Inside and Out: Shaneen Allen Case is a Mockery of Justice

by
posted on August 18, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
shaneen-carry-500x266.jpg

Jurisprudence in Atlantic County, New Jersey, has been in the spotlight this year, and it’s not just those of us on the outside who are shaking our heads in disgust.

Two cases in the county have drawn national scorn. NFL star Ray Rice, after being charged with assaulting his fiancée, was allowed to skip his day in court and enter a diversionary program for first-time offenders that will wipe his record clean providing he meets certain conditions. But Shaneen Allen, a single mom from Philadelphia who possesses a Pennsylvania concealed carry permit she mistakenly thought would accord her to same right in New Jersey, is now headed for trial. When she was pulled over in a traffic stop, Allen dutifully informed the police officer she had her pistol in the car, and was then arrested and locked up. Even though the agency that runs the same diversionary program that's handling Rice's case approved her, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain vetoed that outcome, and it appears he's determined to convict Allen of a felony regardless of the circumstances.

What law-abiding gun owner from a concealed carry state isn’t struck by the injustice Allen faces from a prosecutor gung-ho to make headlines in the wake of her honest mistake? And we’re not alone.

I have two close buddies who are long-time residents of Atlantic County and who happen to be retired police officers. Both of them served proudly through long careers dealing with some very bad and dangerous criminals, and both, understandably, possess a law-and-order mindset. Yet both men told me that what is happening to Shaneen Allen is an all-new low in a state where the gun laws make a mockery of justice. “When something like [the Allen case] comes out, how are people supposed to respect police and the courts?” said one retired officer. “No wonder we’re seeing the system breaking down.” For a closer look at this sad state of affairs, watch this in-depth video from NRA News.

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web
Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web

Gun Of The Week: Wilson Combat Division 77 Project 1

Join American Rifleman staff on the range in this video to get a closer look at Wilson Combat’s somewhat cryptically named “Division 77 Project 1.” 

The Armed Citizen® July 18, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: POF-USA LMR BASE Rifle

The Patriot Ordnance Factory LMR Base offers a .308 Win. chambering in a lightweight, AR-15-size package, which makes it a capable platform for today's new gun owner. And it comes at a fair price.

2025 Accessory Of The Year: Wyoming Sight Drifter

For each of the past 23 years, the editors of American Rifleman have convened to select our top picks for the past year’s best and most innovative products. Here are the most recent winners.

Henry Donates Rifles To Support Young Leukemia Victim

Henry Repeating Arms has donated a limited run of 50 “Team Keane” Golden Boy .22 lever-action rifles to support 13-year-old Keane Rhodes of Universal City, Texas, who is currently undergoing aggressive treatment for ALL T-cell leukemia.

Rifleman Review: Springfield Armory Echelon

Springfield Armory introduced its Echelon in 2023, bringing a modernized, chassis-style, striker-fired handgun to the market that has since seen several notable line extensions.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.