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RECENT DWI & CRIMINAL DEFENSE RESULTS

STATE v. HENDRICKS — NEW JERSEY MURDER TRIAL — "NOT GUILTY" VERDICT

Mr. Tumelty represented Helena Hendricks, who was charged with first degree murder in Atlantic County Superior Court. The defendant faced a number of additional charges, including armed robbery, conspiracy and possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose. At the conclusion of a jury trial that lasted three weeks, the defendant was found "not guilty" of all charges.

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Is It Time for a Closer Look at New Jersey’s Gun Laws?

In June, a Berlin Township woman was allegedly stabbed to death by her mentally unstable ex-boyfriend, against whom she had previously filed a restraining order. The victim had applied for a firearms permit in mid-April in an effort to protect herself and was supposed to receive approval within 30 days of her application. While it’s debatable as to whether having a gun on the night she was killed would have saved her life, the victim’s murder has sparked some warranted re-examination of the Garden State’s gun laws, forcing many to ask if NJ lawmakers do as much as they should to protect the innocent.

Are New Jersey’s gun laws really as convoluted and draconian as many of their critics claim? New Jersey has some of the harshest penalties and overcomplicated application processes in the nation, and many argue that these laws don’t even curb violence in the state’s most crime-plagued areas. In the meantime, many otherwise law-abiding citizens are being arrested and incarcerated for outrageous offenses, including one man who recently faced 10 years in prison for possession of a 1760s antique pistol. If you’re facing gun charges in New Jersey, it’s time to enlist the help of an experienced criminal defense lawyer.

We all want to live in a safer state; but that doesn’t mean you should have to go to prison or pay exorbitant fines because our laws can’t distinguish between a law-abiding gun owner and a violent criminal. Many offenders of New Jersey’s gun laws are simply the casualties of the overwhelming politicization of the issue, and many are simply unfamiliar with the state’s transport laws. Regardless, this is not a place that is sympathetic to ignorance when it comes to gun violations. Until the state revisits its gun laws, even seemingly harmless offenders are subject to enormous penalties.

Gun charges in New Jersey are more serious than you may realize. Experienced and knowledgeable attorney John W. Tumelty will help fight your weapons charges and minimize legal damage. He has spent years helping clients navigate New Jersey’s gun laws and making sure each and every client is treated fairly. Contact him today for a free consultation.

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