Edged Weapons Related...

[Jimd]

I saw the article, and thought it might be interesting for a few of us here. Nice to know our borders are secure...--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Man with a chain saw that was apparently covered with blood was let into the U.S.


Gregory Despres is shown in this image from television. On April 25, 2005, Despres arrived at the US-Canadian border crossing at Calais, Maine, carrying chain saw stained with what appeared to be blood, a homemade sword, a hatchet, a knife, and brass knuckles. (AP Photo)



By Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press | June 7, 2005


· BOSTON (AP) -- On April 25, Gregory Despres arrived at the U.S.-Canadian border crossing at Calais, Maine, carrying a homemade sword, a hatchet, a knife, brass knuckles and a chain saw stained with what appeared to be blood. U.S. customs agents confiscated the weapons and fingerprinted Despres.

Then they let him into the United States.

The following day, a gruesome scene was discovered in Despres' hometown of Minto, New Brunswick: The decapitated body of a 74-year-old country musician named Frederick Fulton was found on his kitchen floor. The man's head was in a pillow case under a kitchen table. His common-law wife was discovered stabbed to death in a bedroom.

Despres, 22, immediately became a suspect because of a history of violence between him and his neighbors, and he was arrested April 27 after police in Massachusetts saw him wandering down a highway in a sweat shirt with red and brown stains. He is now in jail in Massachusetts on murder charges, awaiting an extradition hearing next month.

At a time when the United States is tightening its borders, how could a man toting what appeared to be a bloody chain saw be allowed into the country?

Bill Anthony, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said the Canada-born Despres could not be detained because he is a naturalized U.S. citizen and was not wanted on any criminal charges on the day in question.

Anthony said Despres was questioned for two hours before he was released. During that time, he said, customs agents employed "every conceivable method" to check for warrants or see if Despres had broken any laws in trying to re-enter the country.

"Nobody asked us to detain him," Anthony said. "Being bizarre is not a reason to keep somebody out of this country or lock them up. ... We are governed by laws and regulations, and he did not violate any regulations."

Anthony conceded it "sounds stupid" that a man wielding what appeared to be a bloody chain saw could not be detained. But he added: "Our people don't have a crime lab up there. They can't look at a chain saw and decide if it's blood or rust or red paint."

Sgt. Gary Cameron of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police would not comment on whether it was, in fact, blood on the chain saw.

On the same day Despres crossed the border, he was due in a Canadian court to be sentenced on charges he assaulted and threatened to kill Fulton's son-in-law, Frederick Mowat, last August.

Mowat told police Despres had been bothering his father-in-law for the past month. When Mowat confronted him, Despres allegedly pulled a knife, pointed it at Mowat's chest and said he was "going to get you all."

Police believe the dispute between the neighbors boiled over in the early-morning hours of April 24, when Despres allegedly broke into Fulton's home and stabbed the couple.

Fulton's daughter found her father's body two days later. His car was later found in a gravel pit on a highway leading to the U.S. border. Despres hitchhiked to the border crossing.

After the bodies were found on the afternoon of April 26, police set up roadblocks and sent out a bulletin that identified Despres as a "person of interest" in the slayings, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The bulletin caught the eye of a Quincy police dispatcher because it gave the suspect's Massachusetts driver's license number, missing a character. The dispatcher plugged in numbers and letters until she found a last known address for Despres in Mattapoisett. She alerted police in that town, and an officer quickly spotted Despres.

In state court the next day, Despres told a judge that he is affiliated with NASA and was on his way to a Marine Corps base in Kansas at the time of his arrest.

After the case was transferred to federal court, Despres' attorney, Michael Andrews, questioned whether his client is mentally competent.

Fulton's friends in Minto, a village of 2,700 people, told the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal that he was a popular musician, a guitarist known as the "Chet Atkins of Minto" and a 2001 inductee in the Minto Country Music Wall of Fame.

[The Deacon]

It does seem a bit ridiculous that a single computerized database, instantly accessible to and usable by, all law enforcement agencys from local to federal in the US, Canada and Mexico does not exist. At least it does show that some police personnel, like that Quincy Police dispatcher, are on the ball and willing to "go the extra mile" to check things out.

[greencobra]

It does seem a bit ridiculous that a single computerized database, instantly accessible to and usable by, all law enforcement agencys from local to federal in the US, Canada and Mexico does not exist. At least it does show that some police personnel, like that Quincy Police dispatcher, are on the ball and willing to "go the extra mile" to check things out.

Even so, I can't think of one country in the world except the US, that would have even let this guy cross over looking like that, never mind running him for wants and warrants. I makes you wonder.

[Senate]

this is the guy...

no comment :eek:

[greencobra]

this is the guy...

no comment :eek:

Oh yeah, let 'em all in!

[The Deacon]

Even so, I can't think of one country in the world except the US, that would have even let this guy cross over looking like that, never mind running him for wants and warrants. I makes you wonder.

I dunno GC, according to the story, even though Canadian by birth, he was a US citizen. Not sure if customs could refuse to admit him. And they did detain him for two hours while checking for wants and warrants. Detain him for what? Pubic weirdness? They'd have all the "looney-tunes are people too" huggy-feely types screaming "POLICE STATE!!!" Blood on a chainsaw? Was it spring bear season in NB? They hunt them over bait, or at least use to, and the bait was often spoiled meat.

[pmel018]

Hey Guys
this story made the front page of the international section of our local paper. With all the sh*t in the world they printed this.

Phil

[Jimd]

Senate, thanks for posting the pic!

You know, when I saw the picture of the guy, it really laid to rest any doubts I had about him. Now my opinion of him is much higher, as he appears to be a very personable, peaceful, nice guy. See? They printed that awful story about the man, and here he is, just like the nice guy next door.

[Vincent]

id kill that guy if i saw him on the street. Just for the way he looks.

My god that guy will never have a girlfriend.

[Dr. Snubnose]

Hey I know that guy...Chainsaw Charlie...doesn't everyone walk around Canada carrying a chainsaw? What's the problem!...Doc