I can put up with all laws, as a law abiding citizen I expect no less of myself. Then, when the following is done (and let's not debate the rationality of the law itself) and the law is ignored...ostensibly because the offender is a rich guy...well, this just frosts my butt.

Let's you and I fly into the airport tomorrow with a Glock in our pillow and see if we get the same deal...
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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Trail Blazers fined guard Sebastian Telfair on Wednesday after a loaded gun was found on the team's private jet at Boston's Logan Airport.

The handgun was found in a pillowcase belonging to Telfair as the team plane was being prepared for a flight from Boston to Toronto, the team said in a statement.

A handgun was found in a pillowcase belonging to Sebastian Telfair as the Blazers team plane was being prepared for a flight from Boston to Toronto. (Rocky Widner / Getty Images)

Telfair explained to local authorities that the gun belonged to his girlfriend and that he had inadvertently grabbed the wrong bag when leaving for the team's road trip.

"We did sweep the plane and we did find the handgun, and it was a loaded handgun," said Jennifer Peppin, a regional spokeswoman based in Seattle for the Transportation Security Administration. "Once we got that we turned it over to the state police in Boston."

The gun is registered in Oregon to Samantha Rodriguez, Telfair's girlfriend of five years.

The Trail Blazers left Portland on Feb. 7 for their five-game trip. The team was in Oklahoma City for a game against the Hornets Wednesday night.

The matter was turned over to the Massachusetts Port Authority, which said no charges would be filed.

The team fined Telfair an undisclosed amount for violating league and team policy. The NBA is reviewing the matter.

"While we had to allow the legal process to run its course, and were grateful it appears that the authorities have determined Sebastian initially made an innocent mistake, he clearly compounded the situation by making the wrong choice by not notifying the team's traveling security agent about his situation immediately," Blazers president Steve Patterson said Wednesday.

"He has apologized profusely, but he knows he must be held accountable for his actions."
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Aren't the laws different for Private vs. Public aircraft?

That may or may not be, but...this was Massachussets...it is a no-no there to have a concealed gun without a permit etc. (well, that may be true in many States, but this was the one of the anti-gun centers of the anti-gun universe)...

Sounds like, the dude may have wanted to stay in compliance with the law. Left it on the plane, expecting to get back on the plane and not take it out where it was illeagal. Maybe? I wouldn't get my shorts in a bunch over something like that.

I'll jump in on this one since I happen to be a corporate pilot. The rules for a charter flight are different than for a private flight, but most companies enforce the stricter rules.

Our policy states you can carry a declared, to the pilot, UNLOADED handgun on board and it will be treated as carry-on luggage. If the gun cannot be placed in an external baggage compartment it can be carried on board provide it is in a locked case or has a trigger lock provided by the flight crew. The keys will be retained by the flight crew and the flight crew will lock the trigger or case.

Ammunition must be packed in the appropriate carry case, but may not be packed with carry-on luggage where it is accessible in flight.

The Portland Trailblazers OWN the aircraft they fly on, it is not a charter flight, my company used to manage that aircraft. My guess though is that NBA rules apply here. I can't imagine that they find a loaded handgun on-board the airplane an acceptable situation.

So if I were to find a loaded handgun on-board that had not been declared to me, I would explain to you that you would have to comply with the above stated policy. If unable to do that, no gun. There would not be a call made to any LEO so no real penalty would be realized.

Now if you attempt the same thing when trying to board a commercial airline flight...... There are different rules. The two really can't be compared. I hope that clears up some of the confusion.

I still say, what a dope. If you made a mistake that violates NBA league rules, own up to the mistake and live with the consequences, don't try to hide it in a pillow and hope to get away with it. The plane was headed for Toronto next? Good thing they found it in Boston or he would be spending time with the Mounties.

