The Columbian: Jeffrey C. Barton wants an apology from Vice President Joe Biden.
The Vancouver man faces a misdemeanor charge of illegally discharging a firearm from an incident July 15 in which he says he fired a shotgun in the air to chase away three men who were allegedly breaking into his vehicles.
After pleading not guilty July 17 to the misdemeanor charge, 52-year-old Barton said that he was following advice from the vice president of the United States.
“I did what Joe Biden told me to do. I went outside and fired my shotgun in the air,” he said.
Barton’s comment on Biden refers to a question about home defense that Biden was asked in February. Biden responded that Americans don’t need semi-automatic weapons because a couple blasts from a shotgun will scare off intruders.
Clark County Sheriff’s deputies said that’s only allowed in self-defense.
Barton’s comment, dubbed the “Joe Biden defense,” became international news and was the subject of a two-minute segment on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”
He appeared in court this morning. While maintaining that he did nothing wrong, Barton said outside the courtroom that Biden owes him an apology. Underneath a black jacket, Barton wore a black T-shirt with the words “Joe Biden Owes Me,” written in white letters on the back.
“He should really know the law before he starts giving America advice on national television,” Barton said Tuesday morning.
At his hearing, attorneys scheduled a trial for the case for March 26.
Although the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has offered Barton a plea deal, Barton said that he will not admit wrongdoing.
“I wouldn’t be pushing this hard if I thought I had any guilt,” he said. “I was protecting my family. I was within my Second Amendment right.”
DCG
