Attorney costumed as Osama Bin Laden with grenades and an AK47 arrested in Maine

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Attorney costumed as Osama Bin Laden with grenades and an AK47 arrested in Maine

Posted: 11/1/2006 4:18:12 AM EDT

Man costumed as Osama arrested in Maine

Attorney Tom Connolly was arrested by South Portland, Maine, police Tuesday morning, after motorists reported a man with a gun near Interstate 295. It turns out the gun was part of a Halloween costume, but it looked real enough to passersby and police.

Connolly was dressed in an Osama Bin Laden costume and holding a fake gun and a sign that said "I love TABOR".

Officers raced to the scene and drew their weapons on Connolly. They say Connolly didn't immediately respond to their commands. He was taken into custody a few minutes later.

"The officers ordered him to drop the weapon and lay on the ground. He still walked toward the officers, dropping what appeared to be hand granades onto the roadway. He finally complied with the request of the officers and laid the weapon down and laid down on the ground himself and he was subsequently arrested," said George Berry from South Portland Police.

Connolly, who's been charged with criminal threatening, is a well-known attorney. He ran an unsucessful campaign for governor in 1998. In 2000, Connolly tipped the media off to a 1970's DUI arrest by presidential candidiate George W. Bush.

In a news conference held by South Portland Police, Chief Ed Googins said Connolly's actions redefine the word 'stupid.' He also displayed the fake gun and the costume Connolly was wearing.

Posted: 11/1/2006 4:22:37 AM EDT

[#1]

Lucky he wasn’t shot! What a moron.

Posted: 11/1/2006 4:29:10 AM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
In 2000, Connolly tipped the media off to a 1970's DUI arrest by presidential candidiate George W. Bush.

What goes around, comes around.

Posted: 11/1/2006 4:32:07 AM EDT

[#3]

thats exactly what my mom says.

Posted: 11/1/2006 4:34:54 AM EDT

[#4]

If it was a toy it ought to have had a big orange cap on the end right?

Still he should have put it down when they told him to.

Posted: 11/1/2006 4:39:20 AM EDT

[#5]

Just so we're clear on this. He's an IDIOT.

Posted: 11/1/2006 4:42:03 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
'
If it was a toy it ought to have had a big orange cap on the end right?
.

I've been tempted to paint a spare A2 FH orange and put in on a real rifle.

Posted: 11/1/2006 4:43:23 AM EDT

[#7]

Too bad there's no booking picture.

Posted: 11/1/2006 5:39:17 AM EDT

[#8]

WTF is it with yankees, that they're so scared of guns?

Now they're calling the cops for halloween costumes.

Retards.

Posted: 11/1/2006 5:42:21 AM EDT

[#9]

that was a great reply........

Posted: 11/1/2006 5:48:06 AM EDT

[#10]

Damn.. You beat me to it.

Here is another take on it..

Maine lawyer arrested after dressing as bin Laden
Reuters

October 31, 2006

I didn't expect to be arrested BOSTON (Reuters) - A Maine attorney who released information in 2000 about President George W. Bush's drunken driving conviction was arrested on Tuesday after he dressed up as al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and waved a fake gun at traffic.

Police in South Portland, Maine, arrested Thomas Connolly, 49, of Scarborough, Maine, and charged him with criminal threatening. He was released on bail, local officials said.

Lt. Todd Bernard said the police department received calls about a man wearing Middle Eastern garb and a bin Laden mask and carrying fake dynamite standing along an interstate highway. When police arrived, they saw Connolly holding a gun.

"They ordered him to drop the weapon several times and he eventually complied," Bernard said.

It turned out the gun was fake, Bernard said.

In a phone interview, Connolly said he'd been trying to protest a planned change in local tax rules.

"I didn't expect to be arrested," he said. "Obviously I touched a post-9/11 nerve."

Days before the 2000 presidential election, Connolly released information about Bush's 1976 drunken driving conviction.

