Justified Shooting, Still a Felony: Ohio's Carry Age Traps 20-Year-Old

A Cincinnati woman who shot and killed her attacker in self-defense is still facing felony charges, not because anyone disputes she was justified, but because she was a year too young to legally carry the gun that saved her life.

Key points

• The attack: Bearing Arms reports that 20-year-old Deryka Minor was punched in the face 15 or 16 times by nightclub employee Kameiro Blair-Martin on Halloween night, according to her attorney Clyde Bennett, before she drew her handgun and fired once, killing him.
• Justified shooting: A Cincinnati police detective testified in court that Minor was the victim of an assault and acted in self-defense; Bennett says a gun was recovered next to Blair-Martin.
• The charge: Despite the shooting being ruled justified, Minor still faces a felony for unlawfully carrying a concealed firearm, since Ohio requires carriers to be 21, with or without a license.
• The stakes: Bearing Arms notes the charge is a fourth-degree felony carrying up to 18 months in prison, plus loss of her gun rights entirely if convicted.
• Possible fix: Ohio's SB 392 would lower the carry age to 18, but Bearing Arms points out it won't help Minor and faces a narrowing window before Governor-elect Amy Acton takes office.

Quick take

Bearing Arms argues this case exposes a real contradiction in Ohio law: adults old enough to be charged as felons apparently aren't old enough to carry the gun that kept them alive. Whatever happens with SB 392, Minor's prosecution is a reminder that "justified" and "legal" aren't always the same thing.

Read the full story: bearingarms.com