Ever since the tragedy at Sandy Hook, gun laws have been completely overhauled by President Barack Obama and state governments. Because of this, some of our nation’s people believe the 2nd amendment is being attacked. Here on The Inquisitr , we reported numerous times on this issue and the results that ensue. This includes the fact that customers at Target were getting robbed at gunpoint because the owners made their stores “gun free zones” and how gun control denies a female college student protection from a stalker with a “rape kit.”
Gun control laws seem to have the opposite effect of protecting our citizens. Just look at Chicago — a city with the most strict gun control laws in the country — and how many gun- related crimes with fatalities they have. However, some gun control laws have a contrasting effect from state to state. That is what Shaneen Allen learned, and unfortunately for her, she learned it the hard way.
Now don’t get us wrong. From what is reported, Shaneen Allen is a hard-working single mother of two young boys who lives in Philadelphia. She’s also a legal concealed carry permit holder too. In all respects, her problem could be considered just a misunderstanding or a justified lack of knowledge. Despite all of this, she is now facing up to 11 years in prison. Why? She was in New Jersey.
The prospect sounds ridiculous right? The key is in the details as MY9NJ , followed up by The Blaze , reports that Shaneen Allen was driving in New Jersey when an officer pulled her over for an “unsafe lane change.” Doing what she was trained to do, she informed the officer that she was a concealed carry permit holder and armed at the time. What she was unaware of was that it is illegal to own a permit and a firearm in New Jersey.
At first, the New Jersey court system would only give her three years in prison. Most people who heard about this news believed it would be recorded down as an honest mistake. Shaneen Allen has no prior record so that would work in her favor. However, she is now facing up to 11-and-a-half years in prison, 10 for possession (legally I must add) and another 18 months for hollow-point bullets (legally I must add again).
Evan Nappen, Shaneen Allen’s attorney, discussed how a person with no prior offenses could end up spending over a decade of their life behind bars for being honest in the following statement:
“New Jersey’s gun law is as unforgiving as a prosecutor of judge wants to make it. Either of those two, the judge or the prosecutor could have taken steps to relieve Shaneen from this situation, but it didn’t happen.”
Now Shaneen Allen has no choice left but to go forward with the trial. Her only hope is that the jury of her peers will hear her case out and see that an honest mistake shouldn’t be paid with more than a decade of her life, more than a decade two children will be without a mother.
What do you think about this situation with Shaneen Allen? Do you think this is nothing more than an honest mistake by a law-abiding citizen with no record? Or should Allen be made an example of pertaining to gun laws? Please let us know in the comments below.
[Image via Screenshot of story by Chasing New Jersey ]