Arrested in NJ.. The Garden State

Outrage Of The Week

Gun owner Gregg C. Revell was flying from Salt Lake City, UT, to Allentown, PA, by way of Minneapolis, MN, and Newark, NJ. Revell had an unloaded firearm that was legally checked in his luggage, which he was to pick up upon his arrival in Allentown.

That was the plan, but things soon went awry. Revell's flight into Newark was delayed, causing him to miss his connecting flight to Allentown. He was able to book a seat on the next flight, but that course of action was changed by the airline. He then tried to take a bus, but his luggage didn't make it to the bus on time. He retrieved his luggage, but missed the bus. With no more connections to Allentown until the following morning, Revell went (with his luggage, of course) directly to, and stayed the night at, the Airport Sheraton Hotel. By this time, Revell had been through a lot, but his real trouble was just beginning.

The next morning, Revell returned with his luggage directly to the airport. He checked his luggage and, as he was supposed to, told the agent that he had an unloaded firearm stored in a locked case in his luggage. It was at this point that Revell's destination changed from Allentown to a Newark jail cell. He was arrested on the spot because New Jersey law requires a permit to possess a handgun (and also bans the hollow-point ammunition that Revell also had in a separate locked container in his luggage), and as soon as Revell's luggage became "readily accessible" to him (in this case, when he took possession of his luggage to go to the hotel) he violated state law..........

After spending four days in a Newark jail cell, Revell was released on bail. Revell was eventually cleared of all charges, but he didn't get his firearm and other property back until almost three years later.

With help from the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund, Revell sued for damages related to his unjust arrest and detention (as a violation of his civil rights), but lost, with the U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit's finding that Revell was not covered under FOPA's narrowly defined safe harbor provision.

See the full story here

H/T to Nova Townhall