Meet Michael Lasseter - He ran past airport security after 9/11 and lived

[Modem Butterfly]

On November 16, 2001, barely two months after 9/11, Michael Lasseter left his digital camera in atrium of Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, then the world's busiest airport. Lasseter realized he'd left his camera in the atrium only when he was seated on the plane. Lasseter panicked, left his seat, ran back to get his camera, which of course, was already gone. It was only then that Michael Lasseter realized that he had left his boarding pass on the plane. And only then that Lasseter apparently realized he couldn't get back on his plane, or even to the terminal area, without his boarding pass.

http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/11/16/rec.hartsfield.evacuation/

Michael Lasseter, who really wanted to see Georgia play Mississippi, panicked. Seeing no options, he ran down the "up" escalator, over the objections of armed National Guardsmen and past several armed police, and got onto the terminal transport system, a mini-train that runs under Hartsfield. This caused the entire airport to be evacuated for several hours, and fucked up air traffic royally for several hours. Lasseter was sentenced to five weekends in jail, 500 hours community service, and was banned from attending any Georgia games the next fall.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/03/06/national/main503151.shtml

Now, as one of the folks inconvenienced by Michael Lasseter, I do not think this punishment was sufficient. I think he should have had to pay back some of the costs incurred by his misbehavior. I don't think he should be allowed back in Hartsfield again. I think perhaps he should never even be able to fly again. I think Michael Lasseter is a stupid, selfish asshole of the first order. But I'm glad our guardsmen and police didn't tackle him, hold him down, and shoot him five times in the head, despite the numerous bombings in the Atlanta area in the recent past and the 9/11 attacks only two months prior.

Edited for spelling

[alarcojon]

1. He's white!

couldn't harm a fly.

:sarcasm:

[whistle]

2. He looks like a terrorist to me!

:yoiks:..... :rofl:

[Modem Butterfly]

5. I still can't believe he essentially got away with it

His defense was that he was worried about his son and that he was a good Xian. Like that had anything to do with the price of beer in Fulton county.

[LisaL]

3. He is white, bold, no hat or coat. There is you answer.

[Modem Butterfly]

4. He probably left his coat on the plane.

[helderheid]

6. I keep hearing the quote about the cops pinning the suspect down and then

shooting 5 times in the head but I've yet to see a link to anything that says that outside of DU - does anyone have one? I'm not being sarcastic - I really want to be sure I have all the facts, that's all.

[Modem Butterfly]

7. Here you go

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/07/24/story213149.html

"Jean Charles de Menezes, 27, was shot at point blank range on Friday after officers wrongly suspected he was linked to Thursday’s attempted bomb attacks on the London Underground."

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/07/24/story213150.html

"Sir Ian admitted there was a “shoot-to-kill policy” for tackling suicide bombers and it would not change, although the death of Mr de Menezes was a “tragedy”."

"“They have to be that because there is no point in shooting at someone’s chest because that is where the bomb is likely to be,” he said.

“There is no point in shooting anywhere else if they fall down and detonate it.

“It is drawn from experience from other countries, including Sri Lanka. The only way to deal with this is to shoot to the head.”"

[helderheid]

10. I read both articles and still don't see mention of him being tackled and

held down and shot 5 times at point blank range - granted I've not had my coffee yet but I thought I went over both of them well enough... ???

[Modem Butterfly]

11. Here it is again

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/07/24/story213149.html

"Jean Charles de Menezes, 27, was shot at point blank range on Friday after officers wrongly suspected he was linked to Thursday’s attempted bomb attacks on the London Underground."

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/07/24/story213150.html

"Sir Ian admitted there was a “shoot-to-kill policy” for tackling suicide bombers and it would not change, although the death of Mr de Menezes was a “tragedy”."

"“They have to be that because there is no point in shooting at someone’s chest because that is where the bomb is likely to be,” he said.

“There is no point in shooting anywhere else if they fall down and detonate it.

“It is drawn from experience from other countries, including Sri Lanka. The only way to deal with this is to shoot to the head.”"

[helderheid]

12. okay - so the only thing missing is the shot 5 times

Thanks so much - my brain is in desperate need of caffeine

[mrfrapp]

14. Link

Mark Whitby said: "I was sitting on the train... I heard a load of noise, people saying, 'Get out, get down'.

"I saw an Asian guy. He ran on to the train, he was hotly pursued by three plain clothes officers, one of them was wielding a black handgun.

"He half tripped... they pushed him to the floor and basically unloaded five shots into him," he told BBC News 24.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4706913.stm

Shocked eyewitnesses had described how the victim, named as Jean Charles de Menezes, a 27-year-old electrician from Brazil, who had lived in this country for three years, had the look of a cornered rabbit before officers from the elite S019 firearms unit held him down and "unloaded" five pistol shots into his head.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/article301232.ece

[helderheid]

15. THANK YOU

[mrfrapp]

16. Edit

I've added another a more up to date link on edit

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

8. You should introduce him to Abner Louima.

Oh, wait. He's dead. Shit.

[Modem Butterfly]

9. I am certain race was factor in Michael Lassiter's case

At least in sentencing. If he had been black I think his sentence would have been much more fitting.

[MissB]

13. Do you mean

that had he got off easier because he was white?

Just making sure I'm reading correctly. :)

[Modem Butterfly]

20. Yes I do

But again, as one of the folks seriously put out by this asshole, I would like to have seen something involving honey, fire ants, and the hottest day of the year.

[MissB]

22. oooohhhhh

I see. :D

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Last time I checked TSA is NOT armed

If they were... we may be singing a different tune

[Modem Butterfly]

19. It was eight weeks after 9/11

Hartsfield was crawling with armed police and national guardsmen. Moreover, no one tackled Michael Lasseter and beat the snot out of him.

[Gormy Cuss]

18. The punishment was interesting

I think the five weekends in jail part was good, the 500 hours of community service is a sign his family has connections or money, and the banning from Georgia games is moronic. The CBS article says he was fined $3,300 and paid an undisclosed modest settlement to the airline. So his punishment was mitigitated by paying money. What a surprise.

I'd say a year on the No Fly List should be mandatory after a stunt like that. This guy was 32 years old, not some kid. He knew what he was doing, he was just too special to miss that Georgia game.

[seabeyond]

21. i think it was a totally apropriate sentence. especially laughed

at not being able to go to a georgia game next fall. very creative. i dont need to bankrupt a stupid. this man did a stupid. get on with life. but........thank you for this story. good to know what came of that. i didnt hear all the reasons, and what was up.