Gov. Chris Christie commutes sentence of man convicted of having guns in N.J. illegally

Newark Star Ledger ^ | 12/20/2010 | Ginger Gibson

[Still Thinking]

Yet Judge Morley wouldn’t allow Aitken to claim the exemption for transporting guns between residences. He wouldn’t even let the jury know about it. During deliberations, the jurors asked three times about exceptions to the law, which suggests they weren’t comfortable convicting Aitken. Morley refused to answer them all three times.

And the best response they could come up with to deal with such insubordinate conduct was to go along and convict. Not even a single juror would hold out and hang the jury. Morons. You were talking about disincentives to state actors to pursue this kind of a course. I would say absolute inability to get a conviction when they gave the appearance of not playing fair would work as such a disincentive.

[Ramius]

Wouldn’t a pardon expunge the conviction? OTOH, it wouldn’t have any precedent value. Maybe he wants to challenge the law or the court procedures that led to his conviction.

I'm not really sure how that works. I think a pardon means that you're still guilty of the offense but you're forgiven for it.

If it were me, and I had a good attorney, I might be inclined to do the same thing-- get the sentence commuted and then go after the original conviction on appeal. I suspect that's what's going on here.

[Still Thinking]

Well, I believe that it is the US constitution that gives us that right.

And I believe you're wrong. The founding fathers' view was that people are born with many rights, their birthright given by God. Their founding documents recognized these rights, and prohibited government from encroaching on them, but they believed that the rights were preexisting. That's why they didn't feel it necessary to attempt to make an exhaustive list of our rights, but merely noted a few critical ones. Which in turn makes modern jurisprudence ludicrous, the combing of the Constitution for a clause giving a citizen the right to do something free of government intervention. The document was never meant to be exhaustive in listing OUR rights, but rather in listing THEIR powers.

[Still Thinking]

Yeah. At least with a commutation, I’m sure he still has standing to appeal, because there’s still the felony conviction, firearms disabilities and so on.

[T Minus Four]

I respect your opinions. I see your point, and someday believers will be completely free in God’s perfect love. I just don’t see “self-defense” as a right from God. I think it’s a privilege he granted this country so we don’t have government religion (or lack thereof) forced upon us at gunpoint. We have been given a unique gift among the world.

Also, I don’t see a lot of self-defense going on in the early church as chronicled in the New Testament, from Jesus to John. In fact, submission seems to be a theme.

But I agree completely that everything good is from God.

[muleskinner]

Could you make that any larger?

An excellent move by Gov. Christie, btw.

[Still Thinking]

I see you’ve given this a lot of thought and hold your view for well considered reasons!

[muleskinner]

Well said.

[T Minus Four]

I do thank God for my right to carry :-)

[Red in Blue PA]

Agree. If this case doesn’t scream for a full pardon, then I don’t know what does.

[Junior_G]

If you aren't standing on your chair and celebrating this, you would frown at the Second Coming of Christ.

LOL...well said.

[Red in Blue PA]

Christie = Obama in a white suit? Really?

Actually, yes he is.

(See the small print at the bottom)

[Red in Blue PA]

Moreover, the police and prosecutors here in NJ will think twice before they attempt to railroad a decent law abiding citizen over this nonsense again.

Please explain this one to me.....I must be slow.

The laws which got Aitken in prison are still 100% intact, and not one person has been punished for what happened.

So how exactly are the police going to "think twice before they attempt to railroad a decent law abiding citizen"

[Always Independent]

Maybe he might have some recourse to sue.

[RockinRight]

Good move, Governor.

That notched you one step towards Presidential material and proves you’re listening.

[2harddrive]

But, he has STILL lost his guns, and his GUN RIGHTS! Give him BACK his RIGHTS!!

[LaineyDee]

LOL!

[fabian]

..I just don’t see “self-defense” as a right from God. I think it’s a privilege he granted this country so we don’t have government religion (or lack thereof) forced upon us at gunpoint. We have been given a unique gift among the world...

You have been taught wrong, probably in your church. If you read the history of man in the bible, there are many instances of self defense of a nation...God’s established nation. And of course the early Christians were murdered, but they were living under captivity of a foreign country..Rome. They were vastly out numbered and could do very little about it but stand on truth and forgive! Jesus told people that a time was coming when he would be gone and we must sell our coat to buy a weapon, showing the extreme need for self defense. If you would like to get more commonsense in your faith, please go to patriotoutreach.org and check out the free Be still exercise...it is such a blessing!