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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:16:01 AM EDT
Posted on Fri, Sep. 3, 2010
Philadelphia woman hears knock, shows she's armed, police confiscate gun By STEPHANIE FARR Philadelphia Daily News [email protected] 215-854-4225 
After her son was killed in 2008, Sherderian Sutton got a Philadelphia license to carry a concealed weapon and a small Ruger pistol to protect herself and her surviving children. On Monday, when police knocked on her door, Sutton hoped that they were bringing the news she's waited two years to hear. "I thought they were coming to my door to tell me they had my son's murderer," she said. "But they were coming to take me and my gun, and now I'm defenseless." Sutton, 38, of North Philadelphia, said that her troubles began last week, when workers from Wilco Cable came to her back door to ask for permission to work in her yard. She's never had cable, but told them that they could work through her back yard to connect her neighbors' cable. Sutton said that she also asked the workers to never use the back door again. On Monday, Sutton said, she was awakened by incessant pounding on her back door about 8 a.m. She looked out of the window and saw two men and a woman at her back door, peering in her window. Scared, Sutton said she grabbed her gun and held it at her side as she answered the door. She said that she never left her house and never raised the gun. Although they had no identification tags, Sutton said that the three identified themselves as Wilco workers and again asked permission to work on her property. She granted it, but asked why they continued to knock on her back door, despite her previous requests to use the front door. Sutton said that the workers went about their business but three hours later, about 11:25 a.m., police came to her door. She said she let them in and they went through her house - with guns drawn - even pointing them at her 14- and 16-year-old children. She said that she was taken into custody, held for 12 hours - from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. - and that her gun and her license to carry it were taken away from her. According to court records, Sutton, who has no record, was charged with simple assault and possessing instruments of a crime, both misdemeanors. Lt. Frank Vanore, police spokesman, said that according to the police report, the cable workers alleged that Sutton was pointing a gun at them when she opened the back door. What neither side seems to dispute is that Sutton never left her house. Even though a citizen is not required to have a license to carry a firearm in his or her own house, Sutton did, and had both the license and her gun taken away as a result of the incident. Vanore said that no matter if Sutton was in her home or not, pointing a gun at somebody "unless you are protecting yourself" is considered simple assault. Sutton insists she never pointed the gun and wonders why, if the workers were scared, they continued to work on her property after she answered the door. Wilco representatives did not return a request for comment. Now, Sutton feels that the police, who are supposed to keep her safe, have taken her safety away. Even if she's found not guilty or the charges are dropped, Sutton will still have to petition the court to get her weapon back. "They didn't find my son's murderer but they got me," she said. "Now I don't have a gun to protect myself." http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/102131914.html?cmpid=15585797 |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:18:32 AM EDT
[#1]
They clearly didn't take her ninja outfit, so she's still pretty dangerous I suppose.
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:18:47 AM EDT
[#2]
Bet they took her sword and throwing stars too.
And that pic lets us know that she is still 'armed'. But really, that is bullshit. Do I smell a lawsuit? |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:19:50 AM EDT
[#3]
More to this one.
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:19:59 AM EDT
[#4]
There are holes likes swiss cheese in this story....
Either way... F'd up. 12hrs for being detained? WTF |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:20:01 AM EDT
[#5]
Hmm, I don't know. Hard to tell with the "facts" presented. I'm inclined to side with the homeowner.
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:21:21 AM EDT
[#6]
In Philly, regarding a CCW licensee? The home owner's side is correct.
Kharn |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:22:28 AM EDT
[#7]
Quoted: More to this one. Maybe in Texas. But in Philly I'm inclined to believe reports of thuggish over-the-top behavior by the authorities. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:23:50 AM EDT
[#8]
If things are presented accurately it would just be another case where the good guy's day got worse when the police showed up.
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:44:35 AM EDT
[#9]
Not a huge fan of Philly police.
The stories I heard from some of the marine unit guys made me go 
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:45:01 AM EDT
[#10]
Quoted:
If things are presented accurately it would just be another case where the good guy's day got worse when the police showed up. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:48:19 AM EDT
[#11]
Well if she answered the door armed, dressed like that, in a room decorated like that, they probably thought they found a Hezbollah cell. Still isn't right.
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:55:35 AM EDT
[#12]
Clearly a threat to the cable guys, who had every right to access that property for the general good.
Her mental frame of mind after her loss of a child tells me she's out to get even. Philadelphia is a safer place, now that this crazy woman has had her "heat" removed. Happy ending in many way: cable is now installed - Police seized the gun - neighborhood is gun free. Don't you just love a happy ending? |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:56:31 AM EDT
[#13]
She should be stoned for showing her bare arm. Thats the way they do it in Iran.
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:58:59 AM EDT
[#14]
Quoted:
If things are presented accurately it would just be another case where the good guy's day got worse when the police showed up. I read it as Wilco workers allege she pointed a gun at them and she was arrested and her firearm was seized. Funny how we read things differently. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:59:23 AM EDT
[#15]
With all these stories lately I guess the safest course of action is to never answer your door. Ever.
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Posted: 9/6/2010 8:59:42 AM EDT
[#16]
Quoted:
Clearly a threat to the cable guys, who had every right to access that property for the general good. Her mental frame of mind after her loss of a child tells me she's out to get even. Philadelphia is a safer place, now that this crazy woman has had her "heat" removed. Happy ending in many way: cable is now installed - Police seized the gun - neighborhood is gun free. Don't you just love a happy ending? sarcasm, or actual communist? I cant tell. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:02:23 AM EDT
[#17]
Sounds like it's the word of three cable workers against one lady. They say she pointed, she says she didn't. If all she did is keep the weapon to her side, she is being railroaded. It's unfortunate for her that there were not more witnesses.
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:03:24 AM EDT
[#18]
Quoted: Quoted: Clearly a threat to the cable guys, who had every right to access that property for the general good. Her mental frame of mind after her loss of a child tells me she's out to get even. Philadelphia is a safer place, now that this crazy woman has had her "heat" removed. Happy ending in many way: cable is now installed - Police seized the gun - neighborhood is gun free. Don't you just love a happy ending? sarcasm, or actual communist? I cant tell. It's written to satisfy both sides of Arfcom. The reader is left to assume his side is being represented. Better to puzzle 6, than ganged up on by the usual 12. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:04:19 AM EDT
[#19]
I usually tell the cable workers to go fuck themselves. Unless they're here for my service, they can go pound sound.
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:04:20 AM EDT
[#20]
Guns of Contention: If Philly says no, Florida can say yes
Tue, Aug. 31, 2010 By Stephanie Farr Philadelphia Daily News http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/20100831_Guns_of_Contention__If_Philadelphia_says_no__Florida_can_say_yes.html?viewAll=y In the last two years, Philadelphia police have confiscated guns from at least nine men - including four security guards - who were carrying them legally, and only one of the guns has been returned, according to interviews with the men. Eight of the men said that they were detained by police - two for 18 hours each. Two were hospitalized for diabetic issues while in custody, one of whom was handcuffed to a bed. Charges were filed against three of the men, only to be withdrawn by the District Attorney's Office. The civil-rights unit of the City Solicitor's Office confirmed that it is handling eight such cases. Two of the men interviewed by the Daily News said that they rejected settlement offers from the city ranging from $3,500 to $7,500. One accepted a $5,000 offer. (snip) The whole government of Philadelphia (including the PD) ought to be disbanded––oh well, I can dream... |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:06:22 AM EDT
[#21]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Clearly a threat to the cable guys, who had every right to access that property for the general good. Her mental frame of mind after her loss of a child tells me she's out to get even. Philadelphia is a safer place, now that this crazy woman has had her "heat" removed. Happy ending in many way: cable is now installed - Police seized the gun - neighborhood is gun free. Don't you just love a happy ending? sarcasm, or actual communist? I cant tell. It's written to satisfy both sides of Arfcom. The reader is left to assume his side is being represented. Better to puzzle 6, than ganged up on by the usual 12. bravo! |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:06:36 AM EDT
[#22]
Quoted:
More to this one. Exactly. A lawsuit, but that's about it. The fact that the workers continued to work on her property eliminates any possibility that they actually felt threatened or that they had been "assaulted." Philadelphia and its cops are notoriously anti-gun/anti-CCW, and the homeowner's story is far more consistent with the known facts. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:07:13 AM EDT
[#23]
One thing would be for sure, there wouldn't be any cable installer people on my property.
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:08:46 AM EDT
[#24]
Quoted:
Sounds like it's the word of three cable workers against one lady. They say she pointed, she says she didn't. If all she did is keep the weapon to her side, she is being railroaded. It's unfortunate for her that there were not more witnesses. The cable workers are the homeowner's best witnesses. They stuck around. Actions speak louder than words and all that. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:09:43 AM EDT
[#25]
Quoted:
There are holes likes swiss cheese in this story.... Either way... F'd up. 12hrs for being detained? WTF That's about how long it will take you after arrested to get processed in and then processed out/make bail. Friend of mine was arrested and that's about how long it took to get bailed out. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:10:57 AM EDT
[#26]
Quoted:
I usually tell the cable workers to go fuck themselves. Unless they're here for my service, they can go pound sound. Actually, if it's on your property [any part of it] they have every right to service it as needed. If it get's into legalities, you will lose. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:14:51 AM EDT
[#27]
Quoted:
Sounds like it's the word of three cable workers against one lady. They say she pointed, she says she didn't. If all she did is keep the weapon to her side, she is being railroaded. It's unfortunate for her that there were not more witnesses. I tend to believe the lady. If the cable workers felt threatened, why did they wait three hours to call the police? Here's what I think happened. The lady cussed out the workers for knocking on the back door and scaring her after she told them to come to the front door. It took the cable workers 3 hours to finish the job, then they called the police to get even with the lady. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:15:46 AM EDT
[#28]
If she told them not to come to the back door and they did it anyway, they're trespassing. And peeking in her windows, from the back yard.
 Maybe that's considered acceptable in PA, but people don't do it here. You might get a gun pointed at you. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:17:54 AM EDT
[#29]
Aint big city socialism/communism grand?
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:18:03 AM EDT
[#30]
As a law abiding citizen why do I feel safer with all these cuts going on in police departments?
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:21:27 AM EDT
[#31]
Philliy police do no wrong.............
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:33:19 AM EDT
[#32]
Quoted: If she told them not to come to the back door and they did it anyway, they're trespassing. And peeking in her windows, from the back yard. Maybe that's considered acceptable in PA, but people don't do it here. You might get a gun pointed at you.Might have that happen here too. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:37:25 AM EDT
[#33]
More to this one.
I'm a little inclined to agree... |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:38:19 AM EDT
[#34]
Philly ehhh, she better pack up and move to Bel Air
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:38:39 AM EDT
[#35]
Quoted: Quoted: If she told them not to come to the back door and they did it anyway, they're trespassing. And peeking in her windows, from the back yard. Maybe that's considered acceptable in PA, but people don't do it here. You might get a gun pointed at you.Might have that happen here too. But you'd better hide it, because we're not allowed to show a gun unless we're about to stop a provable threat to your life. You just can't go around scaring people (good or bad) with a gun. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:39:58 AM EDT
[#36]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Exactly.
More to this one. A lawsuit, but that's about it. The fact that the workers continued to work on her property eliminates any possibility that they actually felt threatened or that they had been "assaulted." Philadelphia and its cops are notoriously anti-gun/anti-CCW, and the homeowner's story is far more consistent with the known facts. This is the best summary. Hope everything works out for this lady and her family. Not only in avoiding the false charges, but also getting a fair (large) settlement from all of this. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:53:58 AM EDT
[#37]
Quoted: Thats about the way I would see it. If I was doing cable work and felt threatened by an armed homeowner, I sure as hell would stick around 3 hrs to finish the work before calling the police. The way it reads it sounds more like the cable workers got their feelings hurt and decided to screw over the lady.Quoted: Sounds like it's the word of three cable workers against one lady. They say she pointed, she says she didn't. If all she did is keep the weapon to her side, she is being railroaded. It's unfortunate for her that there were not more witnesses. I tend to believe the lady. If the cable workers felt threatened, why did they wait three hours to call the police? Here's what I think happened. The lady cussed out the workers for knocking on the back door and scaring her after she told them to come to the front door. It took the cable workers 3 hours to finish the job, then they called the police to get even with the lady. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:55:02 AM EDT
[#38]
Those guys called the police because she pointed a gun at them. Yet the police didn't arrive for a few HOURS, during which time they CONTINUED to work in HER backyard. Why doesn't this add up?
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:56:17 AM EDT
[#39]
Quoted:
Not a huge fan of Philly police. The stories I heard from some of the marine unit guys made me go You should come out to the burbs the cops are even worse. Why are they like that? Because they can be like that. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 9:58:01 AM EDT
[#40]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Not a huge fan of Philly police. The stories I heard from some of the marine unit guys made me go You should come out to the burbs the cops are even worse. Why are they like that? Because they can be like that. Oh I know. I was stationed in Philly for 2 years, and worked with quite a few of the area departments. Sometimes they made my head spin. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 10:20:34 AM EDT
[#41]
There's a reason they put a door on the front of the house.
