Police Retaliation? 71-Year-Old New Yorker Facing Weapons Charges

October 26, 2012

A 71-year-old New York man is currently facing charges of possessing dangerous weapons. The weapons at issue are not dangerous semi-automatic guns. In fact, the weapons in question are not even guns, switchblade knives, or brass knuckles.

Instead, according to the Huffington Post, the man received the weapons charges because a penknife and commemorative, miniature baseball bat were found within his vehicle.

The man facing these weapons charges, Joseph "Jazz" Hayden, has a reputation in his community as a civil rights advocate. Many members of this community are supporting his fight against these charges, arguing that the police department and court system are pushing for prosecution because of Mr. Hayden's civil rights work.

A Fight Against the System

Mr. Hayden has a master's degree in theology and lectures throughout the country on civil rights and the failings of the country's current prison system. He has a long history of personal experiences to pull from to fuel these lectures. Mr. Hayden has spent almost 20 years in prison for various charges, including time served for what was later determined to be a wrongful conviction.

During his time in prison, Mr. Hayden joined various groups and began to believe that mass incarceration was holding back the advances made by the civil rights movement. As a result, his civil rights work focuses on exposing the failings of the criminal justice system, primarily by posting videos that are intended to depict evidence of these failings online.

Currently, Mr. Hayden's work is focused on the controversial stop-and-frisk practices being used in New York. His supporters argue that the weapons charges and prosecution of Mr. Hayden are nothing more than an effort by police to retaliate against Mr. Hayden for attempting to expose negative police activity.

Weapons Charges in New York

Mr. Hayden is fighting against these charges, not just because they seem unjust, but because weapons charges in New York can come with harsh penalties. As a result, it is important to take such charges seriously. Charges associated with weapons possession range from misdemeanors to felonies, depending on the situation.

Even a first offense with no previous criminal record can result in prison time. As noted in the case above, charges do not just include guns. Weapons charges may issue for possession of various forms of knives, metal knuckles, sand bags, clubs and slingshots.

Navigating New York's complex weapons possession laws can be difficult. If you or a loved one is charged with a weapons possession crime, it is important to contact an experienced weapons lawyer to better ensure your legal rights are protected.

Article provided by Bruce Yerman, Attorney at Law
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