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A Roseburg man being prosecuted for allegedly pointing a loaded rifle at police in January compounded his problems Monday by bringing a loaded handgun into the courthouse.
Michael Shane Burns, 30, was on his way to a hearing on the first set of charges when he reportedly asked a guard if he could leave the bag he was carrying on the floor near the metal detector.
"He came in and he had a huge backpack, and he asked me, 'Can I leave it out here underneath the locker?'" said Douglas County Courthouse guard Dan Slimak.
Slimak refused to let him, explaining that visitors' belongings must be stored in a locker.
The guard noticed that Burns was carrying a folding knife, so he watched Burns carefully as he began stuffing his things into the small locker.
When he saw that Burns could not close the locker door, Slimak walked over to help and discovered Burns' .22-caliber Ruger.
"I said, 'You can't bring this in here,'" Slimak said. "Then I find out it's loaded."
Slimak confiscated the gun and called for other security officers to back him up. Burns was allowed to attend the hearing, after which he was led to jail by Douglas County sheriff's officers.
He was arraigned Tuesday on suspicion of felony possession of a firearm in a courthouse, and misdemeanor unlawful possession of a firearm.
The original charges of pointing a firearm at another and menacing stem from a Jan. 29 standoff with police near his North Umpqua Highway home.
During that incident, Burns allegedly pointed a loaded assault-style rifle at police for several minutes before surrendering.
Deputy District Attorney Jason Mahan, who arraigned Burns on Tuesday, noted that he could still own a gun if he is convicted of pointing the rifle at police, but the new felony charge will strip Burns of that right if he is convicted.
Slimak, who is a retired Los Angeles-area police officer, has only encountered four or five people who tried to bring guns to court in the eight years he has worked at the courthouse. Most had concealed weapons permits.
"I thought, 'This is peachy, send the old guy out there to take care of this guy.'"
* You can reach reporter Christian Bringhurst at 957-4213 or by e-mail at cbringhurst@newsreview.info.
Michael Shane Burns, 30, was on his way to a hearing on the first set of charges when he reportedly asked a guard if he could leave the bag he was carrying on the floor near the metal detector.
"He came in and he had a huge backpack, and he asked me, 'Can I leave it out here underneath the locker?'" said Douglas County Courthouse guard Dan Slimak.
Slimak refused to let him, explaining that visitors' belongings must be stored in a locker.
The guard noticed that Burns was carrying a folding knife, so he watched Burns carefully as he began stuffing his things into the small locker.
When he saw that Burns could not close the locker door, Slimak walked over to help and discovered Burns' .22-caliber Ruger.
"I said, 'You can't bring this in here,'" Slimak said. "Then I find out it's loaded."
Slimak confiscated the gun and called for other security officers to back him up. Burns was allowed to attend the hearing, after which he was led to jail by Douglas County sheriff's officers.
He was arraigned Tuesday on suspicion of felony possession of a firearm in a courthouse, and misdemeanor unlawful possession of a firearm.
The original charges of pointing a firearm at another and menacing stem from a Jan. 29 standoff with police near his North Umpqua Highway home.
During that incident, Burns allegedly pointed a loaded assault-style rifle at police for several minutes before surrendering.
Deputy District Attorney Jason Mahan, who arraigned Burns on Tuesday, noted that he could still own a gun if he is convicted of pointing the rifle at police, but the new felony charge will strip Burns of that right if he is convicted.
Slimak, who is a retired Los Angeles-area police officer, has only encountered four or five people who tried to bring guns to court in the eight years he has worked at the courthouse. Most had concealed weapons permits.
"I thought, 'This is peachy, send the old guy out there to take care of this guy.'"
* You can reach reporter Christian Bringhurst at 957-4213 or by e-mail at cbringhurst@newsreview.info.
