Retired NJ teacher faces 10 years in prison for an unloaded flintlock gun.

[Deleted]

Seems pretty dumb of him to keep it in his glovebox.

[Masoner]

That's retarded. Reminds me a bit of how the "zero tolerance" policies in schools go too far sometimes.

I hope the guy doesn't end up doing time over this.

Zero tolerance goes too far each time, It's the most useless policy ever created by moron liberals.

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Seems pretty dumb of him to keep it in his glovebox.

It's doesn't matter where he kept it, He is an innocent man that has done NOTHING wrong (the real nothing wrong not the one that black mothers say when their killer sons are killed by cops).

[Deleted]

It's doesn't matter where he kept it, He is an innocent man that has done NOTHING wrong (the real nothing wrong not the one that black mothers say when their killer sons are killed by cops).

Well that'll be for the trial to decide. I mean if he wants to keep it as an antique or heirloom then fair enough, but I don't think there's an overlap with keeping it in your glovebox.

[Deleted]

it's still a weapon.

Infact its an antiquity.

So no, it shouldn't be labeled as a weapon.

[stabetha]

the people of New Jersey are lucky he kept it in his glove compartment if it hadn't been lock up who knows what it would do while he's asleep it could have gone to the mall and killed a bunch of people, guns kill people!!!!!!!!!!!!

edit: ok well I guess shot one person.

[Kujako]

Infact its an antiquity.

So no, it shouldn't be labeled as a weapon.

NJ state law says otherwise (shrug).

[Bryntrollian]

They simply screwed him out of his pension

[Kalis]

It's doesn't matter where he kept it, He is an innocent man that has done NOTHING wrong (the real nothing wrong not the one that black mothers say when their killer sons are killed by cops).

If he's broken the law then surely he isn't an innocent man.

[Kellhound]

it's still a weapon.

SO it the tire iron concealed in his trunk...

[Cthulhu 2020]

The judge will dismiss this in initial proceedings, you can all put your torches, pitchforks, and muskets down.

[Deleted]

NJ state law says otherwise (shrug).

Didn't the OP state that weapons like this (Made before 1900) are not considered firearms in the US? I'm living in europe, so I just took it for a fact.

[ComputerNerd]

it's still a weapon.

So is a baseball bat in the wrong hands.
So is a dinner fork in the wrong hands.
Seems there are accepted exclusions based on the age of the weapon, which is being ignored here.

The judge will dismiss this in initial proceedings, you can all put your torches, pitchforks, and muskets down.

Aww, spoilsport.
That is the fun part of all this.

[Kujako]

Didn't the OP state that weapons like this (Made before 1900) are not considered firearms in the US? I'm living in europe, so I just took it for a fact.

The gun in question is a Queen Anne flintlock.

Which is a handgun, and thus requires a "Permit to Carry" under NJ law.
http://cd.textfiles.com/group42/WEAPONS/LAWS/NJ.HTM
"It is unlawful to knowingly possess any handgun, including any antique handgun, without first having obtained a Permit to Carry."

Note that there are exceptions for antique rifles, but NOT for antique handguns.

[Deleted]

Welp, unfortunate.

But seriously, those things should get changed. The man probably couldn't properly load it, yet fire it I assume.

To put him into jail for it, would be stupid and dense.

[Deleted]

it's still a weapon.

So, is your finger.

That gun likely takes 10 minutes to load per "bullet", assuming you could even find a bullet (and powder?) to load it with.

Plus its owner is an ancient old man who would likely die in prison no matter the sentence.

I'm European, so unsurprisingly I have lifelong aversion to anything even remotely resembling a gun outside of specific sports, as well as Fox News, but even I could see this case is so insane that it deserves front page news in every media outlet as well as every national politician's desk.

[madmanx]

Three words that should have cought your attention here.....

Fox, news and COULD

You can be absolutely certain that when even Fox can't get themselves to word it stronger than "could" this is absolute BS.

This is probably one of those cases when a police officer has no other option than to report it, if he wants to keep his job. Someone higher up with a bit more authority will then throw it out. Just a chain of command issue and yes, they can sometimes look really stupid. Happens a hundred times every day in every country on the planet...only this clown was dumb enough to call a lawyer and Fox News.

[Kujako]

Welp, unfortunate.

But seriously, those things should get changed. The man probably couldn't properly load it, yet fire it I assume.

To put him into jail for it, would be stupid and dense.

Often the best way to get stupid laws fixed is to enforce them.

[Drsolders]

That's how the revolution was won, didn't you know. Common core really has fucked up education.

Finally a historic account ! That nearly made me hyperventilate though.

[Kalis]

Often the best way to get stupid laws fixed is to enforce them.

Often they fall into disuse then just get repealed when they get around to it, which is preferable to some old bloke having to deal with the grief of a court case, as only lawyers tend to benefit from that.

[Kujako]

Often they fall into disuse then just get repealed when they get around to it, which is preferable to some old bloke having to deal with the grief of a court case, as only lawyers tend to benefit from that.

Law in question (I linked it earlier) is from 1994.