I first read about Shaneen Allen, the Philadelphia mother who was arrested for driving through New Jersey with a handgun, a month or so ago. It was a ridiculous story then, but I assumed common sense would prevail and Allen — who had a permit to carry and didn't realize it didn't apply to New Jersey — would be given some sort of probation.
I was wrong.
According to her attorney, she is eligible for a diversion program for first-time offenders that would avoid a felony conviction and mandatory 42 months in prison. But for reasons he has yet to articulate, New Jersey District Attorney Jim McClain has refused to allow her to take advantage of that program.
Now, New Jersey Judge Michael Donio has denied Allen’s request to have the charge dismissed.
She now will head to court, where she's facing a possible 11 years in prison.
That's more than a decade of prison time for a single mother who…
1. Legally bought the gun to help protect her family
2. Has no prior record
3. Was stopped for a traffic violation while driving through New Jersey, and volunteered to the police that she had a legally purchased weapon in her possession
So yeah. If this woman goes to prison, fuck everybody.