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Posted: 9/6/2010 10:25:39 AM EDT
[#42]
always assume you are a criminal and act accordingly and you'll be fine
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Posted: 9/6/2010 10:48:59 AM EDT
[#43]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Thats about the way I would see it. If I was doing cable work and felt threatened by an armed homeowner, I sure as hell would stick around 3 hrs to finish the work before calling the police. The way it reads it sounds more like the cable workers got their feelings hurt and decided to screw over the lady.
Quoted:
Sounds like it's the word of three cable workers against one lady. They say she pointed, she says she didn't. If all she did is keep the weapon to her side, she is being railroaded. It's unfortunate for her that there were not more witnesses. I tend to believe the lady. If the cable workers felt threatened, why did they wait three hours to call the police? Here's what I think happened. The lady cussed out the workers for knocking on the back door and scaring her after she told them to come to the front door. It took the cable workers 3 hours to finish the job, then they called the police to get even with the lady. Gonna agree 100%. No way would they have stayed there and worked on if they felt threatened. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 11:10:54 AM EDT
[#44]
Son, these people are called "Yankees," and it is very important that you never interact with them in any way if you can avoid it. If you're eating at a table in an airport and a Yankee asks if he can share the table, say "Please do!" Then, still smiling, throw your food in the trash, gather your things, and eat somewhere else.
They cannot help the way they are. They do not understand manners, or the concept of "not my business." Don't hurt them unless you must, but never get involved with them. It is a very bad idea. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 11:21:51 AM EDT
[#45]
Quoted:
Sounds like it's the word of three cable workers against one lady. They say she pointed, she says she didn't. If all she did is keep the weapon to her side, she is being railroaded. It's unfortunate for her that there were not more witnesses. Some people I don't know show up in my yard and beating on my back door, I'm POINTING the gun at them. Even if she DID, what was wrong with that? They are unknown trespassers, she is in fear of her life until the identity of the people is established. What exactly did she do wrong here? |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 11:23:01 AM EDT
[#46]
Quoted:
Guns of Contention: If Philly says no, Florida can say yes
Tue, Aug. 31, 2010 By Stephanie Farr Philadelphia Daily News http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/20100831_Guns_of_Contention__If_Philadelphia_says_no__Florida_can_say_yes.html?viewAll=y In the last two years, Philadelphia police have confiscated guns from at least nine men - including four security guards - who were carrying them legally, and only one of the guns has been returned, according to interviews with the men. Eight of the men said that they were detained by police - two for 18 hours each. Two were hospitalized for diabetic issues while in custody, one of whom was handcuffed to a bed. Charges were filed against three of the men, only to be withdrawn by the District Attorney's Office. The civil-rights unit of the City Solicitor's Office confirmed that it is handling eight such cases. Two of the men interviewed by the Daily News said that they rejected settlement offers from the city ranging from $3,500 to $7,500. One accepted a $5,000 offer. (snip) The whole government of Philadelphia (including the PD) ought to be disbanded––oh well, I can dream... This would go along with my post in the other thread that "agents of the state who 100% hang their hat on 'the law" will sooner or later find themselves on the wrong side of morality". |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 11:27:39 AM EDT
[#47]
Sherderian Sutton likes:
* Reading * Yoga * Cleaning * Excerising * Worshiping Allah * Ideal Muslimah * What Did Jesus Really Say * noble quran * Paitience and graditude * Still I Rise Maya Angelo * Nature * Anatomy * Science * Love Love Love * Peace on Earth * Law & Order:SVU * CSI * 60 Mins Not that any of this is relevant. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 11:30:03 AM EDT
[#48]
Quoted:
Son, these people are called "Yankees, blacks, muslims, women," and it is very important that you never interact with them in any way if you can avoid it. If you're eating at a table in an airport and one of them asks if they can share the table, say "Please do!" Then, still smiling, throw your food in the trash, gather your things, and eat somewhere else. They cannot help the way they are. They do not understand manners, or the concept of "not my business." Don't hurt them unless you must, but never get involved with them. It is a very bad idea. Yeah, you tell em Steve-Dave |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 11:30:38 AM EDT
[#49]
Quoted:
More to this one. I'd agree. She needs a lawyer. |
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Posted: 9/6/2010 11:31:43 AM EDT
[#50]
Is there something about her arm that is important?
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