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Chris Wysocki
Caldwell, NJ
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The Philadelphia single mother who ran afoul of New Jersey's draconian gun laws won't be going to prison after all. Atlantic County prosecutor and anti-gun zealot James McClain has finally relented and admitted Shaneen Allen into pretrial intervention.
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.
According to the clarification a defendant may "avoid conviction for a Graves Act crime by being admitted to the PTI program." The clarification also states that under New Jersey law prosecutors are "not permitted to reject categorically a defendant's application for PTI on the grounds that he or she is charged with a crime that is subject to the presumption of imprisonment or a mandatory minimum sentence."
Upon reviewing the clarification, McClain allowed Allen to enter the PTI program.
"I determined that the defendant in this case should be offered the opportunity to be admitted into the Atlantic County PTI Program and I have communicated that determination to the Court and to defense counsel," McClain wrote in a released statement. "In the next few weeks I will review similar cases that are pending within our jurisdiction and make appropriate decisions following the application of the factors sent out in the clarification."
McClain undoubtedly also "determined" he didn't have a leg to stand on once it came out that he'd admitted Ray Rice into the same PTI program he denied to Shaneen Allen. Because to the anti-gun nuts, beating your wife is less of a problem than legally owning a gun in a neighboring state.
Why do I say that? Because even though I asked some of them, my local chapter of Moms Demand Action wouldn't stand up for Ms. Allen. In fact they refused to comment on her situation at all.
And I'm sure they don't care that her life has been effectively ruined anyway.
While Allen's admission into the program is a very favorable result, she and her young sons have suffered greatly due to McClain's error in not admitting her to the PTI program when she first was first arrested last October.
MMM spoke to Allen this afternoon prior to her being informed that McClain had changed his position on PTI.
Allen spent 40 days in Atlantic County prior to making bail. Fortunately, she was able to retain her job upon making bail. Yet when he case became publicized in July, she lost her job. Allen told MMM that her rent is five months past due and that her electric had been turned off last week. Her sons have been staying with their father and she has been staying with friends.
Pathetic. Inexcusable. Un-American. That's not justice, it's thuggery.
At least there's a silver lining.
New Jersey's attorney general has agreed to clarify the PTI rules, thereby making it clear that the program should be available to those in Allen's position. This is a considerable triumph of commonsense over zealotry, and a step forward for New Jersey, which has some of the worst firearms laws in the country. Nobody should have his or her life ruined for a simple mistake — especially while exercising a basic constitutional right.
Fourteen simple words — The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed — whose meaning could not be more obvious. Unless you're a liberal.
Molon Labe!
Posted at 11:24 by Chris Wysocki
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