Shaneen Allen is a single mother of two who lives in Philadelphia PA. She had been the victim of a couple of robberies in the past year. She purchased a .380 Bersa handgun and also took all of required classes to legally carry the handgun to protect herself and her family. She has no prior criminal record. On October 1, 2013 she was stopped by a New Jersey state trooper on the Atlantic City Expressway for what was described as “an unsafe lane change” What should have been a routine traffic stop turned into an arrest. Even though Shaneen followed the rules she had been taught in her firearms class she wasn’t in Pennsylvania anymore. She gave the officer her driver’s license and conceal carry card. But New Jersey has some of the strictest gun laws in the country and they don’t honor other states carry permits. Shaneen was arrested on weapons charges that could send to prison for 3 years. She was a phlebotomist before her arrest. She spent 40 days in jail before being released on bail.
Ray Rice was arrested in Atlantic City for beating his then girlfriend in an elevator on February 15, 2014. He was charged with simple assault-domestic violence and released with a summons for a court date.
Why do I try to compare both of these people? Pre-Trial Intervention plays a big role in both cases. New Jersey offers PTI for people on their first offense in New Jersey where they show: 'This was an aberration from my normal behavior. I don't act like this. It was because of circumstances not likely to ever occur again.' Ray Rice had his application accepted. If he completes the course, he receives NO jail time and there will be no record of his arrest. Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain denied Shaneen entry into Pre-Trial intervention, which would have allowed her to avoid prosecution. The judge said he could only overturn that decision in extreme cases, which this is not. A single working mother of two young boys who is worried about her safety and the well-being of her family now faces 3 years in jail and no chance of ever owning a firearm for protection again while a BIG TIME NFL Star walks away from obvious assault charges.
Makes you wonder if Justice needs to lift that blindfold sometime.
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