THE AYOOBFILES MASSADAYOOB The JudGe harry PeeTrIs InCIdenT Situation: The defendant pulls a gun and takes the entire courtroom hostage — but there is one judge who has more than a gavel with which to enforce his authority. Gunman In The CourTroom: leSSon: Lawbreakers, by definition, do not obey laws. When they violate them and threaten the lives of the innocent, lawful force is required to bring things under control. Competence creates confidence, and vice versa. And from the tactical side, we need to remember gunpoint situations can last longer than shooting matches. Security at courthouses is rigid. It has to be. Courts are filled with emotionally charged people who are going through some of the worst experiences life has to offer. Some of those who come to court are filled with everything from total despair to a lust for revenge. Many a judge has been the recipient of death threats. It’s no secret — at least in the justice community — many of them wear guns under their signature black robes. Some judges have had to clear blue steel from beneath those black robes to protect the lives of themselves and others. Now, meet a judge who once had to do exactly that. Prelude On August 29, 1962, Judge Harry Peetris was presiding over Division 67, an arraignment court on the first floor of a Los Angeles courthouse. He carried a gun, wearing it under his robes in court. Then and now, even in jurisdictions like L.A., where it’s extremely difficult for ordinary people to get a license to carry, exceptions are routinely made for attorneys in general and judges in particular. It was known to the other judges Peetris not only carried, but shot regularly every couple of weeks at the LAPD range — where he consistently tallied perfect scores with his preferred revolver, a 4" Colt. At that time, and even now, armed bailiffs were stationed in the courtrooms, but there were never enough of them to keep an eye on everyone. Judge Peetris recently told me, back in those days, the bailiffs in the municipal court were Los Angeles County Marshals, while Superior Court employed Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriffs. Security was a big concern for the folks in the black robes and part of their security plan included notifying Judge Peetris in the event a courtroom faced an armed threat. Judge Peetris had a full courtroom on the day of the incident, and had been in session only 40 minutes when he noticed his court clerk had received a telephone call and gave him a troubled look. Sensing a disturbance, Peetris covered his microphone and motioned her up to the bench where she proceeded to tell him a gunman had taken over a neighboring courtroom, holding Judge Donald Redwine and a room full of people hostage. The judge motioned to his own bailiff, Marshal Shelly Wagner, to approach the bench and briefed him quickly, telling him to take the front door while the judge would get the back door. After admonishing everyone to remain seated, the two split up, with Peetris running out the back door toward Judge Redwine’s second-floor courtroom. Upon reaching the back door to the courtroom, Judge Peetris opened it carefully and quietly. A strange tableau awaited him. A full jury box, sitting still. Judge Redwine, motionless at the bench. A uniformed police officer, sitting stock-still in the witness box. And a full courtroom of spectators, likewise silently rooted in place. And, striding angrily back-and-forth in the well of the courtroom, stood John Burrows, a stocky clean-shaven Caucasian, about six feet tall, wearing white coveralls. In his hand was a black semiautomatic pistol. Continued on page 86 WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM • JULY/AUGUST2013 WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM •JULY/AUGUST2013 The Incident 20
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