SALT LAKE CITY -- A prominent Utah gun lobbyist was in court Monday, contesting a court order that forced him to hand over his guns last month.
Clark Aposhian was slapped with a temporary protective order and civil stalking injunction last month, filed by his ex-wife and her new husband, Ronald Meyer. The legal action stems from a domestic violence dispute at the couple’s home on Memorial Day, which landed Aposhian in handcuffs.
Monday, Meyer testified that Aposhian had driven his 2.5 ton army truck on to his lawn, nearly hitting a car. The incident prompted him to call Aposhian, and it was during that conversation that Aposhian threatened to kill him.
“I got a better idea. Why don't you just head out in front right now, and I'll be down to crush your car, and I'll end you,” said Meyer, quoting Aposhian in court.
Aposhian’s ex-wife, Natalie Meyer, testified she witnessed a portion of the exchange.
She said: “He says, ‘I'm going to come, and I`ll bury you, I'll end you.’ And I said, ‘Are you kidding me? He just threatened to kill you?’”
The threat is just one of many the Meyers contend they've heard from Aposhian over the years, which is why they`re asking for the stalking injunction to be put in place permanently. But outside of court, Aposhian's attorney fired back, calling the Meyers’ version of events a lie.
'What they're claiming happened didn't happen, so we think we`re going to win it,” Mitch Vilos said.
According to Vilos, the Meyers are simply using this as a means to gain leverage in a custody dispute, as well as to hurt Aposhian’s livelihood by prohibiting his access to guns.
“He’s no threat. He’s absolutely no threat,” Vilos said.
The hearing was continued until Tuesday. According to Meyer’s attorney, Mitchell Olsen, even if the judge rules in their favor, they will still have to make an argument to show why Aposhian should not regain access to his firearms.
“I think they’ve been serious from day one. They truly do feel threated by him and especially when he has guns,” Olsen said.
A hearing over the temporary protective order filed by Natalie Meyer was scheduled for Tuesday morning, but Vilos said he planned to ask for a continuation.
