Originally Posted by Combat Medic

If I forget that I have a loaded gun in my backpack I get a felony conviction at the checkpoint. Doesn't matter if I forgot it was there. They are the ones with the zero tolerance rules, not my fault if they get caught up in them.

Originally Posted by Ari

Well, the State of Florida is the prosecuting entity, not the TSA, so it really isn't an apples-to-oranges comparison.

Originally Posted by PoliceStateSurvivor

My understanding from reading the article is that the victim has to consent to such pretrial intervention....

Originally Posted by OldGoat

It's a sad state of affairs when the federal government takes people who either don't realize, after nearly two weeks, that the very expensive pen they unintentionally took home from work is not their pen, or who realize it isn't their pen but don't think that they should try and return it to the owner or a lost and found. That speaks volumes about the quality of the TSA workforce.

On the other hand, the story may be that he is a common thief. That speaks volumes about the TSA workforce as well.

Either way, the most dangerous part travelling on a commercial airline is transiting the TSA checkpoint. That' when the risk of arrest is highest, the risk of fines is highest, the risk of unwanted touching is highest, the risk of verbal abuse is highest, and the risk of theft is highest. Additionally, there's health risks to consider.

This continuing story is just a reminder that the TSA poses the greatest risk to the airline passenger.

Originally Posted by bdschobel

I doubt that very much -- though I don't know for certain. Normally, such decisions are made by the prosecutor and the judge, based on state law. It's simply not the American way to let victims make such decisions, any more than victims get to decide on sentences for those convicted. (I believe that sharia law gives victims considerable power over whether and how a criminal is prosecuted, but thankfully, we don't have sharia law here.) Someone correct me if I'm wrong, please.

Bruce

Originally Posted by Ari

The prosecutor in that jurisdiction might, as a matter of policy, only offer this type of (non)disposition when the victim consents.

Originally Posted by littlesheep

Um, this is crazy. It's very easy to not pay attention to pens. In the pre-computer days I used to come home every day from school or work with a different number of pens. Just not something I noticed. And I wouldn't know an expensive one if I saw it. As much as I detest the TSA, this is bunk. Seems like a way to distract from the real crimes going on

Originally Posted by bdschobel

Normally, such decisions are made by the prosecutor and the judge, based on state law. It's simply not the American way to let victims make such decisions, any more than victims get to decide on sentences for those convicted.

Originally Posted by littlesheep

Um, this is crazy. It's very easy to not pay attention to pens. In the pre-computer days I used to come home every day from school or work with a different number of pens. Just not something I noticed. And I wouldn't know an expensive one if I saw it. As much as I detest the TSA, this is bunk. Seems like a way to distract from the real crimes going on - primarily sexual molestation, along with intimidation, and also intentional theft of expensive items.

Originally Posted by OldGoat

It's a sad state of affairs when the federal government takes people who either don't realize, after nearly two weeks, that the very expensive pen they unintentionally took home from work is not their pen, or who realize it isn't their pen but don't think that they should try and return it to the owner or a lost and found. That speaks volumes about the quality of the TSA workforce.

On the other hand, the story may be that he is a common thief. That speaks volumes about the TSA workforce as well.

Either way, the most dangerous part travelling on a commercial airline is transiting the TSA checkpoint. That' when the risk of arrest is highest, the risk of fines is highest, the risk of unwanted touching is highest, the risk of verbal abuse is highest, and the risk of theft is highest. Additionally, there's health risks to consider.

This continuing story is just a reminder that the TSA poses the greatest risk to the airline passenger.

Originally Posted by xolinlevh

"And if Puddie fights back, and the trial goes before a jury? "You might have jurors who were groped by the TSA, or who don't like Jamaicans," says Garvin. "Then he [would become] a convicted felon." "

Oh dear, a TSA molester may find the roles reversed, with him being at the mercy of his victims, cry me a river!

Originally Posted by VegasCableGuy

Blogdad Bob spokesman has said on his site: "... there is no fondling, squeezing, groping, or any sort of sexual assault taking place at airports. You have a professional workforce carrying out procedures they were trained to perform to keep aviation security safe."

However, the lawyer for this TSO that conducted those procedures says potential jurors may have been "groped by the TSA". Which one should I believe?

Originally Posted by Combat Medic

If I forget that I have a loaded gun in my backpack I get a felony conviction at the checkpoint. Doesn't matter if I forgot it was there. They are the ones with the zero tolerance rules, not my fault if they get caught up in them.