Flashermac Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 TAMPA - A 21-year-old Clearwater man was arrested at Tampa International Airport this weekend after security personnel found a box cutter in a hollowed-out book, authorities said. If convicted, Baines faces up to 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for a federal charge of attempting to board an airplane with a concealed dangerous weapon. He is currently serving a 30 day sentence after pleading guilty Monday to a state misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon. About 7:30 a.m. Sunday, airport security ran Benjamin Baines Jr.'s backpack through an X-ray machine and saw the image of a box cutter, according to a report from the Transportation Security Administration. When searching the backpack, a security officer found a book titled "Fear Itself." The book was hollowed out, and the box cutter was inside. After Baines was read his rights, he said his cousin had cut away the pages to make the hollow section in the book. Later, reports state, he said he had hollowed it out himself to hide money and marijuana from his roommates. Baines told officers he was moving to Las Vegas and forgot the cutter was in the book. Officers found books in the backpack titled "Muhammad in the Bible," "The Prophet's Prayer" and "The Noble Qur'an." He also had a copy of the Quran and the Bible. Several sheets of paper in the backpack included rap lyrics that referred to police, narcotics, weapons and killing. Baines told officers he is a rapper who writes his own lyrics and that rap music writers need to "play the part," the report states. Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidel Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I would actually be inclined to believe the kid. Whatever about the box cutter, which he probably used to hollow out the book whilst stoned, there's nothing wrong with having copies of the bible and the Quran. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted February 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 He does sound like simply a nutter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidel Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I hope they don't make an "example" of him and put him away for 30 years. In all fairness... I think this guy is innocent. Stupid mistake any stoner could make. I know a French guy who headed back home from Pakistan to France for a break. When he got back he was unpacking and realized he had carried a lump of hashish there and back. Sometimes people forget they've left things in their bags and so on. Let's face it. If they think this guy is smart enough to hijack a plane, then he's probably smart enough to know that the box-cutter in his hollowed out book is NOT getting past the x-ray machine. If he's not smart enough to know that, then he's simply mad, in which case he also should not be dealt with too severely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lazyphil Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 SHU program for him in pelican bay, that'll learn the stupid twat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidel Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 What's an SHU program in Pelican Bay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lazyphil Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelican_Bay_State_Prison makes gitmo look like disneyland! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidel Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 OK. Found this on the kind of people sent to SHUs: "anyone who attacks a CO, or staff, guys who rape other prisoners, guys who repeatedly attack other prisoners, guys who are disruptive on every yard they have been sent to, guys who prey on other prisoners (extortion, intimidation etc), smuggling drugs into prison, repeated attempts at escape, etc" Shit Phil. I wouldn't want to get caught with a stanley knife and some books by you. You'd send me off to be raped! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted February 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 << and some books by you >> Phil writes subversive books??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 A nutter can do alot of damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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