Section 13A-11-84 Penalties; seizure and disposition of pistols involved in violations of certain sections.
Section 13A-11-84
Penalties; seizure and disposition of pistols involved in violations of certain sections.
(a) Every violation of subsection (a) of Section 13A-11-72 or of Sections 13A-11-81 or 13A-11-82 shall be punishable by imprisonment for not more than five years. Every violation of subsection (b) of Section 13A-11-72 or of Sections 13A-11-73, 13A-11-74 and 13A-11-77 through 13A-11-80 shall be punishable by imprisonment for any term less than one year or by a fine of not more than $500.00, or both. The punishment for violating Section 13A-11-78 or 13A-11-79 may include revocation of license.
(b) It shall be the duty of any sheriff, policeman or other peace officer of the State of Alabama, arresting any person charged with violating Sections 13A-11-71 through 13A-11-73, or any one or more of said sections, to seize the pistol or pistols in the possession or under the control of the person or persons charged with violating said section or sections, and to deliver said pistol or pistols to one of the following named persons: if a municipal officer makes the arrest, to the city clerk or custodian of stolen property of the municipality employing the arresting officer; if a county, state or other peace officer makes the arrest, to the sheriff of the county in which the arrest is made. The person receiving the pistol or pistols from the arresting officer shall keep it in a safe place in as good condition as received until disposed of as hereinafter provided. Within five days after the final conviction of any person arrested for violating any of the above-numbered sections, the person receiving possession of the pistol or pistols, seized as aforesaid, shall report the seizure and detention of said pistol or pistols to the district attorney within the county where the pistol or pistols are seized, giving a full description thereof, the number, make and model thereof, the name of the person in whose possession it was found when seized, the person making claim to same or any interest therein, if the name can be ascertained or is known, and the date of the seizure. Upon receipt of the report from the person receiving possession of the pistol or pistols as aforesaid, it shall be the duty of the district attorney within the county wherein the pistol or pistols were seized to forthwith file a complaint in the circuit court of the proper county, praying that such seized pistol or pistols be declared contraband, be forfeited to the state and be destroyed. Any person, firm or corporation or association of persons in whose possession said pistol or pistols may be seized or who claim to own the same or any interest therein shall be made a party defendant to said complaint, and thereupon such matter shall proceed and be determined in the circuit court of the proper county in the same form and manner, as near as may be, as in the forfeiture and destruction of gaming devices, except as herein otherwise provided. When any judgment of condemnation and forfeiture is made in any case filed under the provisions of this section, the judge making such judgment shall direct therein the destruction of the pistol or pistols by the person receiving possession of said pistol or pistols from the arresting officer in the presence of the clerk or register of the court, unless the judge is of the opinion that the nondestruction thereof is necessary or proper in the ends of justice, in which event and upon recommendation of the district attorney, the judge shall award the pistol or pistols to the sheriff of the county or to the chief of police of the municipality to be used exclusively by the sheriff or the chief of police in the enforcement of law, and the sheriff of the county and the chiefs of police of the municipalities shall keep a permanent record of all pistols awarded to them as provided for herein, to be accounted for as other public property, and said order, in the event that no appeal is taken within 15 days from the rendition thereof, shall be carried out and executed before the expiration of 20 days from the date of the judgment. The court, at its discretion, shall direct in said judgment that the costs of the proceedings be paid by the person in whose possession said pistol or pistols were found when seized, or by any party or parties who claim to own said pistol or pistols, or any interest therein, and who contested the condemnation and forfeiture thereof.
(Acts 1936, Ex. Sess., No. 82, p. 51; Code 1940, T. 14, §186; Acts 1947, No. 616, p. 463, §8; Acts 1951, No. 784, p. 1378; Acts 1967, No. 505, p. 1218; Code 1975, §13-6-164.)