The Bush campaign said Democratic "dirty tricks" were behind the disclosure that at age 30 Bush had been arrested for drunken driving in Kennebunkport, Maine, pleaded guilty, paid a fine and had his license suspended for 30 days.

Connolly, a Democrat, ran for governor in Maine in 1998.

South Portland, Maine, is located about 100 miles northeast of Boston.

This guy is POWNED!!!

Posted: 11/1/2006 5:49:35 AM EDT

[#11]

Criminal threatening for carrying a toy gun.

Posted: 11/1/2006 5:52:44 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
If it was a toy it ought to have had a big orange cap on the end right?

I saw video footage on the morning news shows. The toy rifle did have the orange cap and looked NOTHING like a real rifle.

The cops went overboard.

Posted: 11/1/2006 5:53:17 AM EDT

[#13]

Sounds like he was arrested for being stupid in a non-stupid zone.

When the popo tell you to get on the ground it's not an option. Just do it.

Posted: 11/1/2006 5:55:16 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Criminal threatening for carrying a toy gun.

Hey.. Lets not forget..

It was the LIBS that force toy manufactures to put orange tips on toy guns.

Also He had a bandoleer of ammo, toy bomb and grenades..

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:00:14 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Also He had a bandoleer of ammo, toy bomb and grenades..

The belts of toy ammo looked more realistic than anything else.

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:00:55 AM EDT

[#16]

man arrested for dressing up as a terrorist with a bomb and a gun?

all i can say is... FUCKING DUH!

eta: this is going in as part of my campaign calling for the execution of tragically stupid people.

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:02:00 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

Quoted:
If it was a toy it ought to have had a big orange cap on the end right?

I saw video footage on the morning news shows. The toy rifle did have the orange cap and looked NOTHING like a real rifle.

The cops went overboard.

Yep. GWB crap aside.... IT'S FUCKING HALLOWEEN! Did they pile drive kids with swords into the dirt for 'menacing'? Did they put any hooded devils in jail for running about with scythes 'terrorizing' the good people? Draw down on any walking dead or werewolves?

Jesus.

Now he's still lucky to have not been shot. Common sense says if you have a toy gun and the popo says drop it and get on the ground that you do so. The whole thing may be stupid but so is advancing on officers who think you have a weapon.

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:02:36 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
man arrested for dressing up as a terrorist with a bomb and a gun?

A man was arrested on halloween for dressing up in what was clearly an Osama costume.

If he had done this on June 2nd, it might be a reason to call the cops. But on halloween?

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:03:39 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Also He had a bandoleer of ammo, toy bomb and grenades..

The belts of toy ammo looked more realistic than anything else.

I'm trying to find the news story in todays Union Leader , and Channel 9 news last night.

News 9 had some great close ups of the items on a table.

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:06:47 AM EDT

[#20]

Did anyone catch the sign part?

I love TABOR???

Sounds like a lib trying to make a pro-tax point (Osama loves it when you limit state spending)...

The man was LOOKING TO GET ARRESTED AND PUT ON TV

Sounds like it worked...

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:07:45 AM EDT

[#21]

I saw that Rusted Ace went as a terrorist last night, but he used one of those miniature cartoonified airsoft AK47s.

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:08:07 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Did anyone catch the sign part?

I love TABOR???

Sounds like a lib trying to make a pro-tax point (Osama loves it when you limit state spending)...

The man was LOOKING TO GET ARRESTED AND PUT ON TV

Sounds like it worked...

Yup. Instead of being ignored as a looney, he's now some kind of hero to retarded people.

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:12:06 AM EDT

[#23]

If this guy had been standing on a street corner in Bagdad. We would be nominating him to the Darwin Awards after he was used as target practice by the locals..

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:21:41 AM EDT

[#24]

it's fukin halloween!

if he went as a zombie, would you guys have shot him?

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:32:16 AM EDT

[#25]

There is now footage on the cnn website.

