Jerry Lewis gets off ... Could you ?

[Hook686]

Nev. judge dismisses gun case against Jerry Lewis

LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas judge has dismissed a firearms charge against entertainer Jerry Lewis. Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Karen Bennett-Haron dismissed the case Friday after attorneys agreed to let the 82-year-old comedian off without fines.

Lewis was cited in July for attempting to carry an unloaded concealed weapon through McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

He later said the weapon was a gift that he'd placed in a carry-on bag more than a year ago. He said he forgot it was in the bag until he was stopped at an airport security checkpoint.

Lewis' lawyer, Ross Goodman, says Lewis was forced to surrender the engraved gun. Goodman calls the quick resolution "a good result for great guy."

http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080920/ap_on_en_ot/people_jerry_lewis

 

[wideym]

Could an average Joe expect this kind of treatment? No effing way! But I won't hold it against Jerry Lewis if it was an honest mistake.

Surrendering the weapon, probably for destruction, instead of being procecuted is a commonly used tactic used by DAs and judges to say "I got X amount of guns off the street."

 

[.38 Special]

Good chance his name helped, of course. Also a good chance his age did too, though. Most folks will see the foolishness in jailing an 82 year old just because his memory is no good.

 

[romma]

Good chance being in Vegas helped too, as opposed to being in Hollywood...

 

[BAT1]

He's got charisma, and everybody knows he wouldn't hurt anybody. Give an old man a break.

 

[csmkersh]

http://img.slate.com/media/74/Mizell_VIPsAirports.pdf

It's often a matter of who you are---

​

 

[JohnBT]

"Could an average Joe expect this kind of treatment?"

He's not average, is he? He's built up a pile of good will and good deeds over many decades and that counts for something. It's sort of like storing up good driver points on your driver's license so when you get a ticket it doesn't hurt so much. They took his gun, so there was a slight penalty, but not the max.

John

 

[Duke Junior]

Could an average Joe expect this kind of treatment?"

He's not average, is he? He's built up a pile of good will and good deeds over many decades and that counts for something. It's sort of like storing up good driver points on your driver's license so when you get a ticket it doesn't hurt so much. They took his gun, so there was a slight penalty, but not the max.

I agree with this, JohnBT.He's about to do his 43rd Muscular Dystrophy Telethon.Love him or hate as a comedian and actor he's done a world of good.
And in his prime in the '50's and '60's he was the real fastest gun in Hollywood.The man had fantastic drawer speed and accuracy.His act in Las Vegas back then was fantastic,along with Sammy Davis,Jr.,who was almost as fast out of the holster.

http://www.courant.com/entertainment/tv/hc-tveye0830.artaug30,0,2904531.column

 

[TexasRifleman]

The Mizell document posted above is very interesting.

Seems the punishment varies wildly.

As for "good will" and all that, I don't think that's it.

I don't remember Tommy Lee curing cancer

Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, on this date, was sentenced to one year probation for carrying
a loaded semiautomatic handgun with hollow-point ammunition into Los Angeles International Airport in
November 1993. A security guard spotted the handgun in Lee’s carry-on luggage. Lee faced up to 18
months in prison and a $2,000 fine but received only probation, a $200 fine and $340 in penalties.

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

so do you have examples of regular joes pulling time for the same thing?

 

[guntotinguy]

Vegas is big on its celebrities thats for sure,and sometimes its a 'who knows who town' but I dont think Jerry would've gotten any 'special treatment' actually because of the in place stringent guidelines at Mccarren.

Certainly he could've made a few calls,being a celeb and all that but most likely still would've been the same outcome.Its likely that being so well known and in the public eye,much less doubt was shed on this being a humanitarian and all so sure,its likely a lot was 'overlooked' but Vegas is also known to be 'hard on celebs' also,as the town who is still (often enough) trying to beat the 'past mob owned' mentality.

 

[BADUNAME37]

Unloaded vs. LOADED

Lewis' gun was not loaded and it doesn't mention any ammunition -- just the weapon.

Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, on this date, was sentenced to one year probation for carrying
a loaded semiautomatic handgun with hollow-point ammunition into Los Angeles International Airport in
November 1993. A security guard spotted the handgun in Lee’s carry-on luggage . Lee faced up to 18
months in prison and a $2,000 fine but received only probation, a $200 fine and $340 in penalties.

This guy's weapon was loaded in his carry-on luggage.

IMHO, the two stories differ widely. Considering the offense of Tommy Lee, I think he got off relatively easy. At least it appears that he didn't lose his weapon, where Lewis lost his personally engraved weapon (probably to either be taken from some shady LE, or destroyed).

They could have, at least, arranged to have the weapon mailed to Lewis, or gotten to him in some way, since it was personally engraved.

 

[jad0110]

As someone else suggested, his age may well have been a greater factor than his name.

We'll probably never know.

 

[TEDDY]

jerry

I wonder if the SCOTUS rulling might have had a small part.the law/rules are unconstitutional.

 

[LAR-15]

He should get his gun back

 

[Autolycus]

I doubt I would get off. The rich and powerful always get the double standard.

 

[ants]

Jerry Lewis' lawyer, Ross Goodman, is the son of Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. That doesn't mean that there was judicial hanky-panky. The lesson here is that securing the right attorney surely helps.