Members of the New Jersey Second Amendment Society (NJ2AS) protested out front of state Senate President Stephen Sweeney's township home on Sunday over the fatal stabbing of a Berlin woman and state gun laws they claim could have saved her.
According to savejersey.com, the group believes Sweeney is "singularly to blame" because of policies that made it "impossible for Carol Bowne and other victims of domestic violence, to defend themselves."
Bowne, who was killed Wednesday after being stabbed multiple times by her ex-boyfriend, had gone to Berlin police in April to apply for a firearms permit. The township's police chief said that the process takes about two months; pro-gun groups said state criminal code requires a response from the approving authority within 30 days.
"She was ambushed. It's sad people would try to use such a tragedy," Sweeney said Monday.
Michael Eitel, 45, was found dead Saturday after he hung himself inside the Berlin home of a different ex-girlfriend. Bowne had a restraining order placed against the man who confronted her late Wednesday outside her home.
Sweeney has supported a bill that would reduce ammunition magazine capacity from 15 rounds to 10. A recall effort targeting the Democratic state senate president cited that specific policy as one of their points of contention; Sweeney said the same people attempting to empty his Senate seat were the ones outside of his home on Sunday.
Dan Roberts, a Franklin Township resident, NJ2AS member and gun rights writer who was present at Sunday's gathering, said Sweeney's reversal on magazine capacity policy in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting stood in stark contrast to past statements he apparently made.
Roberts' daughter is a nationally-acclaimed competitive shooter who testified last year before the state Assembly's Law and Public Safety Committee hearing against a bill reducing the legal limit of rounds in a firearm's magazine.
Sweeney said Monday he felt there was no connection between Bowne's murder and magazine capacity limits. Further, he added that restraining orders only wok when the subject of said order respects the law and fears the repercussions of violating it.
As for the protest, pictures posted online of signs carried by those in attendance read "Carol's life mattered. Sweeney's laws killed," and "Is 'justifiable need' now satisfied Senator Sweeney?'"
"The murder of Carol Bowne is single handily caused by Senator Sweeney's policies which delays and denies a person the right to self defense," a Facebook page organizing the event reads.
Sweeney questioned the intentions behind protesting at his home, but the group is welcome to gather there, his officer or anywhere for that matter.
In the wake of the murder, three state Senate Republicans announced a bill that would fast-track gun permit applications for those with active restraining orders.
"The tragic murder of Carol Bowne shows that there are sensible changes we should make to public safety laws to help people protect themselves," said Dawn Addiego (R-Burlington, Camden, Atlantic).
Sweeney said he would need to see the bill before commenting on it, but he too worked on efforts in the past to expedite the application process and passing such a measure doesn't automatically mean things would get done much faster.
"Police departments are under-armed and overwhelmed. I'm in complete agreement that they should modernize the system," Sweeney said.
Roberts said he has mixed feelings regarding the effort.
"I have three daughters," he said a concerned father.
However, "Now you are establishing separate classes of citizens," Roberts continued, noting that the "vast majority" of New Jersey residents with permits to carry weapons on them are in the hands of retired law enforcement members of armored vehicle drivers.
"The days of New Jersey getting away with this are numbered," he said. "At least she would have had a chance," Roberts said of the slain Berlin woman.
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