01/18/2026
It has been 15 years ago today that my dad passed away at 82.
Every year on the anniversary of his death "January 18 2011" and the anniversary of his battle with Bureau of Alcohol, To***co and Fi****ms "March 26 2002" I post his story.
It has been 24 years since the the BATF came to my dads home and unlawfully seized and confiscated his gun collection. It has been a long time, but things haven't changed much as far as the gun grabbing pursuits and goals of the government. So his story is still relevant today.
Let me start by saying. That I live in a country that I do not understand anymore.
Our government is unscrupulous. They will lie and or do anything to meet their agenda no matter what the cost or consequences with no regard for our rights or the laws that are suppose to protect us and they are sworn to uphold. Like the Second amendment.
The Democrats and liberal media were and still are using senseless killings to promote their gun grabbing agenda. That in some way taking away your inalienable rights that is guaranteed by the constitution will in some way save lives!
THIS IS HIS STORY.
My dad was an avid hunter and gun collector.
On March 26, 2002, 8 armed agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, To***co and Fi****ms came to my dad's home. He was 73 years old. At this time he was battling cancer, emphysema and heart trouble. The BATF confiscated his long acquired collection of legally obtained fi****ms. Various rifles, shotguns and pistols.
The BATF never arrested him or charge him with any crime. They used a search and seizure warrant to confiscate his guns. All the way up until his trail was over he could not own, possess or be around fi****ms. Even though he was not charged or arrested. I thought in this country you were innocent until proven guilty! After 6 months and numerous calls by dad’s attorney and others. We were informed by the BATF that they had finally figured out something they would charge him with. Buying, selling and trading fi****ms without a fi****ms licence. This was after they tried as hard as they could to find any irregularity with the guns, i.e. stolen or used in a crime etc. On September 12, Dad was finally charged in United Sates Federal Court with what they called willfully engaging in the business of dealing in fi****ms without a license. Dad was a collector not a dealer!
Definition;
Firearm Dealer
Someone who makes his or her living and livelihood from the purchase and or selling of fi****ms.
Definition;
Fi****ms Collector
Someone who can buy and or sell as many fi****ms as he likes to add to or enhances his or her collection.
About that same time the ATF were also trying to trump up charges on dad’s 84 year old friend and gun trading buddy, or dad’s accomplice as the BATF called him. In dads case the they were going for the maximum for such a dangerous threat to society "A 73 year old Korean Veteran with Heart trouble, Cancer and Emphysema."
Was five years imprisonment and $250,000 plus $100.00 Special Assessment. That’s over a quarter of a million dollars.
During the period before his trail I contacted numerous politicians,
I.e. Congressmen, senators, the attorney general and governor to no avail.
I also contacted numerous people and organizations like Tom Gresham, The NRA, Gun Owners of America, The Second Amendment Foundation and received no help from them. Finally after almost a year of harassment and intimidation from the BATF we went to court. The trail lasted for three days. During the trial the BATF and the federal prosecutor lied, harassed and tried to intimidate dad, his witnesses and the jury. But we were very fortunate to have a very good attorney. An excellent and knowable judge and great free thinking jury. It took the jury less than 30 minutes to deliberate and on February 12, 2003 dad was found not guilty by a jury of his peers. The Judge ordered the BATF to take dads guns back to his home immediately. After weeks went by, the they had not yet brought dad guns back. Only after our attorney contacted the judge and the judge threatened to charge the BATF with contempt of court did they bring dads guns back. His guns were piled in the back of a truck causing thousands of dollars worth of damage for which he was suppose to be compensated for but never was and the bastards laughed about it. When dealing with the federal government. You are not innocent until proven guilty. You are guilty until you pay out enough money, bleed enough and fight enough to prove you are innocent. To this day I am thoroughly convinced that if dad hadn’t had the fortitude to fight the ATF and not been able to afford a good attorney along with the good fortune of getting a good and fair judge and jury dad would more than likely died in prison and not at home.
Ben Griffin
