Chicago, IL —It happens again and again, a forgetful or preoccupied traveler is found to have a firearm in a carryon bag at Midway or O’Hare Airports .  Zero tolerance kicks in and the hapless traveler is hauled off to jail.  They are forced to miss their flight along with the weddings, funerals and business meetings they planned on attending. That happened to the late retired Chicago cop and actor Dennis Farina seen in the above photo being handcuffed by police at LAX in 2008.   Everyday thousands of   travelers are similarly found with lotions, potions, perfume, liquor or various objects that just appear harmful.   Thousands of other forgetful or preoccupied people with the prohibited liquids don’t face arrest, just the confiscation of their sometimes-expensive property.   The point is that no person with criminal intent would ever knowingly place a bag on a conveyor belt for TSA inspection that contains a gun!   We all know our ...

Dennis Farina  Chicago, IL--Dennis Farina was bigger than life as a a cop and actor. He made lots of friends and never forgot his roots in the Windy City.  I know a lot of cops that will want to pay their respects. The schedule of events are as follows: Monday, July 29, 2013  – Wake,  4:00 – 9:00 p.m. Montclair-Lucania Funeral Home 6901 West Belmont Avenue Chicago, IL 60634 773.622.9300 Tuesday, July 30, 2013  – Service,  10:00 a.m. Assumption Catholic Church 323 West Illinois Street Chicago, IL 60654 312.644.0036  (Phone) 312.644.1838  (Fax) Burial private   

Scottsdale, AZ —I’m sad to report on the death of 18 year Chicago police veteran and accomplished actor Dennis Farina .  He died suddenly this morning in Scottsdale from a blood clot in his lung. Farina enjoyed life as a burglary detective at the old Area Six headquarters at Damen and Grace Avenues.  He along with others in his unit handled the follow-up investigations to countless high-dollar burglaries on the Windy City’s North side.   I first met Farina when I was asked to cover for another cop at an off duty job working security for Goldbaltt’s Department Store located in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood.  Like most cops we both had a second gig to make a few bucks. Farina attended St. Michael’s High School on North Sedgwick Street as I did until my mother could not pay the tuition.  I was quickly exiled to public school. Around 1979 legendary film director Michael Mann was putting together his film Thief , starring James Caan .  Man...

Los Angeles, CA —Notwithstanding the Second Amendment that clearly grants Americans the right to keep and bear arms we’ve allowed despotic politicians to suspend that right. One such result are those “Gun Free Zones”. Yes, most all of America’s gun laws are unconstitutional. It’s obvious that our judges have allegiance to the tyrannical politicians that appointed them rather than to our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Most American laws require actual intent on the part of someone in order to be convicted of breaking them. For example we forgive accidents even when a human life is lost. People legitimately carry merchandise out of stores forgetting to pay the cashier. I’ve done that myself a time or two. Thankfully I discovered the lapse and scrambled back in to pay for whatever I lifted avoiding arrest. To convict someone of breaking a law the government in most cases must prove that the defendant knowingly and intentionally committed the crime. The human condition of forgetfu...

Los Angeles, CA —Former Chicago police, Area-6 Burglary dick Dennis Farina took on a great role and has knocked it out of the park. Farina has been a successful actor ever since he consulted with movie director Michael Mann on the film Thief. Farina got a bit part in the film and former Area-6 Robbery sergeant Chuck Adamson wound up a somewhat meatier role as a corrupt Chicago police sergeant (a big stretch-not!) Adamson went on to be a screenwriter until he passed away a couple of years ago in Oregon where he retired. Farina never forgot where he came from and still attends copper’s retirement parties and funerals. I was lucky enough to see a screening of the film and have a chat with Farina after the film. At 68, Farina is still in rare form and seems ready to take on the world. As for the film associated with Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater it was a dream vehicle for Farina. The story was penned and directed by Joe Maggio . The film was shot in an incredible 19 days. Need...

Los Angeles- Dennis Farina is the Chicago cop turned actor who was turned into a criminal defendant by an over-zealous and unforgiving LAX Police Department. Farina just paid a fine on par with a minor traffic ticket. Farina could have easily won this small battle but his airline tickets alone would have exceeded the monetary punishment he accepted had he asked for his day in court. Today Farina’s lawyer, Blair Berk slipped into court, under the media's radar one day before Farina’s scheduled arraignment and settled the matter for good. Berk pled Farina to a single count for a nominal fine and some unsupervised probation. Berk was able to get the prosecutors to agree to waive Farina’s appearance before the judge. Okay, I hate this resolution because Farina broke no law and instead simply forgot he had that gun in his briefcase. However, trying the case would have required numerous court appearances, lots more good money and a considerable interruption of Farina’s life. I sa...