The guy claims he didn't hear the cops tell him to drop the "gun" at first, which is plausible given that he was standing next to a loud road.

The mask and gun were obviously fake from up close, not sure about from afar. Maybe the cops were just hoping for that 50 million dollar reward for nabbing Bid Laden?

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:37:43 AM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
it's fukin halloween!

if he went as a zombie, would you guys have shot him?

You and all the other defenders of this guy are missing the point.

Sure: 1: It's Halloween;

2: He's dressed in an OBVIOUS costume;

3: His "weapons" are laughably fake;

4: It looks like Johnny Bo Bo may have over-reacted a tad;

5: He's making a political statement (a retarded one, but a political statement none the less); and

6: he's a rather well known local political activist.

BUT, because:

1: He did not comply with a questionable police order; and most importantly

2: he told the truth about a DUI of our President.

HE'S A SCUMBAG WHO GETS WHATEVER HE DESERVES!!!!!!!! BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA .

Seriously, your Arfcom logic is lacking.

As an aside, I find that People who have had little contact with the current law enforcement community often act in this way. They do not understand that cops won't just come up and speak with them like humans when there's a perceived threat.

These people often get charged with resisting arrest because they do not understand why the cop is getting irate, nor do they understand the seriousness of their predicament. Its a different world than the one he grew up in.

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:42:37 AM EDT

[#27]

Just as a side note, the orange tip thing does not mean that the object is NOT a weapon. Think about how easy it is to put an orange tip on your AR. I'd treat the object as a weapon regardless of the color.

Posted: 11/1/2006 6:43:24 AM EDT

[#28]

Attorney Dressed As Osama Arrested In South Portland

10/31/2006

Attorney Tom Connolly was arrested by South Portland police Tuesday morning, after motorists reported a man with a gun near Interstate 295. It turns out the gun was part of a Halloween costume, but it looked real enough to passersby and police.

Connolly was dressed in an Osama Bin Laden costume and holding a fake gun and a sign that said "I love TABOR".

Officers raced to the scene and drew their weapons on Connolly. They say Connolly didn't immediately respond to their commands. He was taken into custody a few minutes later.

"The officers ordered him to drop the weapon and lay on the ground. He still walked toward the officers, dropping what appeared to be hand grenades onto the roadway. He finally complied with the request of the officers and laid the weapon down and laid down on the ground himself and he was subsequently arrested," said George Berry from South Portland Police.

Connolly, who's been charged with criminal threatening, is a well-known attorney. He ran an unsuccessful campaign for governor in 1998. In 2000, Connolly tipped the media off to a 1970's DUI arrest by presidential candidates George W. Bush.

In a news conference held by South Portland Police, Chief Ed Googins said Connolly's actions redefine the word 'stupid.' He also displayed the fake gun and the costume Connolly was wearing.

At least the article got around to mentioning that Mr. Connolly is the same party hack "political activist" who trotted out Bush's DUI arrest as the October surprise for the 2000 elections. But note that they still didn't mention his political affiliation.

Maybe they thought it was unnecessary to spell out that Connolly is a rabid Democrat. What else would someone whose "actions redefine the word stupid" be?

Posted: 11/1/2006 7:11:09 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
WTF is it with yankees, that they're so scared of guns?

Now they're calling the cops for halloween costumes.

Retards.

Ok, let's get something straight:

Portland, Maine is very liberal, like Boston...It's not a representation of the rest of the state. Had he tried that further north, he'd have been "accidentally run over/"mistaken" for a deer"

Secondly, The guy was waving a rifle around while dressed like a terrorist, complete with fake explosives and grenades.

That goes a LITTLE beyond being afraid of guns...

Posted: 11/1/2006 7:22:45 AM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:

Quoted:
'
If it was a toy it ought to have had a big orange cap on the end right?
.

I've been tempted to paint a spare A2 FH orange and put in on a real rifle.

I'm fairly sure that illegal.

