Pax with gun at Newark

[MarkD]

CNN star's wife caught with loaded gun at airport
http://breaking.tcm.ie/2003/01/23/story85434.html

23/01/2003 - 2:57:13 pm

The wife of CNN Moneyline host Lou Dobbs was arrested at a New Jersey airport security checkpoint after a loaded gun was found in her handbag.

Debi Dobbs, 49, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and released on bail after yesterday’s incident at Newark Liberty International Airport.

She did not tell officers why she had the gun, said Allen Morrison, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport.

Dobbs, whose husband hosts the nightly CNN business show Moneyline, lives in Sussex, New Jersey, and was at the airport to board a flight to Florida.

CNN spokeswoman Christa Robinson said Lou Dobbs was not with his wife at the airport. She said the anchor was on holiday with his family and was not available for comment.

[T_richard]

Lou Dobbs was on the Don Imus radio show this AM. He said his wife put the .25 cal. pistol in her bag sometime ago and "forgot" it was there when she went to the airport. How does a resposible person lose track of a firearm? IMHO she's an idiot, but she'll get off cuz of her hubby.

[boofhead]

But don't forget that in this case, as in the last one involving the pilot who had a gun in his flight bag (and the many, many other cases) there was no intent to use the gun.

These people are not terrorists and no crime was prevented.

The only benefit is one of education, in teaching people to be more careful to follow the rules, and teaching real criminals that it is risky to try to carry a gun. But I doubt that airport security is up to 100 percent detection (they were about 60 percent before the government took over in the USA), so there must still be many guns being carried by "stupid" people and so far this has not caused any problems. And guns are rarely used by terrorists. Don't forget that the 9/11 maniacs used boxcutters, not guns.

The latest series of hijackings used things as varied as asthma inhalers and fists. Maybe the headlines should read "two hundred and forty persons arrested when they were detected attempting to board an airliner with finger nails!"

[Lucifer]

More guns in circulation and people mislaying them is precisely why fewer should be in circulation and not more. Anywhere. Ignorance is not an excuse for negating your responsibility in possession of such a device.

Rant over.

[Airbubba]

>>How does a resposible person lose track of a firearm?

I dunno but it's a common news story these days:


http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2002/11/12/ke111202s312141.htm

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/4997991.htm

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/12/28/archive/main322630.shtml

http://www.naplesnews.com/02/12/florida/d857789a.htm

http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/12/30/airport.gun/

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/082602/new_20020826023.shtml

http://thepost.baker.ohiou.edu/archives3/oct01/102501/b4.html

[JW411]

boofhead:

"...there must still be many guns carried by stupid people..."

Stupid people simply should not be allowed to have guns in the first place. Indeed, some of us would reckon that sensible people shouldn't need to carry guns either.

Anyway, I am sure that Lou Dobbs is going to be delighted to hear that you reckon his wife is stupid. On the other hand, he might be the first to agree with you!

[Bubbette]

I imagine it would not be so difficult---you come home from work, or wearever, empty, or don't empty your purse, pockets, etc, and forget where it is. Kind of like with keys, but you need them, so you make the effort to find them!

[beardy]

Boofhead,

If no crime was comitted why is she being charged with criminal possesion? Perhaps you don't consider it a crime, but that won't change the statute book, nor is her ignorance any excuse. She deserves everything coming to her, weapons should not be treated so lightly.

[cwatters]

> But don't forget that in this case, as in the last one involving
> the pilot who had a gun in his flight bag (and the many, many
> other cases) there was no intent to use the gun.

So thats ok then? If Mr A Terrorist gets stopped at security he just has to say.. oops I forgot it was in my handbag, silly me, let me go and I promise not to do it again.

Did she remember to put the safety on or forget that as well?

[boofhead]

I have to remember that everyone does not have the time to read the posts thoroughly...

If the person was prevented from boarding with the gun, then even if they had an intention to use it in a crime they were stopped. In these particular cases those persons had no intention of using the gun, and therefore did not intend to, nor did they, commit a crime with the gun. ie they did not brandish the gun, fire it or threaten anyone. OK?

What they are guilty of is bringing the gun into a place where such carriage is restricted, and in some cases might be guilty of having an unregistered or unlicenced gun. It appears that the pilot concerned was appropriately licenced, but maybe Mrs Dobbs was not?

There are a lot of items that are forbidden for carriage on an airplane and they all should be treated seriously.

[bealine]

IMHO if someone carries a gun, then they have every intention of using it!

(What is the purpose of carrying a gun otherwise?)