Tampa criminal court case results
- Carrying Concealed Weapon Charge Dismissed
- facts: The client, a college student, was attempting to get through airport security when she was stopped by Tampa International Airport Police. They found a foldable knife in her purse and questioned her like many others that come through Tampa International Airport. Is this your bag? Yes. Is this knife yours? Yes. Those are good questions, but they fail to address whether the client had knowledge that the knife was in her bag at the time she was stopped by Airport Police. Unfortunately, in light of the devastating effects of nine eleven airport security handles these cases in a much different way than they did before the terrorist attack. Once you acknowledge you are the owner of a weapon in your bag you are going to be charged. Whether you were aware the weapon was in your bag at the time or not. While this fact is irrelevant to the Airport Police, it is very relevant to the criminal courts. In order to be found guilty of being in possession of illegal contraband of any kind you must have had knowledge that it was in fact in your possession at the time you were stopped by law enforcement.
- defense: We contacted the State Attorney assigned to the case and explained the circumstances surrounding our client's ownership of the knife (self-protection), and how she forgot it was in her bag at the time of her arrest.
- results: The Carrying Concealed Weapon Charge was dismissed.
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