The Marine thought he was above civilian law. Very dangerous when the military believe they can arm themselves and act as police agents over civilians. Forbidden by the Posse Comitatus Act.
Is not the Constitution the supreme civilian law? Long usurpatiin doesn’t equate to right.
another article has more detail. He was Military Police, and thought he was allowed to be armed
In his appeal, Pompey blamed his lawyer for failing to raise the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act of 2004 (LEOSA) in his defense.So, if the incident had occurred in2013 instead of 2011, he would have been authorized to be armed in NJ, as a federal law enforcement officer.However, the appellate panel judges said the law – which allows certain government personnel to carry concealed weapons across state lines – didn’t extend to military police when the incident occurred.
The list of "qualified law enforcement officers" at the time included those authorized to “engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and has statutory powers of arrest,” the judges wrote in their decision.
MPs didn’t qualify because they had powers of apprehension and not arrest, they explained.
Congress amended the law in January 2013, adding military police to the class of qualified law enforcement officers permitted to carry firearms across state lines, the panel noted.
He would still have been a dumbass for bringing a gun into a nightclub brawl, and letting his friend take possession of his gun.