Len Tillem show: Man 5150'd for talking about defensive gun use while at work

[Creeping Incrementalism]

I heard secondhand from someone listening to the Len Tillem show (legal call-in show on KGO) that a man was 5150'd (thrown in the psycho tank) after he told some co-workers something to the effect that we would take care of any terrorists with an M16 he had. The caller thought it was a non-threatening comment during the course of a normal workplace conversation about hypothetical terrorists. The caller (the guy 5150'd) said there was bad blood between him and his supervisor, the one who called the cops. The caller said he had made a formal complaint to HR over homosexual harassment from the same supervisor in the past. The caller was released after three days but the police still have his firearms.

I know the details are fuzzy when I only heard this from someone listening to the show, so I was wondering if anyone else heard the call.

[tyrist]

With the information you have given it's very second hand. It plain does'nt make any sense. You need alot more to place somebody on a 5150 WIC hold. Also a psyciatric doctor has to approve the hold, so if he was infact placed on a hold it was approved by a doctor and their are some other issues at hand.

[Guntech]

Thats bull ****! I mean I'm smart enough not to say something like that unless I'm with my family or really close friends(jokingly), but do these people want us to just lay down our weapons if terrorists invade? He was just voicing his opinion and it aint really a terrorist threat since he said terrorists thats no specific person or race.

[tgriffin]

With the information you have given it's very second hand. It plain does'nt make any sense. You need alot more to place somebody on a 5150 WIC hold. Also a psyciatric doctor has to approve the hold, so if he was infact placed on a hold it was approved by a doctor and their are some other issues at hand.

Big +1. I have family in psych medicine, and have had that conversation before about what it takes. That story just plain doesnt track.

[56Chevy]

People always call radio shows with fabricated stories, or they skew the facts in their favor. Have you ever listened to "Coast to Coast?":rolleyes:

[6172crew]

I heard secondhand from someone listening to the Len Tillem show (legal call-in show on KGO) that a man was 5150'd (thrown in the psycho tank) after he told some co-workers something to the effect that we would take care of any terrorists with an M16 he had. The caller thought it was a non-threatening comment during the course of a normal workplace conversation about hypothetical terrorists. The caller (the guy 5150'd) said there was bad blood between him and his supervisor, the one who called the cops. The caller said he had made a formal complaint to HR over homosexual harassment from the same supervisor in the past. The caller was released after three days but the police still have his firearms.

I know the details are fuzzy when I only heard this from someone listening to the show, so I was wondering if anyone else heard the call.

I think I know this guy. They made him open his safe and took his goods. He had a mini14 that had a folding stock, a Colt AR15 and a reg'd .50 bmg barret. They found a loaded handgun in his car as well...this was in the city of Oakland if im right.

[1911su16b870]

It all would have been dictated by how the guy behaved when law enforcement arrived to interview him. Obviously his behaviour was such that the responding officers believed him to be unable to care for his own well being, or that he was being a threat to others. Hence the 5150. Any word on how he behaved with the po-po?

[Creeping Incrementalism]

I think I know this guy. They made him open his safe and took his goods. He had a mini14 that had a folding stock, a Colt AR15 and a reg'd .50 bmg barret. They found a loaded handgun in his car as well...this was in the city of Oakland if im right.

If it is the same person, do you know any more details?

[EMT007]

It all would have been dictated by how the guy behaved when law enforcement arrived to interview him. Obviously his behaviour was such that the responding officers believed him to be unable to care for his own well being, or that he was being a threat to others. Hence the 5150. Any word on how he behaved with the po-po?

But how, though? I guess it depends on how extreme his comments were, but if you were to say "yeah, if I were threatened, I would certainly defend myself... with lethal force if necessary", that certainly couldn't be construed to constitute a danger to self. They would be hard-pressed to say that it constitutes danger to others - "um, he's a danger to hypothetical attackers that he would harm in self-defense" :confused: Its not exactly a specific threat against anyone.

And he definitely couldn't be said to be unable to care for his own well-being (gravely disabled)

I agree with the others here - something doesn't add up. Even if the police placed him on a 5150, an MD would have to sustain it to keep him for the whole 72 hours.

[EMT007]

this was in the city of Oakland if im right.

Although that could certainly explain it :rolleyes: