now is piss him off. EVIL LIVES IN THE HEART OF MAN
So much for freedom of speech.
Wonder if he has been fired/suspended/investigated for workplace violations??? Wonder if the terms and conditions of his employment require that he submit to a mandatory mental health screening/review if he is suspected of unstable behavior/judgement?
Do they plan to indict/prosecute him for making terrorist threats against people?
The irony here is of course that the judge granted this order against an employee of the court to protect themselves and their fellow court workers. Most people who have entered court buildings will be greeted by security/law enforcement officers at the entrance, go through metal detectors, physical searches, etc. Plus many of the judges and law enforcement personnel in the building are armed themselves.
Therefore, any mass shooting would be short lived, unless he did it in the parking lot in front of the building or off site at a lunch place, etc. Wonder if they took his car and suspended his ability to drive or maybe its just guns that kill people.
All of these “pre-crime” laws are subject to massive abuse and perhaps in this case they did the right thing to the right guy, perhaps not. This kind of logic is like celebrating the genocide of a particular group and proclaiming that the “good part” was that there were likely serial killers, rapists and murders among the innocent people killed and therefore the genocide was a benefit to society.
Abuses are coming to be sure and people will die. I can see a “Fair” minded judge taking away guns from both the husband and wife in a divorce case and the wife ending up dead from being stabbed with a kitchen knife, because she was disarmed too. etc, etc.
We have Rights and these laws are an afford to due-process and our established jurisprudence.
Concur with WillB. We do not need more mass shootings. Giving people a pass because of their mental illnesses (diagnosed and un-diagnosed) has not proven to be in the public’s best interest.
Imagine what would happen to members of any population if the parameters of survival were to be pushed far enough. This is what is happening in the U.S.
The sworn members of Congress, the Judiciary, and the Executive office had long ago abandoned their constituent population in order to provide a better nest-egg for themselves because ………. they just never believed that the SYSTEM was going to work in the first place. So, they run the gauntlet of getting elected and developing an income stream that far exceeds the offerings of their office and their motto is “Every man for himself.”
Thus, through the large span of the disgruntled collective conscience, all these weak-minded souls are casting out the rule books and expressing their disdain for avaricious politicians by lashing out …… laterally …….. within the population.
Had the elected politicians, and I’m talking more here about Congress, actually been walking the good talk, they’d have been setting examples of responsible behavior for the man on the street to follow long ago.
Sounds like they acted in the best interests of the people who they swore to protect & serve.
Trump proposed taking guns first then worry about due process.
That was actually Jeff Sessions.
The cowards of broward went into a home to seize 67 guns. They must have waited until they were sure no one was home.
Is this the same group that wouldn’t enter the school?
The NEW Second Amendment of the amended US Bill of Rights… (sorry, we no longer follow “proper procedure” for amending these pain in the rear listed rights)
A well regulated militia being necessary for the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed EXCEPT:
You are buying the firearms for yourself.
EXCEPT: you say something that we deem to be verbally inappropriate.
EXCEPT: you want to open a gun store within 500 feet of a residential area.
EXCEPT: you are carrying within 1000 feet of a school.
EXCEPT: you are under indictment or information for a felony for which the judge could imprison you for more then one year.
EXCEPT: you have been convicted of a felony or any other crime for which the judge could have imprisoned you for more then one year, even if you received a shorter sentence including probation.
EXCEPT: you are a fugitive from “justice”
EXCEPT: you are an “unlawful” user of or addicted to marijuana or any depressant,stimulant, narcotic drug or any other controlled substance.
EXCEPT: you have ever been “adjudicated” mentally defective or you have ever been committed to a mental institution.
EXCEPT: you were dishonorably discharged from the armed forces.
EXCEPT: you are subject to a restraining order restraining you from harassing, stalking or threatening your child or an intimate partner or child of such partner.
EXCEPT: you have been convicted in a court of a MISDEMEANOR crime of domestic violence.
EXCEPT: you have ever renounced your “United States” citizenship
EXCEPT: you are an illegal alien
EXCEPT: the firearm fires more then one round with the pull of the trigger
EXCEPT: the firearm doesn’t have a vertical grip attached if it is a pistol
EXCEPT: the barrel on a shotgun is not shorter then 18″
EXCEPT: for sound suppressors
EXCEPT: for “armor piercing” ammunition.
EXCEPT: the rifle has a barrel no shorter then 16″. (It used to be 18″, but we accidentally sold some 16″ carbines to the public so we had to fix this and so we shortened the length to 16″ to cover our screw up.)
EXCEPT: if it is a pistol there is no shoulder stock attached.
EXCEPT: you carry it concealed, with a permit, which of course we issue and charge you for.
EXCEPT: it has a magazine that can contain more then 10 rounds
EXCEPT: the magazine is removable
EXCEPT: it is black and looks scary
EXCEPT: it makes it shoot faster then “normal”
EXCEPT EXCEPT EXCEPT…stay tuned for updated version. We the psychopaths who own you have now concluded that this new 2nd amendment is in force and effect and that you have no rights guaranteed by ANYTHING UNLESS you are in the “big club” which of course you are NOT. So screw your rights. We are in control of your television set, your phone, your computer, your air, your water and especially your pretend rights. Oh, and by the way, just in case you are wondering…we have ENFORCERS for this who are willing to shoot your children in the back, your wife in the head, burn down your church with 17 children inside just in case you think we are kidding.
One other thing…none of these exceptions apply to us. We are allowed to have whatever we want to kill you and maim you any time we want for whatever excuse we want. Just take a look at some of the wonderful things WE get to have by looking up Dillon Aero on YouTube.
I understand the concern over the fact that he “bought an AR-15”. He _should_have purchased an AUG. 8>)
Very well said Mahatma and Tar Heel! It’s comforting to know there are many constitutionalist like ourselves that will stand shoulder to shoulder when push comes to shove. I am concerned the liberals won’t stop until the issue can no longer be resolved by civilized means.
These red flag laws and arguments fail to consider “ALL” the facts of this case and others. Two points: 1.) Taking into consideration the fact that, although the defendant may have spoken of such actions, or even demonstrated a similitude of said words or feelings, that the defendant has only demonstrated that he has utilized his 1stA. abilities and has demonstrated that he has the moral foundation that dictates his choice of actions regardless how he may feel or think about something or somebody; 2.) That the defendant is a law abiding citizen who is actually employed by the state/county/or whatever and has not a proven record of criminal behavior. Therefore, if anything, these red flag laws only show an unlawful bias against somebody because another individual(s) has made a subjective judgement call against that somebody. And by striping away the right of due process, these laws compound an evil intent.
He said they never take my guns, “nobody will take my guns, not over my dead body.” Trump said hold my soda. Guns are gone. Franklin Joseph Pinter is still living.
It is quite obvious that this disturbed bailiff is actually a WITCH and should be burned.
Does he weigh the same as a duck?
So if one makes gestures and speaks words that others say has threatened them or others but has not COMITTED ANY CRIME AGAINST ANY PERSON OR PROPERTY they will have their constitutional freedoms revoked by a judge. And remember the owning arms is not a right granted by government. It is a natural right. THE 2nd Amendment tells government not to infringe on the right to bear arms. But to Broward County the Bill of Rights is cherry picked.
Broward County Florida is a bastion of Communists, Home of Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the Sheriff of a department who covered up juvenile crimes to cooperate with Obamas program to keep kids out of jail. Yup.
Be cautious and don’t get into a heated argument with a wife or child. All they need do is make one call and a police raid will ocurr in hours. We are not free citizens any more. We live in a police state where the judiciary is in bed with Stalins finest.
If a Democrat becomes Floridas next Governor you can bet there will be New York style gun control measures and police state raids en mass for those who defy the STATES KGB.
In a heated argument, one does say things like “I wish you were dead”, etc. But this guy wasn’t in any heated argument, he was causally talking about murdering innocents and coworkers, and he was specific on how he was going to do it too. And it wasn’t just one co-worker either. But just taking his guns is not going to resolve anything, and will just infuriate him even more. They should have stuck him in for a mandatory mental health evaluation if they truly wanted to service the community. Now, as he stews about having his home invaded and his property taken, I can only imagine this will push him over the edge.
Yes, that was a little more reasonably objective Super G If you were really going to try to solve a potential problem of imminent violent behavior. But these are not reasonable people behind these laws. They have no intent on really solving psychological violence issues in society. They only care about taking all your potential force multiplier resistance means in the face of their future tyrannist agenda to enslave the masses. This is the insidious precursor to the universal mass psychological mass testing they want to do to qualify gun ownership.
This not only violates your inviolate 2nd/A but violates your 1st/A also. This is abject tyrannist injustice against all due process.
Projections are that The current Congress will flip back to leftist control.
If that happens…well, it’s over for Trump’s second term, and free gun ownership in America.
In view of that, why aren’t the persons enacting these Fiat Laws being Charged with 18 USCC S 241-242?
Why isn’t the NRA calling for enforcement of the 2nd Amendment? And prosecuting the criminal violators of our rights?
The NRA IS calling for enforcement of the Constitution, but the NRA is just a club, an association like the VFW or AARP. They have no power or ability to DO anything. They can not prosecute anyone! They do tell the electorate which politicians are more or less friendly to the 2nd Amendment, but can do very little else. BTW, the anti-gun crowd can easily , and does easily outspend the NRA and all other pro-gun groups , by many orders of magnitude in their quest to destroy resistance. THAT’S what this is really all about. YOU SHALL NOT RESIST!
It shouldn’t matter one iota! A US Citizen was stripped of his basic Constitutional Rights w/o due process…what FL did was increase the grade of an already slippery slope.
Benjamin Franklin said it best…”Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
There was due process in the form of a hearing in front of a judge…..yes this raises concerns but so does a law enforcement officer threatening to kill others in front of other LE officers. Yes, gun ownership is a right but it is also a responsibility
Better read the 5th and 6th amendments again.
So what I hear is if you suspect someone of road rage the govt should seek to take the person’s car or if it’s deemed hate speech the govt should seek to take their pen or keyboard. Good to know the new standards.