Sheriff stresses importance of security measures after gun brought inside courthouse
A man was excused from jury duty after he brought a loaded gun into the Cherokee County Courthouse.
Cherokee County Sheriff Jason Chennault said the man arrived at the courthouse Monday, Jan. 13 to answer a jury summons.
"As part of security protocol at the courthouse, [the man] walked through a walk-through metal detector and the briefcase he carried into the courthouse was scanned through the X-ray machine. CCSO Courthouse Security Supervisor Sgt. Kevin McFarland saw what he believed to be a handgun inside the briefcase as he was viewing the scan on the X-ray machine's monitor," Chennault said.
McFarland opened the briefcase and located a 9mm handgun that was "chamber-loaded with a loaded magazine inside the handgun and an additional loaded magazine stored inside a magazine pouch that was affixed to the holster."
McFarland seized the firearm and allowed the man inside the courthouse to answer his jury summons. The deputy notified Chennault of the incident.
"I arrived at the courthouse and explained the discovery and seizure of the handgun to District Judge Doug Kirkley," Chennault said. "Judge Kirkley asked Sgt. McFarland and me to excuse [the man] from jury duty."
He was excused from jury duty and Chennault took possession of the handgun. Chennault said the man may be prosecuted for bringing the weapon into the courthouse.
"With the help of the Cherokee County commissioners, we upgraded our security measures for the courthouse and added additional security deputies several years ago. By using a metal detector and X-ray machine at the entrance to the courthouse, we've discovered several weapons being brought in, more than we ever thought we would - both knives and firearms," Chennault said.
The sheriff added that deputies have heard every excuse imaginable and have allowed people to take their weapons back to their vehicles to be stored.
"But we're going to have to start holding people more accountable by arrest and prosecution because I'm starting to have a real hard time believing people can 'forget' they have a firearm on their person or in their bags," Chennault said.
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