[ve2vfd]

CFL player faces gun charges after firearm discovered in hotel room | CTV Montreal

Updated: Thu May. 03 2012 6:34:45 PM

ctvmontreal.ca

MONTREAL — Toronto Argonaut Edawn Coughman, 23, is facing three years in jail after a cleaning-lady found a gun on his bedside table at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal Wednesday night.

A police SWAT returned to find the loaded gun hidden under the mattress.During his bail hearing Thursday a tearful Coughman tried to explain that he bought the gun legally in his home state of Georgia and that he always carries the weapon. He said he was unaware of Canada's strict gun laws. His lawyer attributed it to a misunderstanding.

"Being from a totally different background as far as carrying a firearm goes, yes he was totally surprised," said lawyer Hugues Surprenant. There are cultural differences; of course for us Canadians there are no questions to be asked."

Coughman was in town to train alongside Edmonton Eskimo Ted Laurent at the Alouettes' training facility. The prosecution raised questions about how could afford to own a home in Toronto and another in Atlanta on his $44,000 CFL salary. They worry that he will flee the country if granted bail. "He's an American citizen, we don't know if he'll be back in Canada considering the offence," said Crown Prosecutor David Landry.

The judge will render her bail decision tomorrow. But in the meantime, the Argonauts haven't said anything about the player's future on the team.

I'll be curious to see if/how he beats this charge... illegal possession of a restricted weapon (handgun) is a mandatory 3 years jail term in this country. There is no such thing as "right to bear arms" here and there are huge signs at all border crossings indicating that handguns are illegal in our country.

Pat

[pickles]

Anyone know what sort of pistol it was?
Cheers, Pickles.

[pete-tarmigan]

Is there any country in the entire world, except the U.S., where handguns are not restricted weapons? In many countries even hunting rifles and shotguns are illegal.

[eddie1960]

If he doesn't get convicted it's a travesty of our justice system. It's not like he was here with a visiting NFL team for an exhibition game and perhaps it came in with the team luggage - he was there with a Canadian team so he plays up here, and likely has an apartment in Toronto. he had to knowingly smuggle it in. Aside from the huge signs at border crossings it's also pretty routine for Customs to ask Americans if they are carrying any firearms since they are well aware of the difference in attitude towards guns.

Edit - if he get's bail I will bet he is back to the US not to return, and he will look for work down there in a US league

[eddie1960]

Anyone know what sort of pistol it was?
Cheers, Pickles.

It's not really relevant Pickles, it could be a little 22 ladies gun or a 44 magnum, either way it's an automatic 3 years in jail. You can of course own a handgun up here, but the rules are really strict on storage and transport (to move it from one location to another you must notify the police and give them a route and time it will travel AFAIK) most handgun owners keep them at gun clubs very few keep them at home where it must be in a gun safe with the ammo stored separately if I'm not mistaken.

[normhead]

Let's be clear, I'm totally against gun ownership, especially hand guns, but there was no criminal intent. My fathers half of the family is from Georgia. This guy could be the most mild mannered civil person you ever met, and still feel the need to have a gun beside his bed. It's something Canadians might not understand, you have to be part of the culture. My son was forced to break up with a girl he dated in Atlanta a few years ago. he wasn't packing, her family said 'What kind of a man are you if you won't take the steps necessary to protect our daughter." These weren't crazy people. These were decent folk, expressing concern for the welfare of their children. So while in Canada those two statements would be incompatible, the US really is a different culture in terms of guns. I'd hate to see someone from Georgia imprisoned for doing something that within his culture would be seen as "the right thing" given that there was little likely hood of harm to anyone else.

WHen I lived in Perth, one of my neighbours used to often wear a huge "dirty Harry" type fire arm on his hip, especially when in the yard of his farm house. I knew a couple of OPP so I took the opportunity to ask about this guy. The said ' A couple years ago a few men broke into his house, Robbed him, killed his wife, and left him for dead, now he wears that all the time, we pretty much leave him alone." Even in Canada, people can accommodate these things, maybe not officially, but sometimes reason prevails. It helped that poor man continue to function, and regardless of ideology, it made a man who suffered the worst kind of abuse feel safer. I'm sure therapy would have been better, but as a therapist once told me, therapy isn't for everyone.

