When a 72-year-old retired school teacher faces a 10 year felony sentence (a likely life sentence) for possession of an unloaded 18th century flintlock pistol, one knows immediately that we can only be talking about a handful of states in which such a travesty can happen. In this case, not surprisingly, it’s the “Garden State” of New Jersey. (h/t Sebastian over at the Shall Not Be Questioned blog.)
Gordon Van Gilder, who taught in the New Jersey school system for 34 years, is a collector of 18th century memorabilia. He acquired a genuine antique flintlock pistol from that era, and had it unloaded and wrapped in a cloth in his glove compartment when he was pulled over for an alleged minor traffic violation.
Van Gilder consented to a requested search of his vehicle, and when asked by the officer if there was anything in the car the officer should be worried about, Van Gilder informed him about the flintlock in the glove box. Although not arrested that day, the next morning several patrol cars woke him at his home and placed him under arrest.
New Jersey’s draconian gun laws explicitly include antique firearms such as this 300-year-old pistol. Indeed, possession of a slingshot is a felony under New Jersey law.
Van Gilder is represented by Evan Nappen, a well-known attorney specializing in gun law cases, and thus is as well-represented as could be hoped for in this case. It was Nappen who successfully represented Philadelphia nurse Shaneen Allen when she was charged with unlawful possession of her PA-licensed handgun in New Jersey. The mother of two small children was ultimately permitted to enter pre-trial intervention rather than be subject to trial and New Jersey’s mandatory minimum sentence of 3 1/2 to 5 years imprisonment. That outcome, however, took direct intervention by the state Attorney General, likely at the prodding of the presidential-aspirant Governor Chris Christie.
(We covered the Allen story here PA Nurse Arrested on Gun Charges Given Reprieve and here The Memo that let Shaneen Allen — and Chris Christie’s political future — off the hook.)
Van Gilder will be fortunate indeed if Nappen can win him a similar arrangement. Even a plea agreement that avoids jail time but convicts Van Gilder of a felony would likely jeopardize the teacher’s pension he spent 34 years earning.
As Van Gilder states in the video above–”Avoid New Jersey. Don’t come here.” And as Nappen notes, twice as many families are currently leaving New Jersey as are arriving in the state. New Jersey’s population loss relative to other states is also evident in its loss of a House seat following the 2010 census. Other northeastern extremist gun control states have similarly lost House seats in recent years, with New York losing two seats and Massachusetts losing one seat.
–-Andrew, @LawSelfDefense
Liberalism is a mental disorder that leads to social disease.
"As Van Gilder states in the video above–”Avoid New Jersey. Don’t come here.” And as Nappen notes, twice as many families are currently leaving New Jersey as are arriving in the state."
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Give a man a welfare check, a forty ounce malt liquor, a crack pipe, an Obama phone, free health insurance. and some Air Jordan's and he votes Democrat for a lifetime.
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Give a man a welfare check, a forty ounce malt liquor, a crack pipe, an Obama phone, free health insurance. and some Air Jordan's and he votes Democrat for a lifetime.
If I had a brother in Hell and another in New Jersey, I'd do my best to get the one out of NJ first.
Yes, all brought to you by "crispy kreme cris christy" the same commie lard ass'd bucket of chitt that some of the dummies here would vote for potus.
none of this was brought to us by the ahole Christi.
Last edited by Crockettnj; 02/21/15.
Originally Posted by Archerhunter
Quit giving in inch by inch then looking back to lament the mile behind ya and wonder how to preserve those few feet left in front of ya. They'll never stop until they're stopped. That's a fact.
If I had a brother in Hell and another in New Jersey, I'd do my best to get the one out of NJ first.
lmao, NJ SUCKS INDEED. Good thing is the people that are leaving there are smarter than the people staying so the migrants aren't going to try and screw with our pistol packing culture.
Eating fried chicken and watermelon since 1972.
You tell me how I ought to be, yet you don't even know your own sexuality,, the philosopher,,, you know so much about nothing at all. Chuck Schuldiner
If I had a brother in Hell and another in New Jersey, I'd do my best to get the one out of NJ first.
Yes, all brought to you by "crispy kreme cris christy" the same commie lard ass'd bucket of chitt that some of the dummies here would vote for potus.
You have absolutely NO idea what the hell you are talking about.
Van Guilder was arrested and charged because of the Mandatory Sentencing requirements of the Graves Act.
The Graves Act was signed into law by Democrat Governor Corzine long before Christie became Governor.
Now, your next stupid comment will mostly likely be something like, "well Christie is the chief law enforcement officer in the State and should step up to the plate and pardon this guy".
Problem is none of it is true or even possible. Unless you want Christie to strong arm the AG and prosecutor into dropping the charges akin to Obama and Holder demanding the charges against their Black Panther buddies be dropped.
Christie had nothing to do with this Law and his hands are tied. Now if Van Guilder is convicted, Christie could issue a Pardon, but not before.
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Give a man a welfare check, a forty ounce malt liquor, a crack pipe, an Obama phone, free health insurance. and some Air Jordan's and he votes Democrat for a lifetime.
why didn't they bring him up on drug charges then?
me thinks you've lived in MN for too long.
Post-em as I find-em. Do what you wish with this information.
MILLVILLE -- The car stop that led to a 72-year-old former teacher to being charged with possession of a 300-year-old pistol was conducted because his vehicle was allegedly "acting suspiciously in a known drug area," according to Cumberland County Sheriff Robert Austino.
The sheriff said Gordon Van Gilder was a passenger in his vehicle, which was pulled over on Nov. 19, on 2nd Street. Van Gilder allegedly admitted that the reason they were in the area was to purchase drugs, according to Austino.
"This is not just a case of the police picking on an elderly gun collector," he said.
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Give a man a welfare check, a forty ounce malt liquor, a crack pipe, an Obama phone, free health insurance. and some Air Jordan's and he votes Democrat for a lifetime.
Crispies in charge here ladies and has been for a while, he could have repealed this, no?
No!
Another stupid comment.
The Governor of a State has NO power to "repeal" laws.
This action would have to go through Congress, then be signed by a Governor. Governors are NOT dictators and can NOT arbitrarily repeal laws.
Time to remove head from ass!
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Give a man a welfare check, a forty ounce malt liquor, a crack pipe, an Obama phone, free health insurance. and some Air Jordan's and he votes Democrat for a lifetime.
You sit at the head of the table, your responsible, it's on you, on your watch, get rid of it, can you icebox liberal girls tell me how they take away gun rights then, huh?
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