NJ: Cops Confiscate Stabbing Victim Firearms

[Midwest]

NJ: Cops Confiscate Stabbing Victim Firearms and Powder

Just when you thought it could not get any worse in New Jersey for gun ownership comes word of a man who was stabbed by his wife in Saddle Brook New Jersey. The cops ended up confiscating the man's firearms and breaks open his safe. The cops also confiscated his gun powder and now it looks like he will be charged.

http://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/...brook_home_after_stabbing.html#incart_m-rpt-1


Who decides what amount of gun powder is illegal? The article says it looks like more than 30 pounds. Remember that the man is the stabbing victim here and he could be charged for having a legal product.

"The sheer amount of gunpowder was illegal and could pose a danger to the neighborhood, the chief said. Charges were expected stemming from the quantity of gunpowder. "


They threw the man's rifles into garbage cans! Read that again.

"A Bergen County Sheriff’s Department officer brought several garbage cans to collect what appeared to be mostly long guns."

If there is a defense fund, I will try to post a link.
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[Willie Sutton]

This is a result of the domestic violence law there, where all weapons in the house (including kitchen knives) are taken for "safe keeping" after *either* domestic party files a domestic violence report or if the police do it for you. The gunpowder quantities are likely a result of fire codes, which are local in nature. 'Over X" likely requires a fireproof magazine, etc.

Mistreatment of removed firearms is the norm. Typically (having seen this system at work) they will all be hang tagged with manila evidence tags that will be wired to the trigger guards (scratching them is not their worry), have backup evidence numbers written on them with a sharpie marker, and will be placed in garbage cans in an unused cell in the old jail where they will stay (and rust) until some decision is made regarding them. That's not the "former owners" worry, as he will likely never see them again.

In any event, it's a nanny-state and one where firearms are not welcome. Most of my life was spent there. I'm glad to be gone.


This really needs to end, but there's no political will *among the citizens* in NJ to do so.



Willie

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[Japle]

This kind of crap is why I left NJ in 1964 and never went back.

I grew up in Bergen county. It was bad way back then and I guess it's worse now.

I keep getting invitations to my 50th HS reunion. Not going!!

 

[Speedo66]

The last photo shows quite a few cans of black powder. No doubt there are local ordinances concerning the amount you can have in a private dwelling.

But the article also says they seized arrows. Since when are they illegal, even in NJ?

Maybe as previously stated, because of the domestic dispute?

Shame to lose all those reloading components.

 

[Frank Ettin]

Okay, I'm shutting this down.

Yes, this appears to be a deplorable event and may be well worthy of ire. But the thread is becoming a mere rant fest.

It could be interesting and worthwhile to discuss things like --

• What is the basis claimed under New Jersey law for the confiscation?
  
  
• What could reasonably be done to legally challenge the action or the underlying law?
  
  
• What details and background are missing from the linked news story?

But it doesn't look like we're going to get into any of the important and useful stuff.

Ranting about these sorts of things really doesn't get us anywhere. Understanding what was going on and why can help us deal with bad situations, bad laws, bad public policy and bad politics.