No Federal Charges for Atlanta Football Fan in Airport Security Breech

Newsday ^ | 11/18/01

[11th Earl of Mar]

ATLANTA -- A man who dashed through a security checkpoint at the nation's busiest airport, forcing officials to halt flights and evacuate passengers, will not face federal charges, prosecutors said Monday.

Michael Lasseter did not violate any federal laws because he did not board an airplane, and because the screening station guards are not federal agents, said Patrick Crosby, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office.

[kaboom]

Punishment - Community service at the airport while wearing a bright T-shirt saying something like "I am a moron. I am more important that you and I can do whatever I want. That is why I get to wear this neat T-shirt."

[Moonman62]

I believe he left his son on the plane, which left while he was busy searching the terminal for his camera bag. (I'd like to know the name of the bank that employs this mental giant.)

IIRC, he left his son with an adult family member. What's stupid is he thought his camera would be where he left it. He should have taken his medicine and chanced it with lost and found when he got back.

[FReepaholic]

>>...Michael Lasseter did not violate any federal laws because he did not board an airplane, and because the screening station guards are not federal agents,...<<

One of the reports quoted National Guardsmen on the scene as saying they are not allowed to "touch passengers".

If this is so, it is true then that they are only "window dressing".

Typical of our "protectors" in the Federal government.

[Dick Bachert]

I agree. The MORONS here are the fools -- in Washington and the airlines head offices -- who REFUSE to allow pilots to arm themselves so they can provide that last line of defense should folks like this guy NOT be so innocent but will scramble F-16s to blow the planes and their human cargo out of the sky.

Now THAT'S F**KING STUPID!!!

[heleny]

innocent, but stupid, crime

If he spirited some guns and knives past security and then passed the weapons on to someone who had cleared security (so he wouldn't be found carrying any weapons), would it still be an innocent crime?

[Prodigal Son]

He comitted a criminal act and should be going to jail for a very long time. He ran pass two guards and went down a up escalator, just to avoid going through a security checkpoint at the airport. This guy should't be around normal people because he too stupid. He needs to be locked for his own good.

I guess I've been away a long time. When did running down an up escalator become a crime in the USA? I've done it more than a few times. But then I was doing it just to save time and this guy was trying to blow up the world? For that matter, when did being stupid become a crime?

[kaboom]

"One of the reports quoted National Guardsmen on the scene as saying they are not allowed to "touch passengers".

I recall hearing that National Guardsmen can be deputized (or something to that effect) and that will give them policeman type authority. The rest are just window dressing and could be held personally accountable for their actions.

[kosta50]

American citizen who wasn't trying to hurt anyone

He could have done a smart thing and asked a security agent to help him with his emergency. But, the me-me-me way of thinking got the better of this fine American citizen, so he figured, "what the hell," I come first...come hell or high water.

He may not have hurt anyone physically, but think of the weddings some people missed, the birthdays, the funerals, the reunions. All because of this fine American citizen.[What does his citizenship have to do with anything here anyway?]

Think of all the inconvenience, anxiety and a day from hell he caused thousands of people and think of all the monetary damage he did to individuals and local, state and federal governments.

No, I think he hurt an awful lot of people, FITZ, in more than one way. And he needs to pay for this -- every friggin cent, for lost wages, for tax dollars wasted, for mental anguish he caused. There should be 10,000 civil suits against this guy -- as an example for others like him (do we have any here?) not to try this trick again.

[KSCITYBOY]

There should be a TV ad as part of the anti-terror campaign. This guy should be made to be the star of the AD. It should show him standing in line at a security check point picking his nose and thinking "I'm much too important to be waiting here like everyone else". Then the camera shows him running up a unguarded down escalator to circumvent the security check. The next scene pictures a armed security agent yelling at him to stop, when he doesn't the guard opens fire and the guy drops to the ground in a bloody heap. During the ad a narator does the credit card ad narative: "Airfare to the big game $200" - "Tickets on the 50 yard line $350" - "Being smart enough to follow the rules like other people" PRICELESS

[11th Earl of Mar]

Personally, I dont think jail time is appropriote, but neither is $1000 fine quite enough. I think something in the $5k-$10k range is much more appropriote.

Don't worry. His lawyer will make up the difference.

[freedomlover]

Punishment - Community service at the airport while wearing a bright T-shirt saying something like "I am a moron. I am more important that you and I can do whatever I want. That is why I get to wear this neat T-shirt."

Hey - he was wearing a UGA football T-shirt - what's the dif? ;)

[11th Earl of Mar]

If he spirited some guns and knives past security and then passed the weapons on to someone who had cleared security (so he wouldn't be found carrying any weapons), would it still be an innocent crime?

But he did not commit a crime with weapons in your example. So your 'if/then' hypothosis is false from the start.

So next time you get pulled over for speeding, maybe the cop should assume you are guilty of more serious crimes. "I shot you because you could have been hiding a mass murderer in your trunk."

[colorado tanker]

I think we have identified the author of "Airports for Dummies."

[cinFLA]

How did they catch him? I thought he disappeared.

He went to the counter and rebooked on a later flight. Some time later he was recognized by a pilot and turned in. Imagine; the whole airport looking for him and he was allowed to rebook on a later flight without problem!

[Rodney King]

If he spirited some guns and knives past security and then passed the weapons on to someone who had cleared security (so he wouldn't be found carrying any weapons), would it still be an innocent crime?

No, but he didn't, so what's the point? People either commit crimes or they don't. There is no "Well, he could have committed a crime."

[tracer]

Civil remedies still are an option......

[real saxophonist]

The guy is a 'tool'? As in dumber than a bag of hammers?

[Sloth]

There should be 10,000 civil suits against this guy -- as an example for others like him (do we have any here?) not to try this trick again.

Amen to that. Was the airport's reaction stupid and absurdly disproportionate? Absolutely. Does that excuse this guy's selfish stupidity? Absolutely not. The dude should be a pauper for the rest of his life.

[Thud]

How about a thousand hours of community service cleaning restrooms at the Atlanta airport?

[1234]

CAN A CLASS ACTION SUIT BE BROUGHT AGAINST HIM FOR DAMAGES?