Michigan State student charged with carrying concealed sword

ap ^ | 6-5-03

[Dan from Michigan]

Michigan State student charged with carrying concealed sword

The Associated Press
6/5/2003, 8:16 a.m. ET

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan State University student is accused of threatening two people with a 34-inch Japanese sword after a dispute over a basketball.

Giaphong Hoang was arraigned Wednesday on a charge of possessing a concealed weapon. He faces up to four years in prison and up to a $1,000 fine if convicted.

The incident happened in a school gym on Tuesday evening after a pickup basketball game, campus police Lt. John McCandless said.

Hoang and the other men argued over who owned the ball, police said.

Hoang took the sword from his duffel bag and held it threateningly at his side, McCandless told The State News.

Hoang's pretrial conference and preliminary exam are scheduled for next week.

[vollmond]

One Mosquito.

*swish*

No Mosquito.

[Hodar]

"Is that a sword in your pants, or are you just happy to see me"

[jjm2111]

Hope he didn't use a real one.

[nerdwithamachinegun]

Swords scare me.

That's a big duffel bag to hide a 34" sword.

[keithtoo]

"Michigan faculty accused of carrying disguised 'Hammer and Sickle'"

[SavageRepublican]

All your basketballs are belong to us!!!!

[joesnuffy]

He was wearing a duffle bag?

[Xenalyte]

Um, this is why swordmakers also make SCABBARDS. Who'd put a perfectly good sword in a duffel bag?

I'm also concerned about what else was in the bag that might have scratched the sword.

[Xenalyte]

Don't be scared - anyone facing off with you will have brought a sword to a gunfight!

(Seriously, steel is our friend. I love my weapons of single-person destruction.)

[No Truce With Kings]

Samuri basketball player!

(Where is John Belushi when you need a good punch line?)

[w_over_w]

What's with these "Spartan" students? A "Wolverine" would never carry a sword in a duffel bag. Would they?

[Grig]

In my high school we had a small foundry in one of the shop classes and upper year students would MAKE themselves a sword in there every year (mind you it was a decorative item without a sharp edge)

[RogueIsland]

Duncan MacLeod, one of those involved in the dispute, declined comment.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Let's lighten up. It's all about cultural diversity.

[najida]

I love swords....and I collect them....
Even dance with them (cereal folks ;) )...

Before 9/11 I traveled to Toronto twice with my favorite...
(A 13th Century Kilij replica)
The guy in customs busted a gut laughing when it showed up on X-Ray...

But I wouldn't go anywhere with them now.

[zx2dragon]

I can here Conan the Barbarian, "That's not a sword, now THIS is a sword!". :)

[Lazamataz]

This guy watched too much Highlander.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Hoang took the sword from his duffel bag and held it threateningly at his side...

"There can be only one."

[Lazamataz]

nerdwithamachinegun: "Swords scare me."

Liberal politician: "Well then! I will work diligently to get each and every edged instrument banned, right away! I'm from the government, and I'm here to help!"