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June 5, 2008

More on the Lomax Situation

The kid is handling his situation with nothing but class. Here are the latest details from the AJC:
Lomax was clocked doing 80 mph in a 55-mph zone on Loop 10, the police report stated. After pulling Lomax over, the police asked if there were weapons in the vehicle.

Lomax said there was an unloaded handgun under the driver's seat. The police searched the vehicle and found a Glock 40. Lomax was arrested and taken to jail. He posted a $3,000 bond and was released at 1:30 a.m.

"I thought you could have a gun without a clip in it in the car," Lomax said. "But the Georgia law says it has to be in the glove compartment and can't be under the seat."

Lomax called Athens-Clarke County police later Wednesday to explain the situation again and apologize.

"They were just doing their job," Lomax said. "I am not mad or upset with them. It was just my mistake. I thought one thing and it was another. I am mainly just frustrated with myself."

Lomax said he had the gun because he considers some of the places he travels through between Athens and his home in Jonesboro as unsafe. (Emphasis added)
He's taking his situation / punishment like a man. All of that said, I'm pretty sure that he caught a massive break by not getting in trouble like this on campus. I'm pretty sure that you can't have firearms on campus period. So in a way, he dodged a bullet.

I still don't know of / nor have I ever met a white person who has been asked the question about weapons during a routine traffic stop. But that's neither here nor there.

PWD

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're right PWD, it's a FELONY to have a gun, of any kind, on campus. This includes shotguns, BB guns, pellet guns, pop guns, you name it. I am a white male and have been asked during a routine traffic stop if I had a firearm. Luckily my .357 was in my trunk so it was no big deal. Kudos to Lomax for handling this the way he is.

Anonymous said...

Apparently it is "here or there" because you mentioned it.

Anonymous said...

ITs not over - he will be subject to questions by the University. If he admits to having the gun on campus, he very well may be in a large heap of trouble.

Anonymous said...

I think the kid is an idiot for two reasons: 1) An unloaded gun is useless for self defense purposes. That is unless you plan on throwing it at someone. 2) If your going to carry a handgun, you should know the laws. Ignorance is no excuse.

He sounds like a good kid though and hopefully he won't get in too much trouble.

Unknown said...

The other AJC article said the University isn't interested.

Anonymous said...

He's an athlete that was arrested - The University is gonna be interested. I don't care what the ajc says.

Anonymous said...

It's a felony to have a firearm on UGA's campus?! How long before what happened at VT happens at UGA? When will people realize that when you ban guns like this, you only ban them for the law abiding people?
Otherwise, he made a mistake and he's owning up to it. That's refreshing to see, it also immediatly disqualifies him from the NFL!

Anonymous said...

Well, it is here or there, and frankly, it is ridiculous to search a car without probable cause. I doubt that your average reader agrees, but imo, driving while black is not probable cause. It is possible that white folks get asked this question, but I do criminal defense, have been a prosecutor, and in 30 years and over 1200 cases I have never seen a case where a white person with only a speeding ticket has been asked about weapons. Sure, it has happened with chases, smell of marijuana/alcohol, etc. But not just a speeding ticket.

That said, if I understand the facts - and who knows if the paper is right - the police merely asked, and he offered an answer. Legally, that probably hoses him.

mhr said...

The worst part of it is that a law making what he did legal has already been passed - it just doesn't go into effect until July 1. See Section 3(d):

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/fulltext/hb89.htm

Unknown said...

Late at night it's not uncommon to be asked about weapons. It has happened to me and I'm about as white as they come. They might as well change the name of the "Stuff White People Like" website to "Stuff Dante Likes." (Except for the post on New Balance. I still rock the old "Official Shoe of White People": K-Swiss Classics)

Maybe the gun isn't for self defense? This is a crazy idea, but maybe he owns a gun because he likes to shoot it? I have several friends who keep unloaded guns in their car and go shooting once a week on their lunch break. I'm not a gun guy myself because my right eye is dominant but I'm left handed so it's a little awkward for me but a lot of people just enjoy shooting and I can understand that.

I still remember our high school looking the other way when kids would have guns in their gun racks on Fridays during deer season so they could go hunting straight from school. And I graduated high school in 1997. Things have changed a lot in a really short time. Lomax should've just done what my Great-Grandmother used to do and keep the gun out on the dash.

Anonymous said...

I am a 54 year old white guy with a heavy foot and I have never, in any of my numerous stops for speeding been asked if I had a gun.

Anonymous at 1:07 a.m. said he is a white guy who has been asked, suggesting to me that there may be some demographic profiling beyond just race involved.

Anonymous said...

At least he wasn't taped screaming "WHERE MY DU-RAG AT?!?!" on a Marta train.

The Hawkins said...

I'm white and 28 years old. I've been pulled over for speeding 4 times in my life. The only time at night I was asked if I had any weapons in my car. I said no and no search was performed.

For whatever it's worth.

Anonymous said...

In other news, I saw on the bottom line of ESPN that Quincy Carter is the new starter for Kansas City of the Arena Football League. I do not know if someone had already mentioned this but I found it kinda cool

Hobnail_Boot said...

