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Lawyers Packing Heat: TX Lawyer, 65, Arrested with Gun On Plane

By Cynthia Hsu, Esq. on February 22, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Authorities arrested 65-year-old attorney Judith Kenney after she brought a gun onto an American Airlines plane in Texas recently.

Her attorney claims that it was all a simple error. Kenney carries a gun in her computer bag for her own protection.

That's normal, right? All lawyers tote guns! You never know when you might run into trouble. Lawyers aren't exactly short on enemies. Let's see, who could possibly hate you?

  • A disgruntled current client.
  • A disgruntled former client.
  • That guy you sent to jail for 10 years who just got out.
  • The scary husband that you just helped your client divorce.
  • Opposing counsel.
  • Your spouse.

...and that's just this weekend's potential list.

Now, you might be wondering how this lawyer got a gun onto the plane. Aren't there TSA agents that are trained to spot the outline of a gun in an X-ray machine?

Yes, there are. Kenney wasn't stopped because she "picked up the bag and left the checkpoint before the screening process was over." TSA had detected a gun. They just didn't have enough time to snatch it before Kenney booked it to the gate.

Ugh, you know lawyers. They're always dashing off to make deadlines and accidentally commit crimes.

Let this be a lesson to all attorneys out there. You might be rushed and pressed for time. But in the future be careful. Endeavor to be as meticulous and detail-oriented as your law school education taught you. In short: make sure your gun is out of your computer bag before you board a plane.

You may even want to invest in a gun holster or a separate bag for your gun. It's something Judith Kenney probably wishes she had done. She could be charged with a felony -- carrying a gun into a place where weapons are prohibited, according to ABC News.

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