Says she will introduce legislation bringing New Jersey’s treatment of antique guns in line with federal standards
Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande
Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (R-Monmouth) said yesterday that the charges gun charges against a 72 retired teacher for transporting a 300 year old antique flintlock pistol are “ludicrous” and that the Cumberland County Prosecutor should dismiss the case.
Gordon Van Gilder, who taught in Millville for 34 years, faces 10 years in prison and the loss of his pension after a traffic stop last November during which he disclosed to the Cumberland Sheriff’s Officer who stopped him that he had the antique gun, unloaded , in his car. Van Gilder’s attorney, Evan Nappen, said that his client was carrying a collectible and is being charged as if he was carrying a loaded .44 magnum.
A 72-year-old retired teacher faces a 10-year state prison sentence after authorities reportedly found a 300-year-old flintlock pistol in his car during a traffic stop, according to NRA News. Gordon Van Gilder — a teacher for 34 years in Millville — told NRA News that he was stopped by a Cumberland County sheriff’s officer in November… Read the rest of this entry »
Single mother is facing eviction, electric has been shut off
Shaneen Allen, the 27 year old Philadelphia single mother facing a New Jersey State Prison term for bringing a Pennsylvania licensed handgun into New Jersey has been offered entry into the Pre-Trial Intervention Program, according to a report on NBC10. (H/T Save Jersey)
Atlantic County Prosecutor James McCain issued a statement which said that, upon review, his rejection of Allen’s application to the PTI program was contrary to a 2008 “Graves Act” directive, according to NBC10. Read the rest of this entry »
Governor Chris Christie’s office responded to a constituent who had written in support of Shaneen Allen with a phone call stating that the separation of powers prevents the Governor from intervening in the Atlantic County prosecution.
Allen is a 27 year old single mother who is facing a possible 10 years in State Prison for bringing her Pennsylvania licensed handgun into New Jersey. She is being prosecuted by Atlantic County Prosecutor James McClain, a Christie appointee. McClain refused to allow Allen to enter the same Pre-Trial Intervention Program for first offenders that former Baltimore Ravens star Ray Rice was admitted to after he knocked out his then fiancee in an Atlantic City casino elevator last February.
Last week, McClain requested a three week adjournment in the case. This was seen as a sign by Allen’s supporters that McClain is reconsidering his decision to prosecute due to the public outcry since the video of Rice beating his fiancee became public.
In the call from Christie’s office this afternoon to James Hogan of Howell Township, a young sounding man left a message stating that he was calling from the Governor’s office. Hogan forwarded the message to MMM:
NRA News is reporting that Atlantic County Prosecutor James McClain has requested a three week adjournment in the case of Shaneen Allen, a single mother who faces a possible 10 years in prison on gun charges for bringing her Pennsylvania licensed handgun into New Jersey.
NRA News reporter Ginny Simone said that McClain’s letter to the Court requested three weeks to review the case for an appropriate resolution. Allen’s attorney Evan Nappen said that letter is a hopeful sign that McClain is reconsidering his prosecution of Allen.
Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was released by the NFL team today and suspended indefinitely by the league as a result of the public outrage at the video of Rice knocking out his then fiancee that was released by TMZ this morning.
Clearly, the NFL’s move is a public relations and business decision. NFL officials had seen the video prior to suspending Rice for only 2 games and docking his pay for a third.
One has to wonder if Atlantic County Prosecutor James McClain would have accepted Rice into the Pre-Trial Intervention Program had the video become public before the former Rutgers star was given leniency. Rice had been indicted on third degree aggravated assault charges after clocking his wife. The prosecutor said there was enough evidence for a conviction even without Mrs. Rice’s cooperation. Presumably he meant the video. Rice faced five years in prison, but McClain accepted him into the Pre-Trial Invention Program for first offenders. If Rice stays out of trouble until May of next year, he is off the hook, legally, for the assault.
Shaneen Allen and her sons Niare and Sincere. Photo via facebook
The mainstream media will be making a big deal today about the leniency Baltimore Raven Ray Rice received from the NFL after knocking out his then finance in Atlantic City in February. TMZ obtained an released a video of the incident this morning. Sources are quoted as saying that NFL officials saw the video before suspending Rice for the first two games of this season and docking his pay for a third game.
But the NFL would not be subject to the public outrage they are experiencing had the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office not been lenient with Rice first. Rice was first charged with simple assault. The charges were upgraded to aggravated assault by an Atlantic County Grand Jury. Rice faced a possible five years in State Prison. But the Prosecutor accepted Rice’s application into the Pre-trial Intervention Program for First Offenders and his Not Guilty plea which leaves him off the hook if he stays out of trouble for a year.
Gov. Christie was absolutely correct in vetoing the Legislature’s magazine-limit bill, despite Sandy Hook-parent Hugo Rojas’ protestations to the contrary. The bill was not only trivial, but it was cynical to boot since it did nothing but regurgitate the long-standing agenda of gun control advocates in New Jersey without addressing what really was at the heart of the Newtown, CT tragedy: defenseless children and teachers left at the mercy of a deranged individual who should have been locked up.
If you want to solve problems, the first key is correctly identifying them, not trotting out tired, politically correct memes that pander to sentimentality. It’s obvious that a big problem at Sandy Hook – a problem lawmakers in New Jersey ignore and perpetuate today – is defenseless schools.
Another problem is the hands-off attitude taken by local and state officials and law enforcement against mentally ill people who, like Adam Lanza, have a long, documented and scary track record of violent behavior yet are allowed to walk the streets.
Ignoring the real problems in favor of political pandering is what the Legislature did with the magazine-limit bill. Gov. Christie was right to veto it, and Mr. Rojas’ is mistaken in his criticism.
In this remarkable video, Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris) questions Assemblywoman Linda Stender on her bill, A3687, which would prohibit citizens on the federal terrorist watch list from receiving permits to purchase firearms in New Jersey
The bill passed the General Assembly 63-3, with 3 legislators not voting and 10 abstaining.
Click here to view the Assembly Roll Call on the bill.
