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Dead Constitution See other Dead Constitution Articles Title: Judge won't be charged over gun she took to airport Judge won't be charged over gun she took to airport Darren A. Nichols / The Detroit News ANN ARBOR -- Charges will not be filed against a district court judge who was accused of taking a loaded gun to a Detroit Metropolitan Airport checkpoint this summer. Washtenaw County prosecutors decided not to charge Sylvia James, chief judge of Inkster's 22nd District Court, because investigators couldn't prove she intentionally took the handgun July 28. "There is insufficient proof to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Ms. James knowingly possessed the handgun," Konrad Siller, first assistant prosecutor in Washtenaw County, wrote in his Nov. 13 memo to the Wayne County Airport Police. He declined Monday to discuss the issue further. Advertisement James was stopped after a gun was spotted in her purse during a routine baggage check in the McNamara Terminal. She was on her way to a lawyers conference in Atlanta and told airport police she simply forgot about the gun. "I have a (concealed weapons) permit and carry a weapon because of threats that have been made on my life," James said in the statement obtained by The Detroit News. "In my haste to catch a flight I forgot to remove the weapon from my purse." The decision not only removes the threat of jail and fines, but also lessens the likelihood of discipline from the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission. Carrying a gun in an airport is a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of a $1,000 fine and a year in a jail. Carrying one on a plane is a felony punishable by a $10,000 fine and 10 years in prison. James also faced the prospect of $7,500 in fines from the Traffic Safety Administration. "We're pleased it ended this way," said her attorney, Elliott Hall. "It's too bad we had to undergo that, but we understood. It's over (now) and we're pleased." Her case was bounced from Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, who cited a potential conflict in turning the case over to Attorney General Mike Cox, who passed it on to Washtenaw County. James had a concealed weapon permit, but the gun she was carrying was registered to Michael Green, a court officer in Inkster. His statement said he lent the .38-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun to James because "it was better for her to use." You can reach Darren A. Nichols at (734) 462-2190 or dnichols@detnews.com.
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#5. To: gengis gandhi (#0)
Washtenaw County prosecutors decided not to charge Sylvia James, chief judge of Inkster's 22nd District Court, because investigators couldn't prove she intentionally took the handgun July 28. It's amazing how flexible prosecutors are with what constitutes "intent". ...depending on who's being accused....
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