Border security: 2 cases + quiz

[notfarnow]

2 people attempting to cross into the US at the Calais, ME border on April 25, 2005.

Subject A) Naturalized US citizen, carrying a homemade sword, a hatchet, brass knuckles, pepper spray, and a chainsaw that seemed to have blood on it. He claimed he was a Marine sergeant working on a special job for the US president, and there was a helicopter waiting for him in Maine. Border officials made a call to the RCMP, and found that he had no outstanding warrants, but he was scheduled to appear in court that day on assault charges.

Subject B) Canadian citzen. While crossing the border, was found to have had a minor marijuana drug charge from 18 years ago.

Please answer the following:

1) Which person do you think was turned around at the border?

2) Which person do you think murdered his elderly neighbors earlier that day, decapitating the husband?

[MRM]

That one's way too easy. The harder the government tries, the more often it does the wrong thing. All I can say is what a tragedy.

[notfarnow]

yep, very sad and tragic.

In fairness, the border workers held him for quite a while, but had no legal grounds to detain him. They are to testify this week, by the sounds of it their hands were tied.

Maybe his good looks helped to put them at ease:


More info:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/06/09/congressman_questioning_a_bizarre_border_crossing/

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2007/01/11/nb-court44.html

Thursday, January 11, 2007 | CBC News

NB Power worker Edward Young was waiting to cross the U.S. border to begin his Mexican vacation when he met accused killer Gregory Allan Despres, who identified himself as an assassin with the U.S. Marines just heading home from a kill, the court heard on Thursday.

Young, 40, testified that he laughed at what he considered to be a wild statement and didn't think Despres could be serious, given his small, five-foot-two-inch stature. "He doesn't even come up to my shoulder."

Gregory Despres, 24, is led into court on the third day of his murder trial in Fredericton.
(file) Despres, 24, is on trial in Fredericton for first-degree murder in the April 23, 2005, stabbing deaths of his next-door neighbours Fred Fulton, 74, and Verna Decarie, 70.

He is accused of breaking into their Minto home and violently attacking them, ultimately beheading Fulton. He has pleaded not guilty to both crimes, and his trial is in its fourth day of testimony.

On April 25, 2005, Young says Despres sat next to him at the border office between St. Stephen and Calais, while they both waited to cross into Maine.

Young testified he crosses the border at least once a week to buy groceries and gas, but was stopped this particular time because one of his friends was carrying narcotic painkillers and had to prove they were obtained legally.

When border guards asked Young whether he had any previous criminal charges, he admitted to a minor drug possession charge 18 years earlier.

While he waited to be processed, Young told the court that a young man with a Mohawk-type haircut sat down next to him, who he later realized was Despres.

Border officials had seized Despres's backpack, and took out its contents including brass knuckles, bayonets, and a chainsaw.

Young told the court he looked at Despres and joked to him, "I guess you're not getting out of here soon either."

He said that's when Despres calmly told him he was a hired killer who just finished a job in Canada and was on his way home.

"Just that one sentence," he said. "He started drinking his coffee again, then they sent me back across the border. I looked back and he was going the other way."

Young wasn't allowed into the United States on April 25, 2005, but border officials gave Despres, a naturalized U.S. citizen, permission to cross after seizing his weaponry.

Despres was arrested the next day in Massachusetts, charged with two counts of first-degree murder, and extradited back to Canada.

[MRM]

I was puzzled by the failure to keep him longer after they detained him. In the US a person can be held for up to 72 hours on what is called a probable cause hold so that the cops can investigate without the suspect taking advantage of the time delay and taking off.

I would like to think that law enforcement would hold someone who appeared at an international border with a bloody chain saw, but you are correct; the Mounty who stoppedhim did hold him and only let him go when the higher ups told him there was no basis for holding him. Funny thing, life, isn't it?

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by MRM
I would like to think that law enforcement would hold someone who appeared at an international border with a bloody chain saw, but you are correct; the Mounty who stoppedhim did hold him and only let him go when the higher ups told him there was no basis for holding him. Funny thing, life, isn't it?

Wasn't the mounties who stopped him.

He was dealing the US border service. They called the RCMP, who said there were no warrants but he was expected in court that day on an assault charge.

[MRM]

I hadn't realized he was stopped on this side of the border. That is just insane.

[m21sniper]

Seems to me the bloody chainsaw was plenty of probable cause to hold him.

[notfarnow]

Apparently his shirt had blood stains too.

Although they knew he was to appear in court that day, they thought if they let him in, he'd have enough time to make it back for his hearing.

I think the border agents are testifying today, so it will be interesting to hear what they say. At the time, it sounded like they held him as long as they possibly could... about 3 hours.

Here's the couple he killed:


Their daughter dropped in after 3 days of trying to call them. Found the door open, blood everywhere. Her father's head in a pillowcase under the kitchen table.

Truly bizarre case. Very prominent in the news up here, with some very heartbreaking testimony from the family.

[Noney]

That guy's picture gives me the willies.