Unbelieveable story of a young victim of NJ Gun Laws

[JustinJ]

The following is an article by a man whose life has been destroyed by Draconian gun laws of New Jersey. While there are always multiple sides to every story, he says that he actually lost visitation rights to his four year old son because of the non-violent but gun related felony conviction.

http://www.vice.com/read/my-life-as-a-convicted-gun-offender-who-did-nothing-wrong

 

[Tom609]

This does highlight the absurdity of NJ's gun laws. In NJ it's legal to transport firearms in your vehicle only when going to or from a range, gun club, gunsmith, etc., and only following the most direct route. He had his firearms in his car while travelling back and forth between where he was staying in north Jersey and his mother's house in south Jersey. His mother actually called the police and reported that he had guns in his car because she worried he might harm himself due to his domestic problems. Thanks Mom!

One of the comments to the article was right on...jury nullification. This is a concept that should be publicized more. It has been successfully used recently in NJ (Google "NJ Weedman") to "nullify" a small pot possession charge. The essence of jury nullification, and I'm no lawyer, is that a juror does not have to follow the judges directions or even the law if the juror feels that the charges are inappropriate or wrong. Hopefully a lawyer will come along and expand on this. Nonetheless, know the laws when travelling in New Jersey.

 

[JustinJ]

His mother actually called the police and reported that he had guns in his car because she worried he might harm himself due to his domestic problems. Thanks Mom!

So it sounds like there was actually a bit more to his loss of visitation rights than just the felony charge.

 

[zxcvbob]

One of the comments to the article was right on...jury nullification. This is a concept that should be publicized more. It has been successfully used recently in NJ (Google "NJ Weedman") to "nullify" a small pot possession charge. The essence of jury nullification, and I'm no lawyer, is that a juror does not have to follow the judges directions or even the law if the juror feels that the charges are inappropriate or wrong. Hopefully a lawyer will come along and expand on this. Nonetheless, know the laws when travelling in New Jersey.

You're close. The jury is the trier of fact and the judge is the trier of law, but the jury reserves the right to also decide whether the law should be applied at all to the particular case. This is hinted at by the double jeopardy clause of the 5th Amendment, and was explicitly stated by John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the USSC.

 

[Field Tester]

This was very poorly written. I kept hearing "poor me", yet nothing about why he was arrested, the circumstances surrounding the case, what he was actually charged and convicted with or any links to the comments the jury supposedly made in his defense.

The author should not make me dig for this stuff if he wants me to care or support his cause. I know nothing more than when I went in.

 

[Tom609]

Here's another thread about the case... http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=652117&highlight=brian+aiken

Thanks Bob for the clarification on jury nullification.

 

[Jason_W]

It's illegal to possess HP round in NJ?

That's beyond absurd.

 

[Creature]

It's illegal to possess HP round in NJ?

No, it is not illegal to own HP ammo in NJ.

http://www.njsp.org/about/fire_hollow.html

 

[bainter1212]

This was very poorly written. I kept hearing "poor me", yet nothing about why he was arrested, the circumstances surrounding the case, what he was actually charged and convicted with or any links to the comments the jury supposedly made in his defense.

The author should not make me dig for this stuff if he wants me to care or support his cause. I know nothing more than when I went in.

+1
This story is the perfect example of one that I could've sent to family and friends who are "on the fence" about gun control.......if it wasn't so vague about the facts surrounding the arrest and the trial. It was well written from the standpoint of an emotional appeal, however the reader is in the dark as to the extent of the lawbreaking that occurred.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Bottom line stay out of NJ and NY City and Chicago they refuse to follow the US Constitution .

 

[loose noose]

Believe me Deltaboy, I've stayed out of Chicago, NY, and New Jersey, not to mention Conn., Mass, Ca. and any of the other left coast states.

 

[MarkDido]

I'm FROM New Jersey, and I have no desire to go back, even to visit.

 

[HOME DEPOT GEORGE]

No, it is not illegal to own HP ammo in NJ.

No but it's often used as an enhancement to other criminal charges

 

[Cee Zee]

I do wish he would have explained what actually happened to him. We're left to assume that he was unfairly treated. It works better to show that's true. But maybe this is the kind of thing that will appeal to gun grabbers since they operate on emotion instead of logic.

 

[pharmer]

I left NJ 34 years ago and have been back for weddings and funerals. A couple of business trips required me to be there and in NYC. If it weren't for folks I care about, I'd never set foot north of VA. With the recent election I might need to limit my travel north to NC. Joe

 

[Palehorseman]

Call the newly elected self described, "conservative" governor Crispy Crème, maybe he can intervene.

 

[David E]

The guy got Counts 1 and 2 overturned.

But keep in mind, Christie thinks NJ gun laws are "reasonable." Of course, he also describes himsf as "conservative," so I guess we shouldn't be surprised.

Romney is promoting CC early, but if he becomes the nominee, I'm voting third party.