The Plight of Shaneen Allen

I happened to be listening to a radio program the other day and my ears perked up. The radio host talked about a young mother from Philadelphia facing up to 10 years in prison. She innocently told a police officer that she was carrying a gun that she legally had a permit to carry in her state. This radio host went on to say that you can have confessed murderers or people who are here illegally get a slap on the wrist, yet they’re going to come down hard on a young single mother.

I didn’t get the name of the woman while listening to the radio show because it was near the end of the segment. So, of course I Googled the information on my Android Phone. (Single mother from Pennsylvania who was arrested for carrying a legal gun permit from Pennsylvania)

Shaneen Allen is a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the single mother of two young boys. She wanted to protect her family after having her home been broken into twice so she legally purchased a handgun going by the books.

On October 1, 2013 she was pulled over by the police for making an unsafe lane change while driving from Philadelphia to Atlantic City. She gave the officer who pulled her over all the information requested (driver license, insurance, registration, etc.). In her innocence she also volunteered that she had a license to carry a concealed weapon from her state and she had the gun in her possession.

Well, because of the gun laws in New Jersey, she was promptly arrested and could serve at least 3 1/2 years in jail with no chance of early parole.

I’m a person who likes very simple solutions. I know all the states love to get extra income. Just like you would pay extra to upgrade in a hotel room or a seat on an airline, perhaps someone who has applied and qualified for a gun permit can also be upgraded. The states should establish a special fund, for instance to supply bulletproof vests for police. For an extra $200 per year the qualified applicant can be placed into a national database that shows with this extra fee was placed in this national fund for that purpose. This would exclude this applicant from being fined and possibly imprisoned for carrying their firearm across state lines that does not recognize their permits. With this extra $200 that the applicant paid, there should be a special stamp (similar to a passport) that shows they contributed to the bullet proof fund. If the motorist is stopped on a small traffic violation, they can produce the firearms permit with the special stamp the law enforcement officer. The officer can then run a check on the license plate issue a ticket or warning for the traffic violation and let the driver go on their merry way.

If someone else has a better solution I would love to hear it. What about people who can afford to take road trips across the country? They may have permits – and what do they do each time they cross a state border? As we all know people are attacked every day in broad daylight. What about salespeople who travel on the road all the time? They have a right to protect themselves. You have people who carry valuable merchandise. How many times have you read that because of an insider knowing the routine of that person, sometimes robberies occur and it’s an inside job?

Innocent people, especially when they volunteer information should not be threatened with jail time. It’s just not right.

 The Shaneen Allen Legal Defense Fund is online if you wish to contribute.  

— C.M.