[eddie1960]

Let's be clear, I'm totally against gun ownership, especially hand guns, but there was no criminal intent. My fathers half of the family is from Georgia. This guy could be the most mild mannered civil person you ever met, and still feel the need to have a gun beside his bed. It's something Canadians might not understand, you have to be part of the culture. My son was forced to break up with a girl he dated in Atlanta a few years ago. he wasn't packing, her family said 'What kind of a man are you if you won't take the steps necessary to protect our daughter." These weren't crazy people. These were decent folk, expressing concern for the welfare of their children. So while in Canada those two statements would be incompatible, the US really is a different culture in terms of guns. I'd hate to see someone from Georgia imprisoned for doing something that within his culture would be seen as "the right thing" given that there was little likely hood of harm to anyone else.

Thing is Norm he came up here to work, he had to pass through customs (likely more than once) and see the signs. If you are going to a different country you have to be aware of and respect their laws. If not you can end up in jail. The guy may very well be a nice mild mannered guy with no intent meant (he's a jock so I doubt the mild mannered somewhat), he still broke a law in a country he chose to come work in. Ignorance of the law is never an acceptable excuse.

[ve2vfd]

Norm, I fully expect this guy to beat the rap... but he'll probably lose his work permit, get deported and become personna non grata in Canada.

Don't forget this is the province where judges have been refusing to administer the minimum sentences they are supposed to impose by law... This is also the province where teenage boys are allowed to bring their "ceremonial knife" into highschools because it's part of their culture... (I'm not picking on Sikhs, but I expect it will come up if the cultural argument is to be used as defence)

I just have a VERY hard time believing anyone coming to WORK in Canada can be so ignorant as to our extremely strict gun laws.

Pat

[lesmore49]

As far as the gun incident....it'll be taken care of in the court system. Not much to discuss.

[pete-tarmigan]

My son was forced to break up with a girl he dated in Atlanta a few years ago. he wasn't packing, her family said 'What kind of a man are you if you won't take the steps necessary to protect our daughter." These weren't crazy people. These were decent folk, expressing concern for the welfare of their children.

They wouldn't need to carry concealed firearms if the streets weren't awash with millions of handguns stolen from licensed owners who were too stupid or lazy to secure their guns. The general population's freedom of movement and personal security is severely restricted because of those stolen handguns. Since there will always be stupid, lazy, licensed handgun owners the general population needs to be protected from them by banning and confiscating all handguns. The Mexican drug cartels get all of their guns from the U.S. precisely because of its bottomless supply of improperly stored guns free for the taking by criminals. People kill people, so for Christ's sake don't give them weapons.

[normhead]

I really think a fine would be sufficient to make the point. I'm not saying let him go as if nothing happened. I'm just saying from my perspective as one who opposes hand guns completely, this doesn't deserve jail time. And, I'm in total disagreement with the Conservative law that saws anyone with an illegal gun get's three years. There are all kinds of circumstances where that just isn't appropriate, this being one of them. I fully expect the Cons to turn a blind eye when this guy is fined and released. They don't want to look even more stupid than they already do with this really bad law essentially being completely ignored by the courts.

They wouldn't need to carry concealed firearms if the streets weren't awash with millions of handguns stolen from licensed owners who were too stupid or lazy to secure their guns

I agree completely, but I also believe in persuasion, not legislation. Take the gun lobby and the arms manufacturers and gun lobby out of it and level the playing field and I don't believe it would take long for people to realize what a danger it is having a firearm in the house. Just like the tobacco industry, arms manufacturers are contributing to a culture that leads to un-necssary death. There's little difference between them. The arms companies can be brought under control the same way the tobacco companies were. Measured legislation, and a lot of education. Right now the Americans don't have the will to do that. But I have faith, civilization will someday come to the US.

[eddie1960]

but if they let him Go Harper's argument for more jails becomes a strawman

[Sol Invictus]

Give him 5 months and tack on an extra two under the stupidity clause of the criminal code. Three years is needlessly harsh if there isn't anything more to this story. A prison sentence still sends the message that ignorance of the law isn't an excuse and this isn't a minor crime that can be cleared up by paying a fine. And definitely no bond. He is running back home the first chance he gets.

Actually, since he plays for the Argos, give him life.

[normhead]

Actually, since he plays for the Argos, give him life.

Isn't playing for the Argos punishment enough? It's already cruel and unusual punishment for being a mediocre football player. Sentence him to play for the Argos for 5 years. That would be the equivalent of a life sentence for an ordinary human being.

[riff]

Wonder how many other illegal handguns are floating around in the Canadian pro sports biz or laying at the river bottom.

Hey at least he didn't have a water pistol!