By Dan Roberts
Will just released Ray Rice wife beating video turn up the Heat on Atlantic County Prosecutors miss handling of the Shaneen Allen case.
New Jersey –-(Ammoland.com)- With the release of video footage from inside the elevator of Ray Rice viciously knocking out his wife unconscious with a single punch, new questions and controversy are swirling over the acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClains decision to admit Rice to a Pre Trial Intervention program that is not supposed to be available to violent offenders.
While simultaneously zealously pursuing mandatory State Prison time for Philadelphia single mom and legal gun owner Shaneen Allen, who is guilty of naively and ignorantly committing a statutory violation of New Jersey’s draconian gun laws absent any criminal intent, let alone commission of a violent felony assault.
Late last evening, New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney released a public statement calling for an investigation of the handling of the Ray Rice case and his admittance to the PTI program.
Make no mistake, while Steve Sweeney has demonstrated he is no friend of gun owners or the Second Amendment after his blatant and very public sellout of his constituents regarding the now defunct Ten Round Magazine Limit Bill, his call for an investigation may actually help Shaneen Allen. As it casts an even harsher spotlight on the grave injustice and persecution that is being conducted against Ms. Allen by Prosecutor McClain and others in the name of “deterrence”
It is almost indisputable that Mr. Rice received extraordinary special treatment by the “Justice System” in Atlantic County New Jersey for no other reason than he was an extremely wealthy, very famous, professional sports star. While Ms. Allen, whose case is actually a perfect example of what the Pre Trial Intervention program is supposed to be for; is simply a “peon“. Mercilessly pursued and threatened by Prosecutor McClain and vocal anti gun supporters, in their efforts to make an example of her.
Regarding the decision to admit Rice to PTI, McClain had this to say according to the Fox News.
“This decision was arrived at after careful consideration of the information contained in Mr. Rice’s application in light of all of the facts gathered during the investigation,” acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain said Tuesday. “After considering all relevant information in light of applicable law, it was determined that this was the appropriate disposition.”
This of course leads to one of several questions. Did Mr. McClain have and view the recently released “inside the elevator” footage and decide to admit Rice to Pre Trial Intervention anyway, essentially a slap on the wrist for what was actually a violent, felony assault?
If so, why? To curry some future favor with Rice? Or maybe the head honchos at the NFL? Possibly someone in Baltimore? If Mr. McClain didn’t have, or review the newly released footage, than how could his office claimed to have “reviewed all the facts”?
Or perhaps it was the much more mundane and sadly all to common practice in New Jersey of victimizing gun owners with no criminal history or intent in order to advance ones own political stature or career. It wouldn’t be the first time that has happened. Not by a long shot.
In fact, its one of the worst kept secrets amongst gun owners in New Jersey. If your powerful, rich, famous or politically connected in some fashion, the incredibly strict gun laws simply don’t apply to you.
Camden City Councilman Curtis Jenkins clearly violated New Jersey firearms laws by failing to disclose a criminal offense on his application for a New Jersey Firearms ID Card and it was quietly swept under the rug.
While former New Jersey resident and outspoken New Jersey gun law critic James Kaleda, was recently charged, and incarcerated for allegedly falsifying information on his Non Resident Firearms ID Card application.
How about the case of prominent Philadelphia attorney and major Law Enforcement supporter Jimmy Binns, who applied for a New Jersey Carry Permit, was denied, and appeared in public in full Philadelphia police uniform, including a Glock sidearm (presumably loaded) with the full knowledge of the Margate New Jersey Chief of Police, who looked the other way because he “did not want to embarrass Mr. Binns”
There is no evidence that the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office, having fully independent investigatory authority, ever even looked into the blatant flouting of the law by Mr. Binns, let alone pursued criminal charges against him. Or so much as questioned the Margate Chief of Police as to why he chose to ignore the open commission of a felony by Mr. Binns.
