Updated at 7:28 p.m., Friday, September 21, 2007
Maui teen posts bail after bomb scare
Advertiser Staff and News Services
|
Star Anna Simpson's attorney said the charges against her were an overreaction.
Simpson had a computer circuit board with nine flashing lights and wiring in plain view over a black hooded sweatshirt she was wearing, said State Police Maj. Scott Pare, the commanding officer at the airport.
Authorities expressed amazement that someone would wear such a device eight months after a similar scare in Boston, and six years after two of the jets hijacked in the Sept. 11 attacks took off from Logan.
"I'm shocked and appalled that somebody would wear this type of device to an airport," Pare said.
The terminal was not evacuated and flights were not affected, airport officials said.
"She said that it was a piece of art and she wanted to stand out on career day," Pare said at a news conference. "She claims that it was just art, and that she was proud of the art and she wanted to display it."
There was a career fair at the university on Thursday, according to the university's Web site.
Simpson has expertise in electronics and even received a congressional citation for her work in robotics, according to her lawyer.
NOT GUILTY PLEA ENTERED
Simpson was charged with possessing a hoax device and was arraigned today in East Boston Municipal Court. Simpson entered a plea of not guilty.
Assistant District Attorney Wayne Margolis recommended that she be held on $5,000 cash bail, saying Simpson showed a total disregard for the situation she was in — an airport after the 2001 terrorist attacks. (A press release issued by the Suffolk County District Attorney's office originally said $50,000, but was later corrected to $5,000 cash bail.) But District Court Judge Paul Mahoney set bail at $750 and ordered her to return to court on Oct. 29 for a pre-trial hearing.
During the hearing, Simpson smiled as she entered wearing a T-shirt and sandals. After she posted bail, she left in a taxi with a man who identified himself as her boyfriend, but neither would answer more questions from reporters.
Ross Schreiber, who was appointed to represent Simpson, said she was not a risk to flee, was a good student with no prior convictions and she cooperated with authorities.
"I would characterize it as almost being paranoid at this point," he said of authorities' response.
Schreiber said she had gone to the airport to meet her boyfriend. "She was there for legitimate purposes," Schreiber said.
Pare, the police major, said Simpson took a subway to the airport, but he was not sure if she had the device on at that time.
At Logan, Pare said Simpson approached an airport employee in Terminal C around 8 a.m. and inquired about greeting someone arriving on a flight from Oakland.
Authorities verified information as to the name of the passenger she was greeting, and said he had already left the airport.
Simpson was holding a lump of what looked like putty in her hands, Pare said.
The employee asked about the plastic circuit board on her chest, and Simpson walked away without responding, Pare said.
Outside, a trooper — joined by others with submachine guns — confronted Simpson at a traffic island in front of the terminal.
She was arrested outside Terminal C, home to United Airlines, Jet Blue and other carriers.
'WE MAY HAVE USED DEADLY FORCE'
"She was immediately told to stop, to raise her hands, and not make any movement so we could observe all her movements to see if she was trying to trip any type of device," Pare said. "There was obviously a concern that had she not followed the protocol ... We may have used deadly force."
Simpson was arrested, and it was quickly determined that the device was harmless.
"She did seem a bit upset that she was in custody. However, she was rational, and she did answer all questions as required," Pare said. "She said it was a piece of art and she wanted to stand out on career day. She was holding what was later found to be Play-Doh."
Affixed to the front of her black sweatshirt was a pale beige circuit board with green LED lights and wires running to a 9-volt battery. Written on the back of the sweatshirt in what appeared to be gold magic marker was the phrase "socket to me" and below that was written "Course VI," which refers to the electrical engineering and computer science program at MIT.
Simpson was "extremely lucky she followed the instructions or deadly force would have been used," Pare said. "She's lucky to be in a cell as opposed to the morgue."
TERRORISM THREAT REMAINS AT AIRPORTS
Simpson was a member of MIT's swimming and diving team in 2006, according to the team's Web site. MIT spokeswoman Patti Richards said aside from confirming she was a student, the school did not have any comment.
MIT later issued a statement saying the school is cooperating with authorities. The statement said: "As reported to us by authorities, Ms. Simpson's actions were reckless and understandably created alarm at the airport."
Pare, the airport officer, praised the booth attendant and said the incident is a reminder of the terrorism threat confronting the civil aviation system. Two of the four passenger jets hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001, took off from Logan.
"In this day and age, the threat continues to be there," said Pare. "She certainly jeopardized her own safety by bringing this to the airport, as well as the safety of everybody around her."
The city was the focus of a major security scare Jan. 31 when dozens of battery-powered devices were discovered in various locations. Bomb squads were deployed, and highways, bridges and some transit stations were temporarily closed. They turned out to be a promotion for cable TV's Cartoon Network.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
