British Woman in Florida Prison for claiming to carry Bomb

A British woman being held in a US prison after allegedly joking at an airport that she was carrying a bomb has been told she will stay behind bars until she can raise £3,000 bail.
Shropshire student Samantha Marson triggered a security alert as she waited to board a British Airways flight from Miami back to Britain.

The 21-year-old, from Bridgnorth, was asked what was in her rucksack and apparently told officials she had a bomb.

British consular officials in Florida said they were hoping to arrange a meeting with Miss Marson on Wednesday.

She is scheduled to appear before a judge on 6 February, when she will be asked to enter a plea.

A spokesman for the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office said she faces a maximum of 15 years in state prison if convicted.

'Three bombs'

According to the arrest report, Miss 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.

There's no room for playing games at security checkpoints

Sergeant Joe Wyche
Miami Airport Police
She was taken into custody and within hours appeared before a judge who remanded her to Dade County Jail.


Sergeant Joe Wyche from Miami Airport Police told BBC Midlands Today that officers were left with no choice but to arrest Miss Marson.

"First of all, it's a violation of our state law.

"Before 9/11 we took it seriously - after 9/11 there's no room for kidding or joking, if that's the person's intention, so it's taken in a serious manner."

Sgt Wyche added: "There's no room for playing games at security checkpoints.

"I'm sure probably over in Britain if similar comments are made it's not laughed upon."

'Silly thing'

Miss Marson's father Jim, 75, said: "We are beside ourselves with worry.

"She phoned at about 3am on Sunday and was hysterical.

"I'm sure Samantha will accept that it's a silly thing to say, but she's the sort of girl who might have thought it would make people laugh."

She had been in the US for three months with her American boyfriend and was returning to the UK to renew her visa.

Prison hardly seems the right response for what was, admittedly, a stupid joke in bad taste

Matthew Green, Samantha Marson's local MP
A Foreign Office spokesman said officials were seeking more information from the US authorities and Miss Marson's family.

"We will offer her any assistance we can and ensure that she is being properly treated.

"But it is up to US authorities if they decide to arrest someone for making allegations."

'Stupid joke'

Meanwhile Miss Marson's local MP called on the US authorities to deal with her case more "appropriately".


Ms Marson was trying to return to Britain to renew her visa

Matthew Green, the Liberal Democrat MP for Ludlow, said her comments were "stupid but not worthy of weeks in prison".

"Their handling of this issue now is out of proportion to the offence.

"Prison hardly seems the right response for what was, admittedly, a stupid joke in bad taste," he added.

Both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic warned on Tuesday of the dangers of joking about security.

A Virgin spokesman said: "With security levels so high at present, there are certain things you do not joke about.

"Most Britons having had years of heightened security would realise that you have to be extremely careful about what you say."



Stupid Bitch!

There's going to be a war over her in the joint. She'll be the belle of the ball in there.

'bloody british'

Damnit, just make her pay a fine and send her away. I don't want to be paying for her meals in a warm cell

If it were up to that Nazi John Asscroft she'd get life in prison with no chance of parole.

They are jail happy in Florida.

Be careful if you visit this state.

I was put in jail for 24 hours for being completely innocent.

DO NOT MESS UP IN FLORIDA.

Fishead, what were you're charges?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by bettorstalk.com:
Fishead, what were you're charges?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Battery on a police officer.

100% innocent however.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by lander:
If it were up to that Nazi John Asscroft she'd get life in prison with no chance of parole.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Post of the day.

Incredibly sad. Devastatingly sad. This country is no longer free.

well yeah thats sad but hello how dumb can you be...

did she not hear the 1 zillion warnings on the loud speaker... it comes right after the one that says don't leave your bags unattended

[This message was edited by Angelle on January 21, 2004 at 07:54 PM.]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>They are jail happy in Florida.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Incarcerating people is a growth industry in the US. Florida is bad and Nevada is not far behind. This case is really sad, and when you think about it, a waste of time and money by the state of Fla.


wil.

There was not a bomb. A bomb never existed.

It was a fvcking joke, a stupid joke... but not worth of doing time.

Unfvckingbelievable.

We all say stupid things. Saying the word "Bomb" in an airport would be very high on the list of stupid things to say, but that's all it was.

The people that are really going to bomb a plane aren't going to say "Yeah there are three bombs in my bag" as they go through security.

While they're locking up some young girl that made a piss poor attempt at humor, the real enemies are going along doing as they're doing.

This should be a case where they detain her at the airport. Yell at her and say, "What the f-uck were you thinking saying that?" and then letting her go.

I don't want to have to go through life walking on eggshells, ever fearful that I'm going to say the wrong thing and get locked up with a possible 15 years in prison for it... and more importantly, if I ever have children, I wouldn't want them to grow up in a world where they have to be scared of ever saying something stupid. Our President says stupid things all the time, BTW... but EVERYBODY does.

I want to live in a world where evil people are locked away, and good people do not have to fear being locked away in jail for saying something stupid in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Common sense should apply. Did she say something stupid? Yes. Should she be taken aside to a private room and asked some questions and had her ID checked? Yes. Should she have anything worse than that? No.

As sad as it makes me to say, I believe the terrorists who bombed the WTC actually won. They created a feeling of fear in America. They created an attitude in our law enforcement to act first and question later... or never. They have devastated our airline industry which is vital to our economy, by creating fear on passengers, and huge regulations that cost money that the airlines don't even have. And finally, they made it so that we are only free if our government allows us to be.

By losing our freedom, we lose our country... and that is all the terrorists wanted, and it appears that they're getting it.

David

Great post David. You are right. I love the usa, but I am also scared of it. I believe that there are too many harsh punishments for minor offenses. That chick should have been in trouble, but not put in jail. Also, the gov. is way to hard on pot offenses. The country is changing. I believe, not for the better. Hopefully, my generation will make things right.