Various news media are reporting that actor Dennis Farina was taken into custody at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Sunday morning, May 11, 2008, after TSA agents at a security screening checkpoint discovered a loaded handgun in his briefcase. Mr. Farina, who was preparing to board a United Airlines flight from LAX to Chicago, claimed he forgot that the firearm was in his briefcase.It gets worse: the loaded .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol that he forgot he had with him was not registered, nor did Mr. Farina have a permit to carry it.
Initially, Mr. Farina was taken to the LAPD Pacific station and booked for the misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon, and bail was set at $25,000. Later it was discovered that the firearm was not registered, at which point the charge was upgraded to a felony. Bail was then increased to $35,000. Mr. Farina was transferred to the LAPD Van Nuys station, according to Los Angeles TV station KTLA.
Mr. Farina should know better. Not only has he played cop and detective roles in movies and TV series, such as Law and Order, Crime Story, and Miami Vice, he used to be a law enforcement officer in real life, too. He worked for the Chicago Police Department for nearly 20 years before becoming an actor.
[Photo Source]
