It’s not unheard of for convicted felons to have their gun rights restored. Last month, a federal judge in the Southern District of Illinois ruled in favor of Larry Hatfield, who petitioned the court to allow him to keep a gun at home as a form of self-defense. In 1992, Hartfield pleaded guilty to a felony charge stemming from false statements he had made on forms sent to the Railroad Retirement Board, according to court records.