Posted on 03/20/2012 1:25:58 PM PDT by deoetdoctrinae
NEW YORK (AP) — An Indiana jewelry dealer arrested after trying to check his gun at the Empire State Building took a plea deal Tuesday that will spare him jail time in a case that got attention from gun-rights advocates, veterans and a former governor.
Ryan Jerome, who said he had tried to act responsibly but misinterpreted New York's stringent gun laws, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor weapon-possession charge. The former Marine from South Bend, Ind., will have to complete 10 hours of community service and pay a $1,000 fine.
"I'm happy with the outcome," said Jerome, 28, who had faced a mandatory 3 ½ years or more in prison had he been convicted of the original felony charge against him.
(Excerpt) Read more at knoxnews.com ...
I would not have been happy with the outcome...$1000 fine! Yikes. Not sure I would have taken plea...I probably would have fought it on ‘the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed’ grounds....and lost with my luck but at least I would have known I was ‘right’. ha.
Well, gosh! I wonder if the next person arrested in New York City for keeping and bearing arms will be let off the same way.
Probably not, since most of the ones arrested are probably in the act of bank robbing, mugging, car-jacking, drug dealing, etc. Not likely that the prosecutor would face too much public outcry for prosecuting those.
You are right, after Chicago’s gun laws were declared unconstitutional I would think this would be a great test case for some legal eagle to pursue.
I would like to know what website told him it was ok to bring a loaded gun into New York City.
Visiting the Empire State Building is not a crime.
ML/NJ
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