Gyrocopter Pilot Appears In Court; Judge Bans Him From D.C.

mpicpp writes The Florida mail carrier accused of landing a gyrocopter outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday was charged in federal court Thursday and has been barred from returning to the District of Columbia or flying any aircraft, officials said. Douglas Hughes, 61, was charged with violating aircraft registration requirements, a felony, and violating national defense airspace, a misdemeanor. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to three years in prison for the felony and one year in prison for the airspace violation. U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson also barred Hughes from the District of Columbia, except for court appearances, and said he must stay away from the Capitol, White House and nearby areas while he is there. He will also have to hand over his passport.

Comments

Typical Misdirection From White House

[Jane Q. Public]

While it may be true that this guy was "literally flying under the radar", that phrase gives a very misleading impression: the impression that he was trying to sneak up on them.

Quite the contrary. He sent them a message a full hour in advance, saying that they should expect him.

So while it might have been "literally" under the radar, it wasn't figuratively under the radar. The White House knew he was coming and expected him. That being the case, they don't get to say they were surprised by his arrival, or imply that he was any kind of serious threat. If they were surprised at all, it was nobody's fault but their own.

Re:Typical Misdirection From White House

[jklovanc]

or imply that he was any kind of serious threat.

Think of the following scenario;
1. Inform flight control that you will be delivering letter by gyrocopter to the Capitol Lawn.
2. Load explosives in the mail bag.
3. Fly to the Capitol Lawn.
4. Crash into the Capitol Building and explode instead.
How can you trust that the stated intentions are the actual intentions? How many time are such statements hoaxes?

Another load of Federal B.S.

[King_TJ]

It was abundantly clear that this guy did this act as a political protest and informed people in the press a YEAR in advance that this was his plan. Secret service officials were informed about it and determined the guy wasn't a psycho or had a criminal background or anything else alarming, so they basically ignored it as a non-concern. Then, days before he did it, he let people know he was about to do it, too!

If you wanted to give him a slap on the wrist... say, a fine for violating the rules on airspace? Sure, I think he even fully expected as much. Perhaps confiscate his gyro-copter too. Whatever.... But banning him from setting foot in the District of Columbia and talking about YEARS of prison time? That's outrageous.

Just last week I read about a psycho woman in Oregon who bashed a guy's skull in with an aluminum baseball bat on their first date, when he went out there to finally visit her in person after a 2 year long online relationship. They only gave her a sentence of a few MONTHS in jail for the incident, despite her planning the whole thing and getting another woman to assist her with it - AND saying she got the idea from something she read or saw that said it only takes 7 pounds of pressure to snap someone's neck. Which person are you more concerned will do people physical harm in the future??

Re:Another load of Federal B.S.

[SvnLyrBrto]

Powerful people don't like to be made to look like fools. That's this man's real crime. He made the Secret Service and the Air Force look like a bunch of clowns who can't defend the capital's airspace, even with whatever post-9/11 security enhancements they've made, even from a slow-flying (Maybe homebuilt? Most autogyros are.) aircraft, and even after Hughes publicly announced his intentions to do so.

What *should* happen is a house-cleaning in the Secret Service and Air Force for being so incompetent as to allow this to happen; a slap on the wrist for Hughes for the actual offense, and then a commendation for demonstrating that the emperor was wearing no clothes that day. Unfortunately though, in this matter and more, as a nation we seem to have forgotten (or chosen to ignore) the tenet of: "don't shoot the messenger".

Re:America! Fuck yeah!

[Anonymous Coward]

Hacking (or even the perception of hacking from a judge. oooo, scary, a black screen!) - Life in prison
Buying drugs that cause very little human impact (such as Mary Jane) - Life in prison
Flying a helicopter near the whitehouse - 4 years in prison

Awesome!!!

Re:Is banishment legal?

[Culture20]

This effectively bans him from petitioning the federal government (in person). Would the judge have inserted this order as a poison pill to force an appellate court to do something? It's awfully weird.

Banned from DC?

[Jeremy Erwin]

What if he wants to contact his representative or Senator? What if he wants to petition his government for redress of grievances?

Re:Is banishment legal?

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, the constitution does say any American citizen has free travel between areas within the US. So if I was this guy, I'd sue the federal court. Fun fact, because it's a federal issue, he's constitutionally promised a jury of at least 6 people if the suit is for more than $20. At that point, it really doesn't matter what the federal judge says, it's the jury. And since the US is a country of "letter of the law", the federal government is going to have a hell of a time defending this action when the constitution explicitly prohibits it.

Re: Typical overreaction as usual

[Anonymous Coward]

I Consider Douglas Hughes a hero.He is the only guy to call attention to unfair campaign financing .he must be walking bowl legged cause he's got balls as big as grapefruit. Jason

Re:America! Fuck yeah!

[Immerman]

Yes. And the basic act was some dude landed a personal lightweight aircraft on the lawn of one of his employees in order to drop off some mail (and create a media spectacle). Seems he even called ahead, and took care to avoid the flower beds. What a monster.