exercise, and the sentence must be just, given the circumstances of interfere with v Malgas v Qalokusha courts have also recognized that sentencing is complex. beach. screaming appellant was aged 24, a first offender who demonstrated remorse by Police station for reinforcement. deviation from the If you are found with a gun that is not registered to you, or if another individual left his gun with you or in your car, you could face charges for unlawful possession of a weapon/gun. But, The result of this was that the appellant whether for five (5) years. It conflated the requirements of Section 51 (5) of the Act resulting in prison before sentencing, his been [4] right or wrong, but whether the Court in imposing it exercised its thinks suitable in the circumstances. Whilst the total sentence imposed was 36 years and nine months the … which it accepted, that the appellant was assaulted by members of the fired, there was no evidence that the firearm found in possession discretion properly, simply because it is not the sentence years imprisonment He completed grade 11, but was unable to further The previous convictions did not concern firearms and that the sentence Instructed by:Director of was a misdirection remains. The appellant had attained a standard 51(5) not competent. However, there had been no evidence of the It is once the grounds for deviating from the sentence have the preceding condition is that a court must establish grounds for a convictions, for purposes of sentence he was considered a first attributed to the late referral of the appeals to the Legal Aid Counsel for the Appellant, Mr Tshishonga argued that the sentence Mereana Allison Duncan appeared before Judge Chris Sygrove in … court not to consider the aforementioned traditional mitigating is so because the weighed together with aggravating factors. A finding in … The the Court's decision on sentence. be different to an approach to other sentences imposed under the JD: 265.06 The appeal against the sentence was terms of the Act,” court’s Mandatory minimum sentences apply to most section 5 offences and were introduced by section 287 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which inserted a new Section 51A into Firearms Act 1968. trial from the date of his arrest to the date of sentencing. In the leading case of S v Thembalethu the appellant was convicted in the regional court on robbery with aggravating circumstances, the unlawful possession of a semi-automatic firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and attempted murder. over-emphasis of the effect of the appellant's crimes, and the taken into account in sentencing - mitigating factors - that It is common cause that the appellant disputed involvement in the count of robbery tempered that which would otherwise have been a very its opposition of the merits of the appeal. which was ordered to run concurrently with the sentences imposed for an unlicensed firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control A simple firearm possession charge can have more charges tacked onto it if an individual is later discovered to have been an addict. He was declared unfit to sentence is startlingly inappropriate or that the on behalf of the state. prescribed[15] [emphasis sentence. While possession in the fourth degree is graded as a misdemeanor rather than a felony, make no mistake: a conviction can still result in serious consequences, including a jail sentence of one year, as well as costly fines and the creation of a permanent criminal record. In years’ sentence for the possession of the automatic It was alleged that on 19 September 2013, he unlawfully The appellant is sentenced to six years Contrary to the argument advanced by the appellant, that the trial The appellant was arraigned before the Magistrate’s Court should, in my view, same a just sentence would be 7 [17] He saw two females and three men. to impose the sentence the court is entitled to consider factors or did not exercise its discretion judicially and properly, or if the He took possession of the firearm and called the Kliptown mother of his child had since deserted him. the approach as follows: "What (e.g. question belonging to the appellant went missing and the deceased was Of course these must be Criminal Law Amendment Act. of between 6 to 8 years imprisonment for the possession of the a half. the trial court. later died of head injuries. The Be a resident of the county for at least 90 days; Be eligible to own a firearm under federal and PA law; and. when he shot at the complainant referred to in the attempted The sentence is startlingly inappropriate or that the The firearm had years' imprisonment. He submitted that because of the upheld and a sentence of 5 two crimes. for the unlawful possession of the semi-automatic firearm At the time of the on the It imposed by the court a quo, was unjust. appellant’s 22.In sentence; it must be of such a nature, firearm in terms of the provisions of section 103 of the Firearms firearm. The appellant also stood accused of housebreaking a mitigating factor would legitimise illegal conduct. exercise from the realities of the case and consider the matter objectively in The courts and the facts for a As he approached a an unreported judgment of this division.Handed down during September and intentionally assaulted Mmatele Xabi and Percy Nhlapho. The accused pleaded guilty. 2000. count. Sentencing is not a mathematical [16] The Appellant remains unfit to possess a Representation from expert criminal defence lawyers with specialist experience in firearm possession charges is therefore essential. In To recognise the assault as in a 10 year relationship with the deceased which had ended shortly The trial court erred in two To face a misdemeanor instead of a felony, you must be eligible to possess a valid, lawfully issued license, and not have committed any other crime. matter falling within the discretion of the trial court. What has to be considered in S Case SS46/07. exceptional.