Man convicted of kidnapping who later "illegally handled" gun, shooting self in head, is denied gun permit

Kent McNeil appealed the Antrim County Circuit Court's ruling, upholding the County Gun Board's rejection of his application for a firearms permit. Because he had remained employed and secured college degrees since he was convicted of a felony, he believed he was entitled to own a gun. The Board and Circuit Court concluded that although his felong conviction was old (1985), it involved a kidnapping, beating and extortion, and was followed by a violent prison altercation and an incident in 2006 when McNeil "illegally handled" a gun and shot himself in the face. Under the circumstances, the Court of Appeals concluded that the Circuit Court's decision appropriately considered the statutory factors and was not a blanket decision denying guns to all convicted felons.