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Bomb âjokeâ student jailed
A British woman is being held in a US prison after she joked with an airport policeman that she was carrying a bomb.
Wrong answer, honey. According to the arrest report, Ms Marson placed her bag on the belt at a security check, telling a Transportation Security Administration screener: "Hey be careful, I have three bombs in here" - before allegedly repeating the joke twice more when confronted by officials. Not once, not twice, but three times. She was taken into custody and within hours appeared before a judge who remanded her to Dade County Jail. "Hi sweet cheeks, Iâm your new cell mate, Big Sally." Ms Marson - who is due to appear in court again on 6 February - will be released on bail if she can come up with a £2,700 bond. Sergeant Joe Wyche from Miami Airport Police told BBC Midlands Today that officers were left with no choice but to arrest Ms Marson. "First of all, itâs a violation of our state law. Before 9/11 we took it seriously - after 9/11 thereâs no room for kidding or joking, if thatâs the personâs intention, so itâs taken in a serious manner. Thereâs no room for playing games at security checkpoints. Iâm sure probably over in Britain if similar comments are made itâs not laughed upon." IRA bombs are no laughing matter to the Brits, she should have known better. He added: "The specific penalty for this is probably a misdemeanour, so therefore itâs probably less than a year in jail, but of the specifics of what could happen to this person I have no idea." Ms Marsonâs father Jim, 75, said: "We are beside ourselves with worry." She phoned at about 3am on Sunday and was hysterical." Dade County Jail does that to people. "Iâm sure Samantha will accept that itâs a silly thing to say, but sheâs the sort of girl who might have thought it would make people laugh." Iâm sure sheâll be a riot on Cell Block B. Posted by: Steve 2004-01-20 |
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