The Village Idiot Position in Minnetonka is Filled [Updated]

[Update, 12/29/09: the village idiot himself weighs in; see the comments.]

Here we go again . . .

Near as I can figure out, Josh Hendrickson of Minnetonka MN, didn’t have anything useful to do last Saturday, so he headed on down to the Obama Worship Seminar at the Target Center, where thousands and thousands of Minnesotans were assembling to hear Barack Obama explain that the folks who had done such a wonderful job with delivering our mail are now ready and eager to take over our health care, or something like that.

I can actually understand why somebody who has a Minnesota carry permit (often mistakenly called a “conceal and carry permit”) might reasonably choose to carry a handgun under his outer clothing when heading into downtown Minneapolis — or, actually, anywhere else. Bad stuff can happen anywhere, and the area outside the Target Center is not a mugger-free environment, nor is the walk from there to wherever one parks. As Hendrickson later, in a moment of lucidness, said to a Star Tribune reporter, when he leaves his house, “I grab my wallet, my keys, and my gun.” Nothing wrong with that.

And I can certainly understand why somebody would want to be part of a counterprotest against Obamacare. “We are Americans. We have the right to disagree and debate with any administration,” as Hillary Clinton said, back before she joined this administration. She was right then; she’s right now.

So far, so good.

And it was also, all in all, pretty good that somebody in the Secret Service and/or MPD apparently spotted a telltale bulge at Hendrickson’s waist. Concealment isn’t difficult, mind you, but a lot of folks who have taken inadequate carry classes haven’t been given good directions as to how to do that, and some who have taken good carry classes weren’t paying attention.

So, it was perfectly reasonable that a couple of MPD cops came over and checked out his carry permit— something they’ve every right to do, under the law — and then a Secret Service agent stopped by for a quick, professional chat. It’s not like there was any chance that Hendrickson was going to get near the President, after all — hell, he couldn’t have gotten inside the building without going through a metal detector — and while there’s no reason at all to think he planned on shooting President Obama, it didn’t hurt to check him out.

But then, his little incident having been concluded with no muss, no fuss, and no arrest, Hendrickson proceeded to chase down the nearest reporter, and make sure that he got the attention that he so desperately craved. Apparently dressing so that the authorities would “accidentally” see the bulge in his clothing hadn’t gotten him enough attention, the poor dear.

He did get his attention, and he isn’t liking it. The idiot’s been posting up a storm, ever since.

As it turns out, Josh Hendrickson’s is pretty lengthy, and pretty bad:

• CASE NO. 27-CR-08-57490 June 8th, 2009 Convicted-5th Deg. Assault-Intent to Cause Bodily Harm

• CASE NO. 02-CR-07-7671 Oct. 6 2008 Convicted Disorderly Conduct-Brawling or Fighting

• CASE NO. 10-VB-07-8199 Apr. 16, 2008 Convicted Disorderly Conduct

• CASE NO. 27-CR-06-084595 Feb 14, 2007 Convicted 3rd Deg. DWI

• CASE NO. 27-CR-04-014473 Sept 29, 2004 Convicted Disorderly Conduct

• CASE NO. 27-CR-03-025265 Apr 21, 2003 Convicted Interfere with Emergency Call

• CASE NO. 27-CR-99-011521 Feb. 18, 1999 Convicted Alcohol con. .10 or more

• CASE NO. 27-CR-98-086285 Sept. 14, 1998 Convicted Reckless Driving

• CASE NO. 27-CR-96-109111 Jan. 9, 1997 Convicted Disorderly Conduct

Yucko. Four convictions for disorderly conduct? How the hell does anybody manage that? Discon is, often, one of those bogus charges that cops throw at somebody who they really don’t have anything on, and which quickly gets dismissed as soon as a real lawyer enters the case. Four of them? Interfering with an emergency call? Two DWIs? And let’s not get into the pepper-spraying incident that cost him his most recent conviction for 5th Degree Assault.

Why somebody with that kind of record would try to draw both police and public attention to himself is pretty easy to explain.

See, there’s apparently been an open position in Minnetonka for a village idiot, and, having gotten fired from his job as a security guard for pepper-spraying a customer, Hendrickson was just looking for work.

Earth to Josh Hendrickson: the position of village idiot doesn’t pay well, or at all.

Sheesh. I was going to be blogging about another idiot, but . . . some other time.

Addendum: a fair number of folks have asked why this nimrod had a carry permit in the first place. It’s a good question. The Minnesota Citizens Personal Protection Act is, by design and intention, a liberal law — the notion is that somebody should not have a fundamental right restricted, except under unusual circumstances. Hendrickson would have lost his right to possess firearms — and his carry permit — if he’d been convicted of any felony, or a domestic violence misdemeanor. Among his cornucopia of convictions — including an amazing four disorderly conducts, a couple of DWIs, interfering with a 911 call (!), and his latest feat: the assault where he spend thirty days in the more structured environment suitable for his special needs — there aren’t any of those.

But there is some hope, and it’s in the law:

(c) The sheriff of the county where the application was submitted, or of the county of the permit holder’s current residence, may file a petition with the district court therein, for an order revoking a permit to carry on the grounds set forth in subdivision 6, paragraph (a), clause (3). An order shall be issued only if the sheriff meets the burden of proof and criteria set forth in subdivision 12. If the court denies the petition, the court must award the permit holder reasonable costs and expenses, including attorney fees.

Yup. Hendrickson’s sheriff can, if he chooses, file a petition to have Hendrickson’s permit yanked, on the grounds that “there exists a substantial likelihood that the applicant is a danger to self or the public if authorized to carry a pistol under a permit.” Hendrickson’s due process rights would be intact — and, if he managed to beat the petition, he’d be awarded his lawyer’s fees.

I don’t think that’s likely, though. Sounds like a slam dunk to me, and I wouldn’t find it at all surprising if Hendrickson loses his permit, sooner than later.

I guess we’ll see.