Repeater
Regular Member
Golly, city hall security guards are unarmed when on duty. But not to worry, there are plenty of 'panic buttons' available throughout the building:
Trespasser at City Hall Raises Security Concerns
Gee, Channel 8 makes him look really bad, huh? Sandra Jones from WTVR caught up with the accused:
Man accused of bringing hatchet to city hall: ‘I didn’t threaten anybody’
Well great, no 'specific intent' -- the Grapeshot Doctrine assures us there will be no prosecution for any weapons charge.
As for trespass, well ....
Trespasser at City Hall Raises Security Concerns
Around 5 p.m. on Oct. 8, Nathaniel Burwell tried to enter Jones' second-floor office at City Hall. Richmond Police arrested him for trespassing when he refused to leave. Officers say they found a hatchet in a bag Burwell left at a guard's post on the first floor. Burwell frequents City Hall and has a lengthy criminal history that includes trespassing, disorderly conduct and a concealed weapons charge.
This, naturally, brings up safety concerns.
"[Visitors] can go anywhere they want here—anywhere, all over; they're not checked," she said.
While there are security guards in the building, they sit at only one of four entrances. Trammel points out that they are not armed like the mayor's personal security detail is.
"We don't have $400,000 worth of security like he does," she said. "I don't know what Mr. Mayor is thinking about it. I mean what about all of City Hall, all the employees that work here?"
There used to be metal detectors in the building, but they were removed in 2005 under former Mayor Doug Wilder. Now there are panic buttons located sporadically throughout the building.
Gee, Channel 8 makes him look really bad, huh? Sandra Jones from WTVR caught up with the accused:
Man accused of bringing hatchet to city hall: ‘I didn’t threaten anybody’
A Richmond man has been banned from city hall after he demanded to see Mayor Dwight Jones, allegedly refused to leave and officials found a hatchet inside his bag.
Richmond police arrested Nathaniel Burwell Tuesday night and charged the 63-year-old with trespassing. Police said he never made any threatening actions or statements, but did leave a bag with a hatchet inside at the guard post after he entered city hall.
CBS 6 News’ Sandra Jones caught up with Burwell Wednesday as he was walking to his Chamberlayne Avenue apartment.
When asked about the trespassing charge, Burwell said that as a citizen and taxpayer, he can go to city hall anytime he wants.
“I told them to call the police. I told them I can’t go anywhere, call the police,” he said when asked if he told officials he wouldn’t leave until he saw the major.
Burwell said a woman in the Mayor’s office told him Mayor Jones was not there. That’s when security was called to the second floor where they discovered a hatchet and carpentry tools in his brown bag.
Burwell, who said he is a retired carpenter, he did not threaten anyone.
“Well, you can imagine how that would look right? I mean you have a bag in your hand with a hatchet in it, and you’re asking to see the mayor,” Sandra Jones asked Burwell.
“No, it doesn’t look like anything…. I didn’t threaten anybody,” Burwell said.
Well great, no 'specific intent' -- the Grapeshot Doctrine assures us there will be no prosecution for any weapons charge.
As for trespass, well ....
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