Felony Friday: Judge & Prosecutor Who Let Ray Rice Go Are Pursuing Jail Sentence For Mom Who Carried Licensed Gun
Which action do you think should be penalized more harshly, punching a woman in the face or carrying a handgun as a means of self-defense?If you guessed punching a woman in the face, then you would not be in line with the authorities in Atlantic County, New Jersey. A judge and prosecutor are pursuing a much harsher punishment for the victimless crime of carrying a gun than the disgraceful crime of a man, caught on video, punching a woman in the face.Of course, the assault on a woman referenced above is the incident that has caused a media firestorm in the last week involving former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice.The victimless crime referenced above is not a high-profile case, but rather involves a single mother from Philadelphia. She could be facing up to three years in prison for carrying her licensed Pennsylvania firearm across the imaginary border and into the state of New Jersey. Shaneen Allen, was pulled over in Atlantic County, New Jersey, for a routine traffic stop. The twenty-seven-year-old probably would have driven away with only a ticket if she had not been upfront telling the officer she had a licensed handgun in the vehicle.Allen informed the officer that she had a handgun in the car when he approached her vehicle. The single mother of two presented the officer her concealed carry permit for Pennsylvania. The officer rewarded her honesty by arresting her and charging her with unlawful possession of a weapon and armor penetrating bullets. Ms. Allen found out the hard way that Pennsylvania concealed carry permits are honored in thirty states, but the state of New Jersey is not one of them.If this wasn’t bad enough what happened next provides another example of the U.S. legal system not consistently protecting individual rights. Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain and Superior Court Judge Michael Donio denied Allen’s acceptance into Pretrial Intervention (PTI), which would have assured that the single mother would not serve jail time.To add further insult to injury McClain and Donio would later allow Ray Rice, the football player that clocked his then fiancé in the face, into PTI and avoid jail time.NBC Philadelphia reports:
On Tuesday New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney called for the acting Attorney General to investigate McClain and Donio’s handling of the Ray Rice case. NBC10 repeatedly tried to reach out to McClain for comment but our calls were not returned. McClain finally broke his silence Wednesday night and spoke to the Press of Atlantic City.“I just want people to know the decision was made after careful consideration of the law, careful consideration of the facts, hearing the voice of the victim and considering all the parameters,” McClain told the AC Press.As the frenzy surrounding the Ray Rice controversy continues, Allen is trying to keep her spirits high for her two sons. She’s unsure however whether an upcoming celebration of her son’s 11th birthday will be the last celebration she shares with them for a long time.“I do not want all of this,” Allen said. “I just want my life back for me and my kids.”
Prosecutor McClain assured the media that the opinion of the victim was taken into consideration during the Ray Rice case. Was the voice of the victim considered in Shaneen Allen’s case?The victim could not have been consulted in Ms. Allen’s case for a simple reason, there is no victim. Allen did not harm another person or their property. Allen did break a law, but the law does not align with the protection of individual rights.In the case of Ray Rice there is definitive evidence that he harmed another individual. It is important to clarify that the punitive actions taken against Rice should be determined based on the wishes of the woman that he harmed. There is no need for the involvement of a criminal prosecutor in this case.Ms. Allen case is a one hundred eighty degree difference from the Rice situation. She should never have been arrested and charged with a crime in the first place. She was guilty of being armed with the capacity to protect her family. The only crime committed in her case was by the police who infringed upon her natural right to protect her life. It is disturbing that in a so called free country a single mother of two can be locked in a cage for taking the initiative to arm herself and protect her family.Check out our past editions of Felony Friday!The Lions of Liberty are on Twitter, Facebook & Google+Receive access to ALL of our EXCLUSIVE bonus audio content – including “Conspiracy Corner”, “Degenerate Gamblers” and the “League of Liberty Podcast” by joining the Lions of Liberty Pride and supporting us on Patreon!
