Man In Florida Accused Of Trying To Use Potato As Silencer

Local 6 (Florida) ^ | June 3, 2006

[Stoat]

Man In Florida Accused Of Trying To Use Potato As Silencer

 

POSTED: 11:43 pm EDT June 3, 2006

UPDATED: 11:54 pm EDT June 3, 2006

 

MIAMI -- A man is accused of putting a potato on the barrel of a gun, believing the spud would act as a silencer and muffle the shooting of a woman, according to Miami-Dade police.

Police said Shane Thompson carved a hole in a potato with a spoon, stuck his gun inside and threatened to shoot the mother of his child. Thompson reportedly told her that no one would hear the shot, because of the potato's silencing qualities. Police said he never fired the potato-tipped gun, but instead hit the woman several times. Thompson has been charged with false imprisonment, aggravated assault and battery.

While spuds are nutritious, the silencer potato is an urban legend dating to the 1920s. Thompson apparently isn't alone in believing the myth. A Miami-Dade financial advisor was convicted in the early 1990s for shooting one of his clients to death with a gun topped with a potato.

Crime scene technicians found the potato under her body.

[Stoat]

I hadn't heard of this urban legend before, but hopefully the perp will be sent away for a very long time to a place where he will be able to find out firsthand whether the stories about gang rape in prisons are true. I understand that peeling potatoes in prison is a popular pastime, and so hopefully he will be properly educated as to the official, intended uses of our good friend the Spud, Idaho's Pride.

Please be cordially reminded that Free Republic is a family-friendly website, and so any postings of potatoes in an obscene context or in suggestive poses will be instantly reported to the Administrator.

Thank you for your attention.

[ZinGirl]

hit the woman several times.

with the potato?

[bkepley]

--I hadn't heard of this urban legend before

I've heard it.

[ZinGirl]

hmmm...maybe stoat hadn't 'heard' this urban legend before because someone had put a potato around it.

;)

[generalhammond]

[Stoat]

with the potato?

Unfortunately, crucial details such as those pertaining to your question were omitted from this woefully short news story.  It is said that the potato was found under the woman's body and so I'm guessing that she was hit with something else, because for her to fall on the object that was used to hit her might be a somewhat difficult maneuver, although that's just my idle musing.

I would imagine also that for an otherwise healthy person to be injured so badly as to cause her to fall unconscious, as is suggested by the story, it would take a fair amount of force.  Such force would, I'm guessing, most likely render a typical potato into a more or less mashed state.

[Stoat]

I have had several of those whilst engaged in the meanderings of my generally-misspent youth. I have been impressed by their utililty and accuracy and legendary ability to upset any cleanliness-conscious adults in the vicinity.

[dennisw]

I think a watermelon or a giant taco would make a good silencer.

[Stoat]

hmmm...maybe stoat hadn't 'heard' this urban legend before because someone had put a potato around it.

;)

Perhaps 'silencing' an urban legend is the ten-thousand and first use of our friend the Potato?   :-)

hmmm...maybe stoat hadn't 'heard' this urban legend before because someone had put a potato around it.

;)

[Stoat]

I think a watermelon or a giant taco would make a good silencer.

I'm thinking that you're definitely onto something, although the testing process would likely be a bit messy.  Furthermore, any thoughts of concealment, particularly with the watermelon option, should be dispensed with at the outset    :-)

[Truth29]

From a CSI episode: How about an empty water bottle?

[Paladin2]

"Is that a watermelon in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?"

[killjoy]

Please be cordially reminded that Free Republic is a family-friendly website, and so any postings of potatoes in an obscene context or in suggestive poses will be instantly reported to the Administrator.

Your comment is more bizare than the actual news article. I don't even want to know....

[Grut]

The 'potato-silencer' showed up in an episode of the TV series "Shaft" back in the early 70s. On a rifle, no less!

[beyond the sea]

Man In Florida Accused Of Trying To Use Potato As Silencer

.... could have mashed them first.

;-)

[Socratic]

I've heard that in China, the peasant mafia use egg-rolls for this purpose. Of course, I could also be lying.

[Stoat]

 

The 'potato-silencer' showed up in an episode of the TV series "Shaft" back in the early 70s. On a rifle, no less!

 

When moviemakers uses silencers (of any sort) on rifles, you just have to roll your eyes and try to avoid thinking about physics.

Can potatoes be regarded as Soul Food?  I honestly don't know

AdvancedSpuds - Potato Gun Silencer - Spud Guns - Your source for spudgun information!

 

[Malsua]

Anything that captures the gases and muffles the report of a firearm will reduce the "Signature". The issue is how much.

[Grut]

When moviemakers uses silencers (of any sort) on rifles...

My favorite is in books, where somebody slips the safety of his silenced .44 Magnum off....

[Stoat]

FYI..

 

There exists a Spudgun / Potato Gun webring on the internet (I am reminding myself that there is most likely a webring pertaining to ANYTHING).

It's a ring of enthusiasts who view potatoes not so much as food items, but as projectiles.  Here is the spud cannon webring home page

WebRing hub