Marine pleads not guilty to charges of bringing gun on plane

"The bag had been checked without incident at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas."

I guess what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas.........

Great. Billions of dollars invested for TSA security and we net a U.S. Marine.... This is exactly what the Israeles mean when they tell us we are taking the wrong approach to security. The tell us repeatedly that, while their system and ours may seems similar on the surface, they aren't really looking for bombs - they are looking for terrorists. The screenings and checks are simply opportunities to spend a little more time with a person in order to determine if they pose a threat. They catch terrorists - we catch Marines.

DHS says the military are terrorists, so TSA naturally jumps all over a good Marine at the first opportunity. And naturally, all those he has sworn to protect are happy to jump to conclusions and convict him - because he wears a uniform. If you want an insight into why you are so afraid of him, Google "On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs" and read it. (Assuming you can concentrate long enough to read the whole thing.) Perhaps if you understand why you are so irrationally afraid of those who are willing to die for you, you might be able to start overcoming your foolishness.

"The bag had been checked without incident at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas."

I guess what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas.........

Posted by sgp April 21, 09 12:58 PM
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Without incident because he properly declared it. How convenient that part is left out of the article……

how can this guy plead not guilty? The stuff was in his bag, he didn't declare his gun, its illegal to have the rest of that stuff on a plane. There are just some things we dont need costly trials for. This one is one of those cut and dry ones to me.

leave the marines alone, I feel safer with our military armed and on my flight than I do with a Kennedy at the wheel of my car, or o- at the helm of my country.

he did declare his gun. he had the paperwork read what it said. the whole thing. He has done nothing wrong.

How can this guy plead not guilty? The stuff was in his bag, he didn't declare his gun, its illegal to have the rest of that stuff on a plane. There are just some things we dont need costly trials for. This one is one of those cut and dry ones to me.

Posted by cut and dry April 21, 09 01:26 PM
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Tried and convicted by people who will decide they know the facts when they don’t know what they are talking about. He did declare his weapon at check in.

You are definitely right about the system wasting money though. An entire costly system that nets Marines, not terrorists.

And I agree it should be cut and dry. Drop the charges and let him go home to see his family.

quark

Oh,My turn,look at me.Here I am !
Now I'm important and with my 2 cents.
What breeds discontent?

"federal baggage screeners going through his military-style backpack found a semiautomatic handgun, a fully loaded gun magazine, a grenade fuse and detonator, and model rocket engines containing explosive mixtures. The bag had been checked without incident at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas."

You have got to be kidding...I hope he was hung over or something or just somehow someway took the wrong bag from home. Marine or not, i don't if you're God, that's not something you board a commercial flight with...

"He was arrested on charges of possessing an infernal machine"
Hahahaha, what is an infernal machine ? Reminds me of a charge i read about of "menacing" , just speak plain english would ya

Great article, glad you didn't bother to post the other relevant facts like that he did make a declaration in Vegas, and only after he was arrested did TSA bother to locate the missing declaration. That only because Logan screwed up and routed his baggage to the carousel did TSA even have the need to REscreen the bag.

This is some of the most incomplete, misleading, and slanted reporting I've seen in a long time. Why don't you bother to research and report that he's received the Good Conduct Medal, Reed has also been awarded the Global War on Terrorism Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. Perhaps because you simply want to sign onto the DHS BS terrorism report?

I didn't realize Boston papers were really just cover to cover editorials and not actual reporting. The Globe and Herald are both jokes for the amount of 'reporting' that has been done on this. It's pretty sad that the Vegas news outlets have been more substantive than those 'on the scene'!

The gun wasn't in the cabin. It was in the belly of the plane where no one had access to it.

The only thing the marine did wrong was forget to notify the airline who could care less about it. It's in the belly of the plane, not the cabin and he made no attempt to sneak it in.

If he was truly going to see his wife, why did he need all that fire power with him? How many military spouses have to die before you people wake up? Is it standard military practice to have that much ammunition and weaponry on you when you are going on leave? A semiautomatic handgun, a fully loaded gun magazine, a grenade fuse and detonator, and model rocket engines containing explosive mixtures. Gosh where was his anniversary gift or a present for his kid? He does not get a free pass because he is a marine; he has to follow the rules just like everyone else.

cut and dry, you obviously missed this morning's article in which his mom spoke out and the Globe conveniently corrected themselves, in the middle, that the weapon was, indeed, checked and declared as required.

Go back to school and read up on everything before spouting off.

What about the bomb making materials? Did he declare THOSE in Vegas? Not exactly what I would call a responsible Marine. What if something set off those materials in the baggage area of the aircraft? HMMMM?

Was it all declared in Las Vegas or was it not...... If it was...... he is not guilt....lets move on......if he didnt declare it and it got past LV airport TSA then we have bigger problems..... He should serve the time....

