Thanks to tip, court security found 2-inch blade brought to court by defendant, authorities say
Authorities said they found a weapon on a defendant in an Ohio courthouse last week, but might have missed it if they hadn’t been tipped about it in advance.
Donald Moore III, 35, was in Elyria Municipal Court for an eviction case. Although the courthouse ordinarily has just a metal detector, security had been enhanced that day with extra personnel who had a photo of Moore, police in Elyria told the Chronicle-Telegram.
After Moore arrived around 11 a.m. on Friday, he was spotted and searched. When his belongings were checked, “They pulled the pen apart and, sure enough, there was a 2-inch blade,” said Capt. Chris Costantino.
“I don’t know they would have found it if they hadn’t had the heads-up,” said Judge Gary Bennett.
The tipster had said Moore planned to bring a concealed blade to the courthouse and attack either a judge or a magistrate, Costantino told the newspaper. Moore is now behind bars at the Lorain County jail, charged with illegal conveyance of a weapon into a courthouse, a felony.
A visiting judge from another jurisdiction will preside over Moore’s criminal case.
