Don't ask questions "citizen"

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J Jones

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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,113858,00.html


Thursday, March 11, 2004

A Chicago-area man got arrested Monday for asking too many questions aboard a commercial flight.


Flying from O'Hare International Airport to Washington, D.C., Jeffrey Samuel Silverman allegedly asked a flight attendant to identify the federal air marshals (search) on board, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The attendant refused, but that apparently didn't satisfy the demanding passenger.

About 45 minutes before the American Airlines flight landed, Silverman allegedly stood up, walked to the front of the cabin and started pointing at passengers, judging each on his or her merits as a potential air marshal.

Silverman ruled out at least one passenger as "too fat" for the job.

Without disclosing his or her identity, a real air marshal had the pilot arrange for cops to be waiting when the plane touched down at Reagan International Airport.

Silverman was charged with interfering with a flight attendant through assault or intimidation and ordered to appear next Monday in federal court.

The FBI found no reason to believe Silverman was drunk. He had his own explanation for his shenanigans.

"I'm just an [expletive]," he allegedly told the FBI. "What can I tell you?"
 
It doesn't say anywhere that the attendant ask this idiot to sit down and shut up.While this maybe annoying,I don't see the reason for the arrest.Oh yeah...it scares the sheep.They may find out that their safety is an illusion!

QuickDraw
 
"I'm just an [expletive],"

Hey, at least he was honest about his motivation.

As much as I don't like to be kept in the dark on things, I'd be the first guy to tell a fellow passenger to shut the hell up if they demanded to know who the AirMarshals were on my flight.
 
except the airmarshall did his job and remained incognito while informing authorities about said passenger:p
 
Silverman was charged with interfering with a flight attendant through assault or intimidation and ordered to appear next Monday in federal court.
Click to expand...

What assault? What intimidation?

I didn't read where the attendant asked him to return to his seat and he became beligerent? The air marshal's job would be to restrain him in such case (thus answering his question ;) ).

All I see is a man asking "uncomfortable" questions in a tactless manner.
 
"Excuse me, are any of the staff in this bank armed?"

"Mr. Pit-boss, can you show me the areas of your casino where I will not be video taped?"

"Mr. 7-11 clerk, what would you say is the average response time on emergency calls from this store? I'm just curious."
 
I don't think they necessarily recounted every word/action of the entire flight. Intimidation can be interpreted in many ways and often is. If they asked him to sit down (which I am sure they did) and he did not immediately comply then he is in trouble. If you don't like the rules then don't ride on the plane.
 
You folks are forgetting that a plane is unlike other places. As ozendorph points out, people can make annoying statements and generally be disruptive to business and possibly even threatening. However, in all those cases, the management only has to ask the person to leave or threaten them with arrest. Leaving is not an option on an airplane in flight. By purchasing a ticket, a passenger is agreeing to abide by the airline's rules and federal laws. If they don't like it, then drive.
 
OK so let me see, some guy acts like an obnoxious jerk off on a plane and gets properly busted for it, and we are implying here that that is bad...???

WildcitizenAlaska
 
OK so let me see, some guy acts like an obnoxious jerk off on a plane and gets properly busted for it, and we are implying here that that is bad...???
Click to expand...

Not from me. Though I did read somewhere he was charged with a felony, and that seemed a bit harsh, a misdemeanor would seem more in line with being a jerk.*

* I saw this on a blog earlier today, sorry I can't recall which so I have no link....
 
Whose "we", Wild?:rolleyes: Yes, Wild, we are all against you. Look out! Is it a bear? No, it's a THR member exercising his right to question the actions of his government! Such horrors cannot stand! Quick get the truck/bear gun and prepare for the repeal criticism drill!

J Jones, remember, the answer to all criminal law questions is: IT DEPENDS!:D
 
Golly guys.... sensitive are "we"?...by we i was referring to the title here.....perhaps a mea culpa for lack of clarity?

EL T, you also know the second rule of criminal law dont ya?...They are all guilty of something, sometime, otherwise they wouldnt have been arrested....


WildbookemdannoAlaska
 
I would have raised my hand and said, "Right here buddy! Can I help you?"

It would have taken the heat off of the real marshall and the flight attendent and I could have felt all, like powerful and stuff.:D

Of course then I would have been arrested for impersonating a federal officers etc., but then I would have said, "Hey, I was just trying to help, what can I say?" and got my picture in the paper.

It would probably be an interesting conversation sitting in the jail with perp #1 (me being perp #2).:neener:
 
Let's see, guy asks questions and act like jerk but causes no meaningful or lasting harm and now is charged with a felony. That sounds appropriate to the "crime." Are there any federal misdemeanors? I'm thinking not.

No one is questioning this guy's lack of tact, good sense, or obnoxiousness. It still doesn't warrant a felony and it isn't much of a stretch to say that asking uncomfortable questions of protected classes could lead to similar charges. I believe I read a post here recently where a poster had his traveller's checks nearly lifted by a federal "agent" of the TSA. Wouldn't take much to claim this guy was "intimidating" a federal agent or some such BS that would make him out as the criminal in that scenario when asking "what the hell are you doing?".
 
I agree that this is not felony material in my book, but as was mentioned, doing stuff like this aboard a commercial aircraft wasn't tolorated long before "The Patriot Act". Acting a fool on an airplane is a good way to get arrested and has been for years. Possbily since the beginning of commercial aviation. I believe the same thing applied on ships. I recall my dad telling me about talking a short day trip on a boat in the Ohio River probably 50 years ago. One guy got drunk and was acting a fool and he was put in a locked room for the duration of the trip.
 
Hmmm... just because we have the right to act like arses doesn't mean its appropriate to always do so. I don't have one wit of problem with this jerk being arrested. An airplane is a definite "control" situation. The flight crew MUST be in control, period. Take some personal responsibility and behave like an adult.
 
Maybe he's just an !$$#&@*....

....but maybe he's after information. There's a good reason why air marshals look like other passengers-so that they aren't killed first by terrorists. If he were working with a partner, any action taken by the air marshal, assuming one was aboard, could have been noted and "neutralized".

Think of it like CCW. If the criminals think a victim might be armed, but doesn't know which one, he is going to thing twice about his actions. Personally, I hope that after they detained him, they did a body cavity search. And I hope they ban him from flying. Some people deserve to go Greyhound. :fire:
 
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