Jeremy seems like a good kid who should've been more aware of GA gun laws if he planned on carrying one.

86 days.

Unknown said...

The next time that I write something positive about Quincy Carter (not involving the LSU game in 1998) will be the first.

I wouldn't give you a nickel for him.

Anonymous said...

I have had a gun in my truck every day since I started driving in 1992. It's a way of life here in rural GA.

Anonymous said...

Back to the guns on campus thing....The law is no student/employee is allowed to have a gun on campus FOR ANY REASON even if you have a permit. The scary thing is visitors are allowed to have guns on campus as long as they have a weapons permit. How does that make any sense? Of course the University will be interested in Lomax but they can't exactly punish him for having a weapon on campus if he has never been caught with one.

Anonymous said...

a-phiz hits the nail on the head. Unless J-Lo is the most sadomasochisticly honest college kid in the world, it would be the shortest disciplinary hearing ever.

Q: "Jeremy, did you have that gun with you on campus?"

A: "No. You got any witnesses who'll say I did?"

Q: "Well, um, no."

A: "Good. Sounds like I win, 1-0."

As my lawya friends like to tell people, there's a helluva lot of difference between what you know and what you can prove.

Anonymous said...

I am a 37 y/o white guy and in my 21+ years of driving I have never been very good at obeying speed limits, so I've been pulled over more times than most. I grew up in GA and have lived in NC, KY, TN, and currently live in AL. I do not currently carry a firearm in my vehicle, but I have been asked on more than one occasion by the officer if there was a weapon in the car, so white dudes aren't exempt from this.
Kudos to JLo for hitting this thing head-on and standing up to be accountable. When a guy gets nailed and starts doing the Clemens-shuffle, he just comes across as guilty whether he is or not. But we all know that this will be blown up by the media if the wrong journalist gets ahold of it.

Anonymous said...

"The scary thing is visitors are allowed to have guns on campus as long as they have a weapons permit."

Why is this scary? If someone goes to the trouble of applying for a concealed carry permit, they are less likely to commit any crime. Why go to the trouble of getting permit if you intend to commit a crime? I have a concealed carry permit and Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than I have with my firearm.

I have been pulled over (I'm white) for a rear tail light being out and asked if I had anything in the car I shouldn't. I said no. The cop said then you don't mind allowing me to search it do you? I said yes I do; I'm going to a doctor’s appointment and you will make me late. He said that he could have the car impounded and take an inventory of the contents. I told him that if he had probable cause he could have searched it without my consent at any time. I said "obviously by your comment about impounding my car you still don't have probable cause and are trying to get me to waive my right of unreasonable search, please have your supervisor meet us”. He said "what are you a lawyer?" I smiled and at that point he handed me a ticket and went back to his patrol car.

Did I have anything I shouldn’t in the car? No.

Anonymous said...

If you have a gun it is best to admit that you have a gun. If you get caught with a gun and lying about it I think the punishment is death.

Anonymous said...

I am not saying it's scary just because visitors can have them, but the fact that no one associated with the University is allowed too just makes no sense to me. If a teacher wants to carry one with them (especially after the VT shootings) I think they should be able to. People with bad intentions are going to get a gun on campus whether or not they are allowed to so you might as well allow law abiding students/professors to have one.

I'm already getting grief from some of my Tech friends about all our " thug" players....how soon they forget one Mr. Joe Hamilton

Anonymous said...

I'm sure that the cops are relieved that Lomax isn't mad at them. That's gotta be a load off their mind. Why don't you go ahead and give The Right Reverends Al and Jesse a call to start an investigation and march immediately?

Ignorance of the law isn't much of a defense.

Anonymous said...

25 yr old whitey here, been pulled over 4 times, 3 at night and 2 of em were well after midnight on weekends, maybe even holiday weekends. Never once been asked about a gun, asked one time if I had been drinking but I hadn't and gladly offered to take a breathalizer or whatever (I was going REALLY fast heh, trying to get on the cops good side, being super cooperative). Hell one time I hit a checkpoint driving a car the dealership gave me while mine was being serviced and like an idiot left my proof of insurance there, all I had on me was my license and NO proof of why I was in that car or who it belonged to, but the cops let me go no sweat!

I still loathe UGA & ACC PD though, 99% of the stuff that happens to our boys would never happen to players in Knoxville.

Anonymous said...

Whitey here too. Been pulled over twice (during night time) and asked twice if I have had a weapon. Also had my car searched in Monroe for no obvious reason after they saw two white males in car and suspected drugs and/or alcohol. Both of which were not in the car. Usually the people who say it was because of race have issues with other races themselves.

Anonymous said...

i'm white and 22. and i've been pulled over 7 or 8 times. i think 8, with 3 tickets. it was never a fun experiences and all but maybe 2 of those were at night (and 1 was interstate).

i've been accused of being drunk with no evidence, accused of being high for going under the speed limit (absurd), and if they had no reason to stop me, they just claimed i wasn't wearing a seatbelt. good stuff. amidst all that... never, NOT ONCE have been asked if there was a gun or any other contraband in the car. however... i have managed to never get stopped in athens, so who knows.

 
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