New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has granted a pardon to a single mother who was arrested for accidentally driving into New Jersey with a concealed weapon. Allen was in the news, mostly in center-right media outlets since this is a gun issue, after she was arrested during a traffic stop and informed the officer that she had a firearm with her. Christie has cleared Shaheen of all charges included an ammunition charge.
Shaneen Allen and her attorney:
She spent 40 days in jail, away from her children for her accidental trip into New Jersey. Did I mention she had a permit in her home state of Pennsylvania?
Nevertheless, New Jersey has strict gun laws and she was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. What else could be in the interest of society than to remove this woman from her two children and throw her in the slammer for a mistake? The charge carries a mandatory three-year prison sentence.
As a result of this fiasco, New Jersey has made some changes in the state laws.
Her attorney, Evan Knappen, of Eatontown, said the Allen case lead to the Office of the Attorney General issuing new guidelines that allow people who are legally entitled to carry firearms in their home states to enter diversionary programs instead of heading directly to a Garden State prison if charged with violating state law.
Said Knappen, “It was quite a fight for her down there in Atlantic County, and it led to significant changes,” Knappen said. “Hundreds of folks were helped by her case…It’s a little absurd to take someone who’s a law abiding citizen in their home state but then put them into a New Jersey state prison for a mandatory 3 to 5 year sentence and make them a felon.”
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