Rules are completely different for private planes.. When I fly my own plane, I usually have a gun on board. Private aircraft aren't under the control of the TSA. At smaller airports that have jet service, they usually have a red line painted on the ramp to seperate TSA and non-TSA areas. I know Bemidji and Hibbing have the areas clearly marked. I have to stay outside of those areas unless I've been screened by a TSA agent, or just pass through without stopping if a jet isn't present.

As far as permit, its possible he has a permit.. he's a basketball player.. However, bringing a handgun into Canada is a no no, so he's actually lucky they found it in boston.

Oh, come on.

Grabs the wrong bag; who can't decypher between their luggage and their girlfriend's?

The gun's loaded; couldn't he have attempted to empty it considering it was just...

...packed in a pillowcase; does anyone outside of the carry community buy holsters or attempt to have a safe home for their handguns?

Finally, I can't believe you can hit adulthood these days without hearing "honesty is the best policy"; if he "realized" that there was a gun in "his girlfriend's" bag, usually he would be worse off if the firearm is discovered by someone else, rather than if he makes the discovery and owns up to the situation immediately. Of course, if he knew about the gun all along, it would be impossible for him to "discover" it, which might explain why he never said anything. He was probably never ignorant about the gun's presence.

Frankly, considering how we would like airline carry laws changed anyway, I don't mind if someone doesn't get reamed for breaking regulations. But I would also like the same priviledge extended to me, should I ever play so fast & loose with the law. And if we're all allowed to get away with that, what's the point of that law in the first place? Thus leading back to my original position, that carry on airlines should be legal. Anywho. For now our little community is law-abiding; therefore, we have to look down on an action like this if it happened to break any laws.

But apparently we're not clear on whether his actions were illegal. And I couldn't care less about players breaking NBA rules, that is pretty much personal choice, and I'd bet one violation or anynother happens every night of the week...

He broke no FAA/TSA rules. This was a private aircraft. There is no comparison between the rules of private and commercial aircraft. If this would've happened at a TSA checkpoint, he may have been offered the chance to return to his car with it, or he could've been arrested. Thats up to the discression of the TSA guy.


He may have broke mass law. He didn't break any federal laws.

It was suggested that ..."I don't mind if someone doesn't get reamed for breaking regulations. But I would also like the same priviledge extended to me,"

and that is exactly my point. We can talk all we want about the fact that it may have been legal on private aircraft etc; but you will never convince me that had it been me and my gun in the pillow that the authorities would have essentially done nothing.

I guess I don't understand your thinking you would be treated any different. It was a PRIVATE flight. I would venture most people have not had the pleasure of being able to travel on private jets. If it was you in that same situation, you would get the same treatment.

This was NOT an airline flight. Put your experiences or preconceived notions about traveling on airlines aside, it has nothing to do with this incident.

Look at the article again, the NBA is determining the punishment, not local officials. Local security officials are consulted I'm sure because NBA policy says it will be. Any city the NBA plays in will do the same thing that Mass officials did, unless it happens to be Canada. Then you will spend time in jail. NO HANDGUNS.

Don't get me wrong, I don't condone what he did, I just don't think you would have been treated any different in the same situation. Unless you have a mean jump shot and can play defense I also don't imagine any of us will ever be in that situation. My apologies if you are capable of shooting and playing defense, if you can will you let the Timberwolves know so they can use your skills.

I guess the good (or is it bad??) news is that I likely won't ever fly on a private jet into an airport.

That being said, I do not believe that I am innoculated from State handgun laws by the mere fact I am on a private plane any more that I am immune from the same laws if I am in my own private vehicle. Perhaps I am wrong, in which case I should consider getting a private pilot license.

In summary, this plane was on the way out of the country (to Canada); I have no idea the legal basis for the TSA to check out a private plane leaving the country. However, it was so checked and the TSA found the gun. I still maintain that if the TSA found my pillow gun (and for this purpose I am assuming that the TSA had legal basis to be on that plane...perhaps they didn't??), I would not be treated the same. I would hope I would, and I would hope that this would indicate some common sense by the authorities, but I see it as preferential treatment.