Yet in Ms. Allen’s case, when asked about the decision to deny her application to the Pre Trial Intervention program Assistant Prosecutor Deborah Hay said the Prosecutor’s Office had pursued the case as a ‘deterrent’ for similar activity and that the charges were “too serious to warrant divergence to the intervention program.” – See more at:
If the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office is so rigidly concerned about “deterrence ” than why would they not pursue Rice? In the hopes of deterring future acts of domestic violence, by showing the world that such acts will simply not be tolerated, and no amount of money or fame will protect those that engage in such acts?
And since we are on the subject of deterrence, this column would be incomplete without also exposing the incredibly bitter, hateful leader of the cult like anti gun religious group Heeding Gods Call and their leader Bryan Miller.
Miller has openly gloated about how the persecution of Ms. Allen would serve as a “deterrent“;
“Fortunately, the notoriety of this case will make it less likely Pennsylvanians will carry concealed and loaded handguns in New Jersey, thereby making them and the Garden State safer from gun violence,”
Clearly showing his callous disregard for the children of Ms. Allen, who are surely terrified of the prospect of possibly loosing their mother to the Prison system for several years, for a completely victimless “crime”. How very “Christian ” of Mr. Miller.
There are other questions as well. Where is NOW ( National Organization for Women )? Where is the NAACP? Al Sharpton? Jesse Jackson? Where are the massive protests in support of a single, African American Mother being viciously and relentlessly persecuted by a White Prosecutor, for a technical violation of New Jersey Gun Laws? A single mother, who after being robbed twice, did the responsible thing and provided for her own safety by legally buying a gun, getting training, getting a license to carry the same and was completely honest ( as she was taught) with the State Trooper that pulled her over on an incredibly ambiguous “unsafe lane change” violation, innocently unaware that as far as NJ is concerned, her right to self defense doesn’t exist within its borders.
What has been done to law abiding gun owners in New Jersey in the past for decades, and what is being done to Ms. Allen now is repugnant and offensive in the extreme to everything the founding fathers envisioned for this country.
For all the alleged “progress” we have made as a society, there is still one civil right that is fair game for discrimination and heavy handed suppression by the government and certain segments of society at large. That of being a gun owner.
Hopefully the most recent revelations in the Ray Rice case will, in the end, help Shaneen Allen in a most unexpected way. By drawing so much attention to the oppressive scheme that is New Jersey gun laws and the way they are selectively enforced. That it will make it impossible for the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office to continue their targeting of Ms. Allen if they are to retain any semblance of credibility or the trust of the citizens.
One can only hope.
About Dan RobertsDan Roberts is a grassroots supporter of gun rights that has chosen AmmoLand Shooting Sports News as the perfect outlet for his frank, ‘Jersey Attitude’ filled articles on Guns and Gun Owner Rights.As a resident of the oppressive state of New Jersey he is well placed to be able to discuss the abuses of government against our inalienable rights to keep and bear arms as he writes from deep behind NJ’s Anti-Gun iron curtain. Read more from Dan Roberts or email him at [email protected] You can also find him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dan.roberts.18
I do think Ray Rice should be given another chance, however this innocent woman who had a legal gun should be forgiven. We are the United States and if you have a legal gun in one state, and did nothing wrong, why be punished?
Just watch something is going to happen with that rice thug and he is going to find himself in front of another judge and get the book thrown at him. either that or he is going to commit an act of murder and find himself in prison for the rest of his life.
Christie could get this innocent young woman off the hook if he wanted ! His silence on this injustice is deafening ! I’m sure the prosecutors would much prefer their victim be a white male,38 years old,and an NRA member,but I guess Ms.Allen will have to do. They are actually going to ruin this womans life just to make an example out of her ? How much more of this bullshit can we take ? We owe this woman all the support we can muster ! I’m sending $100 to her defense fund.
You can support her by going here and making a donation: https://gogetfunding.com/project/shaneen-allen-legal-defense-fund
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