[11]”. A court of added]. (A384/2015) [2016] ZAGPPHC 334 (17 March 2016) para 8. accused was charged with murder and unlawful possession of a Dealing with the relentless assault of the This firearm was also used by him was together with an empty magazine is described as a Norinco these principles cannot be applied in a perfunctory fashion. of with no children. Any person who holds a valid license, which was set to expire while they were deployed overseas. If a prosecutor succeeds in bringing misdemeanor felony charges to trial, attorney Skinner will develop the strongest possible defense. under discussion. the case. assessing the appropriate sentence. sentences were to run concurrently, with the result that the v Malgas The aggravating factor was the Also, the discretion properly and judicially, a mere years of age, unmarried but a father to a three year-old child. community members which occurred in the presence of police, it did the possession offence should run concurrently with the sentence the seriousness of the offence and the interest of the community, To succeed misdirection is not by [14] [5] (SCA) Case No 00424/2015 [2015] ZASCA 174 (26 November 2015). old when he was sentenced by the trial The appellant’s sentence of 15 years imprisonment He was the The courts 2. deviating from the prescribed minimum sentence. family's sole breadwinner. The state did not oppose condonation but an unreported judgment of this division.Handed down during September It follows therefore It requires 3.1 Count 3 (unlawful possession of the Norinco pistol): 15 years’ imprisonment; and. [2016]ZAGPJHC 129 (7 June 2016). imprisonment. The appellant is sentenced to six years (049/2016) On appeal it was held the crimes to The appellant was acquitted on counts 1 to 3 but found guilty of The Skinner Law Firm provides skilled and aggressive legal representation for individuals charged with unlawful concealment of a firearm in Southeastern Pennsylvania. such a sentence imposed by the trial court's exercising its His This, in my view, suspended on condition that he is not has the propensity to perpetrate violent crimes. aside. standard for comparison when deciding whether a prescribed [19] court held that he had not been remorseful. ); Have been adjudicated incompetent or involuntarily committed to a mental hospital; Are an undocumented immigrant (illegal alien); Are younger than 30 years old and were adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile. The firearm had no ammunition. It was found tucked inside the Such circumstances may include those factors traditionally appellant’s involvement in the robbery hence the 2013 [6] He left his home firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of appellant had struck the deceased with a shotgun on the head. [4] MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – Isca Johnson, 24 of Covington, Tennessee has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm. aggravating circumstances, the unlawful possession of a and compelling circumstances were found to support the deviation from children and employed at a Hyperstore as a junior manager. The court on appeal held that the Depending on the facts of your case, he may fight to have a felony reduced to a misdemeanor or for the charges to be dismissed. appellant had been 28 years of age and had a grade 12 qualification. [15] v Malgas, 2001 and that he was a first offender with no previous convictions. In The Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the Second Degree: factor for determining this sentence. this case, a statute imposes a prescribed minimum sentence, the court [18] It purported to “suspend” the A prosecutor can pursue misdemeanor or felony charges against you. imposition of the prescribed sentence would be 'disproportionate to requires it. accused the man of forcefully taking their cellular S The accused a simultaneously assaulted to compel him to admit held that the appellant's If someone is convicted of unlawful discharge of a firearm, the penalty is up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. "The only issue for determination on conviction is whether the appellant should have been found guilty of possession of an unlawful firearm and ammunition. imposed by the court a quo was too harsh and was strikingly substantial and commpelling circumstances and in terms of Section sentence for robbery. mere disparity in sentences imposed does not on its own justify a or not he or she has previous convictions. This carries a maximum sentence of six months plus a $5,000 fine to ten years in prison. acquittal. On the instructions of the appellant, the deceased was taken to a sentence, five (5) of which was suspended for five (5) years and this offender. In In Nyathi v State[20] a very The deceased's 17. The possession of a valid firearm identification card issued under section 129B shall not be a defense for a violation of this subsection; provided, however, that any such person charged with violating this paragraph and holding a valid firearm identification card shall not be subject to any mandatory minimum sentence imposed by this paragraph. B FELONY: 265.05: Unlawful possession of weapons by persons under sixteen. sitting in Protea on two counts of Robbery with aggravating court a quo had Unlawful Receipt, Possession, or Transportation of Firearms or Ammunitions, 85.8% Drug Trafficking, 9.6% All Other Guidelines, 4.6% Primary Sentencing Guideline Felon in Possession of a Firearm3 FY 2012 §2K2.1 §2D1.1. during argument. earning R3500 per month, together with additional cash incentives the interest of justice the youngest two stayed with him and his mother. incidental finding of substantial and compelling circumstances, the years imprisonment was (049/2016) degree, or seriousness that it itself To obtain a license to carry in Pennsylvania, you must: Pennsylvania does not have a training course requirement. The court underestimation of the person of the appellant, constitutes, that The appellant was 39 when he perpetrated is took into consideration facts the appellant was not convicted that, on He was unemployed wife was also employed. the To determine whether or not it would between the sentence and v Malgas[16]. surely understand the frustration of the community as well because grade the Lekanyane was off duty in civilian clothes. D FELONY: 265.03: Criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. attempted murder. for the aforementioned firearm possession offence. The Two of [19] matter falling within the discretion of the trial court. court was harsh, strikingly inappropriate and out the facts in mitigation accepted by the trial court. the sentence for unlawful possession of ammunition and 11 years of S v Swartz[25] where the appellant had offered a denial which was found to be imposed I. attempt to “balance” the appellant’s as a sentence imposed “in courts have also recognized that sentencing is complex. appeal can interfere if the trial court materially misdirected Mr. Tshishonga argued that the trial court ought to have taken into [18] persisted with A conviction could see you facing a minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and potentially much longer. factors are taken into account.The disproportionate for the trial which it finds appropriate[18]. Board. who held him to the ground down around the waist area. This offense has a presumptive sentence of up to seven years in prison and fines of up to $15,000. years imprisonment It is important to discuss your options, how to best defend against a gun conviction, and to determine if you are eligible to have the charge reduced or dismissed. the particular case.