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02-18-2015, 11:52 PM #1
Flintlock from 1700s could land elderly NJ man in prison
"A retired teacher is facing 10 years in prison and the loss of his state pension for possessing a flintlock pistol that may not have been fired since George Washington was alive, his attorney told FoxNews.com on Wednesday.In a case that underscores the Garden State's strict gun laws, Gordon Van Gilder, a retired English teacher and collector of historical items, has been charged with criminal possession of a handgun and faces up to 10 years in prison. If the 72-year-old is convicted, the charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 3.5 years and the pension Van Gilder earned as an educator could be revoked, penalties attorney Evan Nappen called "outrageous."
“It’s crazy," Nappen told FoxNews.com. "The gun was unloaded and strictly possessed as a historical relic. We’re hoping the prosecutor will exercise discretion and dismiss his case.”
Van Gilder readily acknowledged the unloaded gun was in his glove compartment and wrapped in cloth when he was pulled over for a traffic violation in Cumberland County in November 2014, according to Nappen. He had recently bought the gun and was planning to add it to his collection of antiques, which includes other old firearms, the lawyer said."
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/02/18...man-in-prison/
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02-19-2015, 01:21 AM #2
Lets REALLY hope common sense prevails here...SMH!
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02-19-2015, 10:43 AM #3
This is an interesting case. A lot of states make antique firearms exempt from gun laws. I'm not sure how many do. There's a lot of things to consider with this. Seems like this guy should know the laws if he's a firearm collector.
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02-19-2015, 05:53 PM #4
Yeah, I live in Jersey and our Gun Laws are tough but this is idiotic. More than likely he gets off and the law may get modified but our representatives are pretty stubborn.
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02-20-2015, 11:59 AM #5
Yet another case of a law abiding gun owner being targeted by anti-gun laws that are created with malice intended. No one in their right mind could seriously thing this is a legit case.
2 thoughts:
1. How did the cops find the gun? If it was in his glove box and they only stopped him for a traffic violation then I smell an illegal search here.
2. It says the prosecutor is waiting for ballistics results. This is a 250 year old gun. Firing it is not safe and firing it could destroy a valuable antique.
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02-20-2015, 02:44 PM #6
I believe he volunteered the info.
why would they run any tests on the gun?
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02-20-2015, 04:35 PM #7
Yeah he did volunteer the information on the Gun. I believe they are checking to see if it was fired recently.
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