Carol Bowne knew she had to be responsible for her own safety: A restraining order, security cameras and an alarm were all in place when the ex-boyfriend she feared stabbed her to death in her own driveway. What wasn’t in place was the only expedient likely to matter against her violent, vastly larger and stronger assailant—a personally owned firearm.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie—now a presidential candidate—has created a commission to study the ponderous process that failed Carol Bowne: Her application for a permit had been pending nearly seven weeks when she was killed. The three-person New Jersey Firearm Purchase and Permitting Study Commission will review changes to New Jersey’s gun laws, including a 14-day expedited cycle for applicants like Bowne.
We applaud the governor’s action, though with modern background checks a 14-day wait still seems absurd. The study commission has been instructed to report its recommendations to Christie within 90 days.