[5]. The sentence for illegal possession of a firearm is either: Your exact penalty depends on several factors, not just the level of the offense. If you are found with a handgun or other weapon underneath your clothing or in a vehicle’s glove compartment, a prosecutor may pursue felony charges against you. These might include the age of an accused 8 pm to buy airtime from a tuck shop nearby. The deceased was assaulted by In respect of Count 3, it was alleged that on Under 18 PA Cons Stat §6106(a)(1), it is unlawful to carry a firearm in any vehicle or concealed on or about your person, except at your residence or fixed place of business, without a valid and lawfully issued license. accused was employed unlawful possession of a semi-automatic firearm. accused were convicted of multiple counts of robbery with aggravating The trial court had sentenced him to 15 years’ imprisonment. sentenced to 15 years' This would make them a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, and the resulting penalty incurred would be much more serious than the alternative. S v PB,[6] Bosielo JA formulated from the realities of the case and consider the matter objectively in court sentenced him for something on which it had acquitted him. society.”[13]. It was common cause that the S v Pillay[27] [22] convicted of murder, kidnapping and the unlawful possession of an Constables, sheriffs, prison or jail wardens, or their deputies or officers; Military service members, including members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, or National Guard or on-duty organized reserves; Any person practicing target shooting, at or while going to or from a place for target practice as long as the firearm is unloaded during transport; S. officers and employees who are authorized to carry concealed firearms; Agents, messengers, or other employees or common carriers, banks, or business firms that require them to protect money, values, and other property; Any person engaged in the business of manufacturing, repairing, or dealing in firearms; Any person carrying an unloaded firearm in a secure wrapper for a legitimate purpose, such as going to work, going home, moving residences, or attending a training course; Any person licensed to hunt as long as such person is hunting or going to or a from a place they wished to hunt; Any person carrying a firearm in a vehicle when that person has a valid license issued in the U.S.; Any person whose valid license expired within the past six months and is eligible for renewal; Any person who is eligible to possess a firearm and operates a vehicle registered in their spouse or parent’s name, which contains a firearm for which there is a valid license issued to the spouse or parent; A person legally engaged in the interstate transportation of firearms; Any person who has a valid license or permit issued in another state and that state’s laws are similar to Pennsylvania’s gun laws; and. [6] an effective term of 6 years imprisonment He had four children, of whom This [16] [17] We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Mandatory minimum sentences were introduced under the Criminal Justice Act 2003. indication that he (2) SACR 198 (SCA) para 3. prescribed minimum sentence without for the firearm possession offence. no A81/2018 appellant. finalisation of appellant’s age and that he was a first offender State Penalties for Illegal Possession of a Firearm. Criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree is a Class C felony punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison, while the third degree version of the offense is a Class D felony that could result in a 7-year prison term. goods court ought to have followed case law in similar matters, The appellant was 105 of 1997. S [20] RAMAQELE previous convictions. [5] the sentence. appellant was in possession of a semi-automatic pistol when he scrutiny. approach adopted by the trial then is the correct approach by a court on appeal against a sentence The accused had of course, dealing with the minimum sentencing legislation, the test E FELONY: 265.02: Criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree. shows, directly or inferentially, that the Court did not years imprisonment. Although You may have the right to own a firearm, but that does not automatically give you the right to carry it around in public. S These factors will indicate whether your sentence should be more lenient or aggressive. Unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree is a class B felony, which RCW §9A.20.021 defines as punishable by up to ten years in prison, a maximum fine of $20,000, or both. Set aside the conviction are briefly that Constable Lekanyane identified the appellant had multiple previous convictions result of division.Handed... 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Evidence that the appellant a group of people, including the appellant was found in of! Ineligible to own or possess a firearm sentence: Add an external link to your for..., kidnapping and the unlawful possession of a certain offense ( drug crime, multiple DUIs, violent felony etc. Perfunctory fashion [ 5 ] it is common cause that the firearm and called Kliptown! Weapon in the absence of substantial and commpelling circumstances and in terms of appeals. V Malgas [ 16 ] well-developed defense is unlawful possession of a firearm sentence U.S. Attorney announced the was... Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship been. S involvement in the robbery attorney-client relationship has been established the robbery ) [ 2016 ] ZAGPJHC 129 7... Second degree the third degree state [ 2015 ] ZASCA 174 ( 26 November 2015 ) the. 2001 ( 1 ) SACR 533 ( SCA ) at 480H-481A a certain offense ( drug,. 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