Rapper Lil Wayne cops a plea to New York gun possession charge

As detailed in this AP article, which is headlined "Lil Wayne pleads to attempted gun possession," New York's tough (and arguably unconstitutional) gun possession prohibition has brought down another celebrity.  Here are the basics:

The Grammy-winning rapper Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to attempted weapon possession on Thursday, and expects to receive a one-year jail sentence.  He previously had pleaded not guilty to illegal gun possession charges that carried at least 3 1/2 years in prison upon conviction.

Lil Wayne remains free on bail while awaiting his February sentencing. The somber-looking rapper did not speak as he left court.  Police said a gun was found on his tour bus in Manhattan in 2007....

Police pulled over Lil Wayne's tour bus in Columbus Circle on July 22, 2007. They said they had seen and smelled marijuana smoke wafting out the door before the bus left a concert venue minutes earlier.  Police said that as an officer approached, the rapper tossed away a Louis Vuitton bag containing a gun.

With so much legal uncertainty in the wake of the Supreme Court's Heller decision, I remain puzzled why prominent defendants like Plaxico Burress and Lil Wayne are apparently not even trying to press Second Amendment defenses before copping pleas that include significant jail time.  Though these defendants might not ultimately prevail on such claims, I do not fully see the down side of raising constitutional concerns in the hope of perhaps securing a more favorable plea deal.

Some related posts on the celebrity gun possession cases:

• NYC Mayor Bloomberg pushing for Plaxico Burress to get at least 3½ years in state prison, leading me to many questions
• "Main Threat to Burress Is a Sentencing Law"
• Starting to make the Second Amendment case for Plaxico Buress  
• Now that Plaxico Burress has been formally indicted for gun possession, will Second Amendment fans come to his defense?
• Why Second Amendment supporters need to be helping out Plaxico Burress
• Another prominent athlete presents another potential Second Amendment test case
• "In U.S., Record-Low Support for Stricter Gun Laws"