Posted: 11/1/2006 7:24:02 AM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
Sounds like he was arrested for being stupid in a non-stupid zone.

that's what it boils down to.

this guy is a huge assclown. he was on the news talking about how he was protesting some garbage, and standing on a highway overpass dressed as OBL with a fake gun was his way of doing so...

Posted: 11/1/2006 8:39:50 AM EDT

[#32]

I just saw the news clip on Channel 9 news.

The close-up of the toy AK showed that the red or orange tip was removed, therefore from a distance, the police didn't know that it was a toy.

Going by ATF standard, and that the toy gun is suppose to have a red or orange tip.

Can he (Attorney Tom Connolly) be charged for modifying the length of the barrel by removing the orange/red muzzle flash(tip)?

Hey.. They would charge you or me from modifying our guns.

Posted: 11/1/2006 8:48:44 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
I just saw the news clip on Channel 9 news.

The close-up of the toy AK showed that the red or orange tip was removed, therefore from a distance, the police didn't know that it was a toy.

Going by ATF standard, and that the toy gun is suppose to have a red or orange tip.

Can he (Attorney Tom Connolly) be charged for modifying the length of the barrel by removing the orange/red muzzle flash(tip)?

Hey.. They would charge you or me from modifying our guns.

Unless I'm way off base the length of the barrel of toy guns is not under the perview of the ATF.

Posted: 11/1/2006 8:49:52 AM EDT

[#34]

Tabor?

Posted: 11/1/2006 8:51:07 AM EDT

[#35]

ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=513084

Posted: 11/1/2006 8:54:53 AM EDT

[#36]

wow, they actually CHARGED him? Whaaaat? Ridiculous.

Who cares what his politics are? The police would be just as likely to arrest YOU for the same bullshit.

Me and my brother's and sister dressed up as libyan terrorists once for the Baptist fall festival, btw. Most of the people thought our outfits were cute.

Hey, its no worse than dressing up as a pirate.

Posted: 11/1/2006 2:21:07 PM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:
Tabor?

It's a item in the upcoming elections to lower taxes. It's modeled after a similar bill in Colorado that was eventually done away with. I'm all for lowering my taxes, but this is not the way to do it. Cities and towns would have to have a referendum for anything that wasn't already figured into the budget, etc. etc. Which would cost the towns money, as each time thats done, it averages $5000.00 to do it.

Oh and listen to those of us from Maine, the guys an ass.

And for those who think the cops overreacted. The Department in question, just had one of their own shot in the line of duty about 2 weeks ago. So until you become a real expert, instead of an internet commando, lighten up.

Posted: 11/1/2006 4:03:02 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
Tabor?

TAxpayers
Bill
Of
Rights

A law designed to freeze the state & local tax levy at inflation plus population growth, unless voters authorize new taxation in a referendum...

It's a great ideal but...

Liberals hate it, as shown here...

Posted: 11/1/2006 4:10:17 PM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Tabor?

It's a item in the upcoming elections to lower taxes. It's modeled after a similar bill in Colorado that was eventually done away with. I'm all for lowering my taxes, but this is not the way to do it. Cities and towns would have to have a referendum for anything that wasn't already figured into the budget, etc. etc. Which would cost the towns money, as each time thats done, it averages $5000.00 to do it.

Oh and listen to those of us from Maine, the guys an ass.

And for those who think the cops overreacted. The Department in question, just had one of their own shot in the line of duty about 2 weeks ago. So until you become a real expert, instead of an internet commando, lighten up.

Was he shot with a toy gun? Otherwise I'll stick with the internet crackpot notion that toy guns as a part of a costume do not warrant charging a man with crimes. Until you show me where he used the toy to carry out a crime my mind won't be changing.

He may well be an ass but that doesn't make his costume any more deadly than anyone else's.

Posted: 11/1/2006 4:21:26 PM EDT

[#40]

What a jackass.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Attorney costumed as Osama Bin Laden with grenades and an AK47 arrested in Maine

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