It has been almost three months since I’ve written about Marilyn Hartman, so I guess we’re overdue for an update.
I first wrote about Marilyn Hartman last March, when she was arrested at San Francisco Airport after trying to sneak through security several times without a ticket.
Then in August she not only managed to sneak through security, but successfully managed to sneak onto a flight from San Jose to Los Angeles. Then she got arrested, escaped, and did the same thing again. And again.
I guess sneaking through airport security got a bit boring for her, because earlier this year she managed to sneak onto a flight to Florida and check into a room at an Omni Resort, which was booked in someone else’s name.
Well, the saga continues, as Marilyn Hartman was recently arrested again after trespassing at Chicago O’Hare Airport. Via SFGate:
On April 23, and then again the next day, Hartman was taken into custody on suspicion of misdemeanor trespassing at O’Hare International Airport, a police spokesman in Chicago said.
Officials said that, since both of the alleged crimes were misdemeanors, she was likely released soon thereafter, but did not have an exact date when she was set free.
As I’ve explained before, this is all a terribly sad saga. Clearly Marilyn needs mental help, but when she was referred to treatment she decided she didn’t want it. She doesn’t seem to have any family, since she never lists an emergency contact when arrested.
And at the same time how easily she’s able to sneak through airport security checkpoints and onto planes really exposes some of the security flaws we have at airports. Not that any of that comes as a surprise…
I’m afraid this will likely just continue without further outside intervention.
What do you think the solution is for dealing with Marilyn Hartman?
(Tip of the hat to Jack and Alok)
Airport should employ her for securirty check
The real headline should be "If the TSA consistently fails to keep an unticketed 63 year old American woman from illegally getting on airplanes, how the hell does it plan on doing so with a terrorist?"
I say the Transportation Committee (House or Senate) needs to hire her...and every single time she's able to get through a TSA checkpoint, DHS/TSA should be docked $100M from their budget (DHS has a $60 BILLION budget this...
The real headline should be "If the TSA consistently fails to keep an unticketed 63 year old American woman from illegally getting on airplanes, how the hell does it plan on doing so with a terrorist?"
I say the Transportation Committee (House or Senate) needs to hire her...and every single time she's able to get through a TSA checkpoint, DHS/TSA should be docked $100M from their budget (DHS has a $60 BILLION budget this year, TSA has a $7 BN budget... $100M isn't going to bankrupt `em) AND that airport's security should revert back to the private contractor which handled it pre-9/11 or current equivalent. I vote for her first airports to be JFK T4 and T5 and LAX T4,T5, and T6.
Youth in Asia.
I'm surprised that no judge has ordered her to wear a monitoring ankle bracelet or something. If nothing else, they might be able to figure out how she gets past security and fix those holes.
I think we should allocate a few billions more money so that the TSA can save us all...
Get her a job with the tsa. I think she should be able to teach tsa agents how to catch people ditch security yet still fly. Just make sure she has a chip on her badge if she tries to get on a plane it sets off an alarm.
Either that or give her a job as a federal air Marshall.
She's obviously working with ISIS. Drop her off near an Air Force Base, let her sneak onto the next flight to Guantanamo. Problem resolved.
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really...this is news.
She has done this so many times, I can't help but wonder why there hasn't been an expose on her methods of bypassing security.
This is an unfortunate side effect of our country making it nearly impossible to commit someone against their will. Clearly, there were major problems with our psychiatric wards in the past, but I fear we've gone too far in the other direction and people who are a danger to themselves and others are now walking the streets. The really scary thing is, if she can get through security and onto a plane so easily, how...
This is an unfortunate side effect of our country making it nearly impossible to commit someone against their will. Clearly, there were major problems with our psychiatric wards in the past, but I fear we've gone too far in the other direction and people who are a danger to themselves and others are now walking the streets. The really scary thing is, if she can get through security and onto a plane so easily, how hard would it be for a well-trained terrorist to do the same thing? TSA security theater--what a joke.
Get her a job as an airline escort for premium passengers. Clearly she's good with getting through security quickly.
@wwk5d you can't forcibly admit someone to a mental institution against their will (or "Baker Act them" as it's commonly known in the medical profession) unless they are considered a danger to himself or others. Usually only a judge or a physician has to sign off on it and even like that there's only so much time you can confine them once they're "stable". So as long as she's posing no immediate "harm" there's not much to be done if she doesn't want the mental help.
As long as she isn't hurting anyone, let her continue to show up the flaws in our current airport security kabuki theater. She is serving a vital function.
Maybe she just finds airports soothing. Her safe place.
Maybe she should be offered a job like cleaner or working at one of the Duty Free shops or as wwk5d said, airport security consultant.
Maybe it is just the buzz of being around people who will end up in far flung places in a couple of hours.
That's a lot of maybes...
Just have sent to a mental institution and be done with it. Even if she refuses and has no family, there has to some form of legal wrangling to get her committed.
Either that, or have a company specializing in airport security hire her as a consultant.
In other news, I opened a new box of breakfast cereal this morning.