Posted on 04/15/2017 4:01:37 PM PDT by Hojczyk
On Friday Gov. Chris Christie (R) commuted the prison sentence for former Marine Sergeant Hisashi Pompey, arrested six years ago for possessing a legally owned gun that was unregistered in the state of New Jersey. On April 13 Breitbart News reported that Pompey brought his handgun into New Jersey while visiting from Virginia. Following an altercation at a nightclub, one of Pompey’s friends retrieved the gun and was arrested. Pompey was also arrested because the gun was not registered in the state of New Jersey.
ABC 7 reported that Pompey did “three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan for which he received medals for bravery.” He was a military police sergeant who now has a wife and young children at home. Until Christie intervened on Friday, Pompey was preparing to surrender to authorities for what would have been a minimum 36-month sentence for possession of an unregistered firearm.
When news of the commuted sentence reached Pompey, he responded by making sure it was not a joke. Pompey said, “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, this isn’t April Fools, right? I don’t know how to react. I’m grateful, grateful.”
Pompey’s wife said, “I just said, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. It’s like you’ve given us our life back.”
Christie’s decision to commute Pompey’s sentence does not expunge the arrest from his record, it simply removes the punishment that resulted from the arrest.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Christie gets NO praise from me. He only commuted the sentence because of a conservative uproar on social media. And he did NOT pardon him...which means he agrees with the disgusting, unconstitutional law. And how many other innocent Americans are serving time in that despicable state for the same “offense.”
The confiscation was in-Constitutional to begin with.
The 2nd Amendment is clear.
I would have acted SIX YEARS AGO
Seems like a good opportunity to test the constitutionality of gun registration laws.
Asking that boil on Satan’s arse to do “the right thing” is like expecting Jack Kevorkian to administer CPR.
No, the right thing would have been a pardon. This way he still has a felony record.
Some folks here are angry that he was not pardoned, saying that he remains a convicted felon, but I am not sure about that, or that this is something about which to be upset with the Governor.
- The Marine was charged with “possessing a legally owned gun that was unregistered in the state”, which doesn’t sound like a felony (although a three year sentence does).
- He was just about to report to jail, so this may have been the quickest way to prevent him from spending even one night in jail - he can continue to appeal any conviction or request pardon.
- This gun did come out during an altercation at a nightclub, so there may be some aggravating circumstances.
- All in all, this is a very good news story for that Marine.
Breitbart has some details wrong. Contrary to popular belief, New Jersey doesn't actually require firearm registration (for now). Historically, the state has had its gun control at the point of sale, with pistol purchase permits, and Firearm Purchaser ID required for long guns. However, firearms are flat-out prohibited in the state, with certain exceptions: in your home, unloaded and secured in your vehicle on the way to and from the range, a gun dealer or a gunsmith, while hunting, etc. etc. (And, yes, the offenses are felonies.)
Stored loaded and in a friend's car outside of a bar isn't one of the exceptions.
However, as an MP he "should" have Federal LEO immunity and his first attorney didn't bring this up at his first trial. I certainly hope that he continues to appeal.
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