NJ Governor Chris Christie asked to pardon man with seven-year jail sentence for gun law violations

While New Jersey and Colorado are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to conventional gun laws (all someone needs in Colorado is an FBI background check), the Garden State allows exemptions if a person is moving between residences. During the trial, Aitken’s mother testified her son was moving out. Aitken’s friend testified he was moving in with him in the town of Hoboken.

According to Aitken’s lawyer, Evan Nappen, when the jury requested Morley inform them of the exemption statute, the judge refused to do so.

“I think it’s a travesty for a number of reasons,” Clark Neily, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, told The Daily Caller. “I think that New Jersey gun laws, specifically ones about concealed carry are blatantly unconstitutional … no other constitutional right is left up to unfettered discretion of a government official.”

“The second problem,” Neily added, “is that a law-abiding citizen should not have to prove they have some imminent need to exercise their constitutional right.”

Tim Lynch, president of the Cato Institute’s Project on Criminal Justice, agreed. “This is a guy who seemed at every step, was trying to do the right thing,” he told TheDC. “This was an overreaction from arrest to prosecution … seems to be an exercise of extremely poor judgment.”

“When you look at it from the totality … no serious person could think that he’s [Aitken] a criminal, that he was doing anything other than trying to take his lawful possessions and move with them to New Jersey,” Neily said. “What else was he supposed to do with them?”

Both Lynch and Neily said without hesitation that Christie should pardon Aitken. Neily even went so far as to say this single issue could change his entire opinion of Christie – someone he has so far supported.

“If he fails to step in, I will absolutely change my position on him in a heartbeat,” said Neily. “This is the time to put up or shut up. Governor Christie has to decide he’s going to walk the walk on this one.”

“Governors are given this responsibility,” added Lynch, “and this seems to be Exhibit A of a person who is deserving of a pardon. He could really, not only correct an injustice in this case, but he could show other governors how it’s done.”

When contacted by TheDC, a spokesperson for Christie confirmed the governor is aware of the case, and a formal application for pardon had been received. He declined to comment any further.