Over the last 30 years thousands of forgetful people have brought firearms inside carryon bags to the checkpoints and have been arrested. Today despite the fact that there is not a single known case where airport guards stopped a hijacking by uncovering a weapon , there is a zero tolerance policy for anyone with a gun in their bag. Under American laws there must be actual knowledge and intent to carry or bring the gun on the plane in order to gain a criminal conviction. Forgetfulness is a valid defense in court. If a gun owner wants to travel with a gun there is a simple procedure that allows for the gun be placed in checked baggage. Gun owners all know they don’t have to sneak their guns on to the planes. Because prosecutors allow these cases to be litigated, a jury must decide if the defendant truly forgot. After a court acquittal the defendant is in debt for bail bonds, lawyers and time off from work, to get his or her day in court. In other words, the defendant was innocent ...

Los Angeles --The Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney filed a three count complaint against retired Chicago police burglary detective turned actor, Dennis Farina . Los Angeles City Prosecutor, Rocky Delgadillo wants to follow an unreasonable path of zero tolerance for gun possession rather than seeking justice. It seems prosecutors want to somehow convince a jury that Farina Knowingly and willfully, violated the laws involved. That’s where prosecutors lost their way on this one. If Farina forgot he had that gun in his briefcase the required elements of the offense of, knowingly and willfully are just not present. My sincere hope is that Farina does not cave in to some plea deal just to avoid the process. Farina should have no problem going to court and simply telling a jury he forgot he had that gun in the briefcase he brought in from Arizona. Although there is a possible penalty of jail time it’s doubtful that would ever happen in this case even if Farina were to be convicted. Fa...

Los Angeles—L.A. County District Attorney Steve Cooley’s office has declined prosecution of retired Chicago police burglary detective, turned actor, Dennis Farina on that felony gun charge. The case was referred for review to the Los Angeles City Attorney, Rocky Delgadillo for review of any potential misdemeanor prosecution against Farina. The requirement of intent for such a gun possession charge must be present in any misdemeanor violation prosecution. Perhaps Farina will be cleared altogether very soon. Let’s hope that happens. Read earlier stories here.

Retired cop, now film actor Dennis Farina’s reputation and future is in the hands of Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley . The former Chicago police burglary detective turned actor forgot he had a small handgun in a briefcase as he routinely began the boarding process for a flight out of LAX. TSA workers discovered the gun to his major embarrassment and put the ZERO TOLERANCE enforcement policy into action. Zero tolerance for similar acts of forgetfulness does not further the cause of fighting terrorism or a prosecutor’s duty to seek Justice. That’s especially true for these similar violations that overwhelmingly snare off duty or retired cops rather than terrorists. As of today Cooley’s office has not filed formal charges against the popular career lawman and actor. I take that as a sign that prosecutors understand the allegations that brought the arrest of Farina require that actual intent to violate the law must be present. Bringing a case forward to a trial whe...

Los Angeles --According to what one LAX Police official told the L.A. Times the vast majority of them are off duty cops and such. Cops carry guns everyday of their lives and don’t dwell on that fact. They are comfortable in knowing they are supposed to do so. Cops are absent minded too. An example is when a cop is getting on a plane to attend the funeral of a family member or dear friend. Grief and devastating news can consume any normal person who is allowed by law to carry weapons. Remembering that the gun in a bag you drive around with by automobile every day is suddenly contraband on the airplane escapes many. The same goes for retired cops, security people such as bodyguards and private eyes. The sad news is that many of our law enforcement officers caught up in the TSA dragnet have their careers and in some cases lives shattered by these monumental and embarrassing events. For safety of all passengers it’s better that trained, vetted cops and retired cops carry their firea...

Los Angeles --It seems that Dennis Farina forgot he had a little .22 pistol in his briefcase as he went through an airport checkpoint at LAX this morning. The TSA weenies saved us from yet another hijacking! Farina honorably served as a Chicago cop spending most of his career as an Area Six burglary detective until he and and a former robbery sergeant, Chuck Adamson were discovered by legendary film director and Chicago native Michael Mann . Soon Farina took his leave of absence and early retirement to portray a cop in scores of projects on the small and large screen. Farina has returned for many funerals of fellow officers and never missed a chance to help one of his own. The TSA called LAX Police who booked Farina at the LAPD Pacific Division on a felony charge. Farina’s gun was allegedly not registered in California. California gives their residents a 60 day grace period in which to register firearms imported from other states. Farina told police he had recently brought the gun in...