But lets begin with reporting the story wholley....not just the parts that make it a story.....

Perhaps people should read the article again... he wasn't charged over the handgun (or so the article states).

It's a shame that this 'news' organization can't seem to post the entire story, and refuses to show the comments of those seeking to correct their 'omissions'.

Some of you people are smoking crack or something. He had a gun that he declared before he got on his flight and a backpack that he used everyday as a explosives trainer The pack was not carry on luggage. It was checked baggage. He forgot to empty the pack of these things he used in his training before heading home. So I guess he's guilty of forgetting and you know that's a bad crime.

MSM_HAH - We have been dealing with biased news reporting here for years. When Globe reporters aren't fabricating stories they are twisting the facts. The only good thing about the economic disaster is the globe will be going out of business soon enough. The few good reporters at the Globe will find work, while the rest become media liaisons for various state Reps and Senators.

This State consistently torments legal gun owners, and out of state gun owners are considered criminal until they present their Democratic National committee card. Don't sweat it. Someone at the DA will see this is a mistake by the TSA and let him off the hook.

Leave the man alone he puts he life on the line for all of us mistakes can happen. Let this man go home to his family

"If he was truly going to see his wife, why did he need all that fire power with him? How many military spouses have to die before you people wake up?"

Maybe it was a gift for a woman living alone in a state w a large crime rate? ( or maybe you are a sexist who believes only men can own guns) Maybe it was for target shooting on leave, or protection, all legal . Please stop your paranoid fantasies.

"Is it standard military practice to have that much ammunition and weaponry on you when you are going on leave? A semiautomatic handgun, a fully loaded gun magazine, a grenade fuse and detonator, and model rocket engines containing explosive mixtures. "

A semiauto pistol, magazines, ammo are legal,
grenade fuse and detonator..... if live, really require answers!
I am assuming "explosive mixture" = engine fuel, legal, but not belonging on a plane

"Gosh where was his anniversary gift or a present for his kid? "

Maybe in luggage, I'm sure State police are not going to report about a ring, necklace etc.

"He does not get a free pass because he is a marine; he has to follow the rules just like everyone else."

Yes, but you've already basically accuse him of trying to murder his wife because of his being military, so your impartiality is extremely suspect, practice what you preach

MSM_HAH,
Dude, you know that the Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal and the National Defense Service Medal is given to 99.9% of all active military members. I was an office worker in the Air Force for four years, never deployed once and still got all three of those medals.

I'm sure the young marine just made a big mistake and meant no harm to anyone. Criminally he will be left without anything serious, but when he returns to his unit he is absolutely screwed!

So is there some way we can contribute to this Marine's defense? The weapon was declared. I am assuming that the ammunition was declared as well, and we're talking about what are essentially model rocket parts-- not some bomb making equipment with the intent of blowing up the plane or anything.

To put this Marine through this type of ordeal is not only insulting, but absolutely ridiculous. Slap a fine on him if you must, but let's let the LCPL get back to his job... keeping us safe.

Dave,

Why are you noting that he was charged with smuggling a firearm and ammo in his checked luggage, when that is not what is mentioned in the story later. It is not illegal to transport a legally owned firearm and ammo in "checked luggage"!!!!! Come on, man. This is why the newspapers are losing money. Get the story correct!. Trying to bring explosive materials in checked luggage is against fed law. Come on, Daye!

According to the TSA there the Marine with the bombs DID NOT declare his handgun in Las Vegas. Furthermore, ALL the other items are ILLEGAL to bring onto an airplane, either as carry on or checked luggage. There are SIGNS all over the place. Timothy McVeigh was an ex-Marine.

"I didn't realize Boston papers were really just cover to cover editorials and not actual reporting. " - MSM_HAH

I know that a lot of people like to bash Boston but it's not like most journalists from other places had better information. The Marine Corps Times article on this had even less information. The most informed article came from a Las Vegas news paper Las Vegas Review, which reported on the declaration of guns. My guess is that local journalists have better access to enforcement agencies.

In your post, you used the word "declaration" in order to paint the marine as innocent, but purposely left out the detail that the marine only declared his guns but not the grenade and bomb making materials. The later is what is got him into trouble. Most likely this is just a dumb mistake, but unfortunately dumb mistakes is what destroys careers and this is just another example of that.

You all talk so much, but 90% of you are idiots. A marine, a gun, not a big deal...BOMB MAKING COMPONENTS! Marine or not he is an idiot. You know I am 100% pro America and our troops I have many friends that are still in the military and I happen to know that just because you are brave and willing to fight and die for this country does not make you a person who does no wrong. You can't say Bomb in an airport yet he thinks you can bring it on a plane?. Did we forget about the soldier that threw a grenade on his own men near the beginning of the war. So many uneducated people with way to much time on your hands.