Thu, Mar 11, 2010
Entered An Airport Secure Area To Kiss His Girlfriend
Goodbye
A New Jersey man who ducked under a security rope at Newark
Liberty Airport to give his girlfriend a goodbye kiss has pleaded
guilty to defiant trespass. 28-year-old Haisong Jiang will be fined
$500, plus $158 in court costs, and will be required to perform 100
hours of community service.
That's a pretty expensive kiss.
Jiang's breach of security shut down Newark Liberty's Terminal C
for several hours, and forced the re-screening of several thousand
passengers who had already been cleared. CNN reports that scores of
flights were delayed by the incident.
Jiang apologized for his actions. He told reporters after his
court appearance that he "learned a big lesson in my life."
Jiang's attorney, Eric B. Bruce, said the charge is a "petty
disorderly persons offense ... not even considered a crime in New
Jersey."
Jiang was not arrested until several days after the incident,
when a review of security camera information showed a TSA agent
asking a man in a light-colored jacket to stay behind the rope. But
the agent left his post for a few minutes, and the person on the
video ducked under the rope and went the wrong way through the
secure area to greet a woman.
Bruce said the incident will not affect Jiang's immigration
status, and he'll be able to finish his Ph.D at Rutgers, where he
is a student. But the incident prompted New Jersey Senator Frank
Lautenberg (D) to introduce legislation making a similar infraction
punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and 10 years in prison.
It would also mandate the use of cameras at secure exits at all
terminal checkpoints.
TSA said it would use the incident as a "hard lesson" to
reinforce focus and discipline at its agent's stations.
Meanwhile, Jiang and his girlfriend are still together.
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