"Comic" Arrested at SFO Security Checkpoint

[Airbubba]

Looks like he'll miss his gig with Seinfeld.... .. .________________________________________________. .. .Comic Kevin Meaney Arrested in Scuffle at SF Airport . .. .Mon Mar 4, 2:36 PM ET . .. .SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Comic Kevin Meaney, who has appeared with Tom Hanks and numerous late night talk shows, was arrested at San Francisco International Airport Sunday after he allegedly grabbed the butt of a gun held by a National Guardsman, officials said. . .. . . .Meaney, 45, was taken into custody Sunday after security officials noticed he was filming an airport security checkpoint with a video camera -- which is banned by federal law. . .. ."He got rather belligerent, loud or rude," Sgt. Larry Ratti, an airport police spokesman, said Monday. "That's when the National Guard began talking to him." . .. .Ratti said that Meaney's wife then went through a security checkpoint, and set off its sensor, causing officials to ask her to submit to a secondary security screening. . .. ."She lifted up her blouse and showed her bra to the screeners, which got (Meaney) even more upset," Ratti said. "He got into a little jostling match with the National Guard, and at some point his hand came into contact with the butt of the gun." . .. .Ratti emphasized that there was no indication that Meaney was trying to "grab" the gun and described the scuffle as minor. . .. .Nevertheless, Meaney was booked into the San Mateo County Jail on a felony charge of attempting to take a firearm from a police officer, as well as two misdemeanor charges of battery and disturbing the peace. . .. .A spokeswoman for the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said Meaney had been released on bail and was due to appear in court in South San Francisco on April 8. . .. .Meaney appeared with Tom Hanks in the 1988 film "Big", starred in the CBS sitcom "Uncle Buck" and has appeared on a number of late night television shows.

[PaperTiger]

From the press reports it appears this comedian was being a pr1ck, so no sympathy from me.. .Better amend the charge though, since the National Guard are not 'police officers' (ie not deputized).. .. .More exasperating was the incident at L.A. where a fake (plastic) grenade and its owner were caught at the security check and yet it was still deemed necessary to evacuate the terminal !!

[AtlPax]

You're right - National Guardsmen are not police officers. With the way things are in this world right now, he's lucky he didnt get shot! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> . .. .Even in "normal" times, reaching for a police officer's or a soldier's gun is not a very smart thing to do. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="mad.gif" />

[Check 6]

Wrong gentlemen! In California, National Guardsmen are Peace Officers. . .. .California Penal Code 830.4 . .. .The following persons are peace officers whose authority extends to any place in the state for the purpose of performing their duties under the conditions as specified by statute. . . (a) Members of the California National Guard have the powers of peace officers when they are involved in any or all of the following:. . (1) Called or ordered into active state service by the Governor pursuant to the provisions of Section 143 or 146 of the Military and Veterans Code.. . (2) Serving within the area wherein military assistance is required.. . (3) Directly assisting civil authorities in any of the situations specified in Section 143 or 146.. . . . <small>[ 05 March 2002, 07:45: Message edited by: Check 6 ]</small>

[Lucifer]

Still begs the question of what use a rifle is - its really easy to draw and fire in a confined space isn't it. Eveyone would be less nervy with real police officers, and armed plainclothes doing a more effective job. And everyone is less jumpy.. .. .What a pratt nonetheless.

[Tripower455]

The effectiveness of a rifle for "scarecrow" duty is moot. In CA the NG firearms are NOT loaded!

[Check 6]

Tripower455, they are in fact loaded. However, if they were not loaded, would it be very responsible to tell the world that fact? . .. .Very patriotic of you sir. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

[t'aint natural]

Paper Tiger:. ."From the press reports it appears this comedian was being a pr1ck, so no sympathy from me.". .If you approach life from the standpoint that press reports are always, always wrong, you will seldom be disappointed. It would be unwise to base a decision on whether to sympathise on what you read in the papers.

[PaperTiger]

Well, yes. Hence the rider.. .. .I thought the NG who shot himself in the @rse was in California, but I can't find the story now.

[Aerienne]

Oh come on Check G, if the guns where not loaded and Tripower445 was correct in knowing this, don't you think terrorists who are capable of hijacking three airliners and flying two of them with deadly accuracy into twin buildings within minutes of each other, might find this out too? Your 'unpatriotic' comment smacks of MacCarthyism, which worryingly seems to be a trend in the US at the moment.