TSA Agent Pulls Pants Off Man with Metal Knee Implant

[Joe_]

When travelers go to the airport, they know what kind of security to expect: luggage searches, metal detectors and shoe inspections.

It's all part of our post 9-11 reality enforced by the Transportation Security Adminstration. But as CBS 2 Investigator Pam Zekman reports, thousands of travelers have complained that some of these screenings can become abusive and even x-rated.

For arguing with a TSA agent, Robin Kassner wound up being slammed to the floor. She's filed a lawsuit.

"I kept begging them over and over again get off of me ... and they wouldn't stop," Kassner said.

And it wasn't enough for another woman to show TSA agents nipple rings that set off a metal detector. The agents forced her to take them out.

Mandi Hamlin said, "I had to get pliers and pull it apart."

In Chicago, people like Robert Perry are subjected to exhaustive security checks. He was patted down, his wheel chair was examined and his hands were swabbed, all in public view in a see-through room at the security checkpoint. Perry, 71, is not alone

"It's humiliation," Perry said.

Perry was also taken to a see-through room by a TSA agent when his artificial knee set off the metal detector.

"He yelled at me to get the belt off.'I told you to get the belt off.' So I took the belt off. He ran his hands down over and pulled the pants down, they went down around my ankle," Perry said.

At that point, Perry was standing in his underwear in public view. He asked to see a supervisor. That made things worse.

"She was yelling 'I have power, I have power, I have power," Perry said. The power to stop him from flying to Florida with his wife that day to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

"It makes you feel like you have no rights," Perry said.

Perry said he always alerts TSA agents about his metal knee and wonders why they can't just check his leg.

"If somebody told me that I would save the people on the airplane by taking my pants off out in public out there, I wouldn't mind doing it, but this was not necessary," Perry said.

TSA officials said that when the metal detectors go off, their agents must resolve what caused the alarm. But experts have said it's important to use common sense when balancing security and customer service.

Carlos Villarreal, former director of security for the Sears Tower, said proper training is crucial. "When you're wanding somebody and you can identify which part of the body set of the alarm, that should be sufficient to clear a person," Villarreal said.

But all too often, it's not enough for 16-year old Michael Angone. She frequently flies as a member of the Chicago Children's Choir.

"I've had to completely take my pants off and show them like my entire leg," Angone said.

[Joe_]

As a baby, Angone was diagnosed with cancer. Her parents, both Chicago police officers, had to have her leg amputated. She said she always warns TSA security agents that her prosthetic leg will set off the metal detector, but many insist on doing an embarrassing full body pat-down.

"I feel like I'm being felt up in public," Angone said.

Her father Bob Angone wanted to know, "What's the reason for all the feeling up, you know the groping at the back of the neck, the chest, underneath the bra, all the groping on her body, her buttocks?"

CBS 2 News asked the TSA those questions, but got no answers.

"The key word here is reasonable, and they have gone off the track. They are not reasonable," Bob Angone said.

The TSA declined to comment on the Angone and Perry cases, but the agency has announced that soon, passengers who set off an alarm that cannot be resolved will have a choice: Agree to a physical pat-down or what some believe is an even worse invasion of privacy.

This fall, O'Hare International Airport will get its first advanced digital x-ray machine. It allows TSA agents to see through clothes and discover any hidden weapons. Critics have likened it to a virtual strip search.

A spokesman said that out of 2 billion passengers screened nationwide since 9-11, there have been only 110,000 abuse complaints.

As for the nipple ring case, TSA did change its procedures regarding body piercings.

http://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/xrated....
http://www.breitbart.tv/...

[Joe_]

I hate the TSA...they stop and search me every time. I guess you gotta be on the look out for those blond hair, blue eyed terrorists.

[icwjohn]

Joe_ wrote:

I hate the TSA...they stop and search me every time. I guess you gotta be on the look out for those blond hair, blue eyed terrorists.

they must hate us good looking types!lol! they almost wrestled me to the ground because i had a lighter in my carry on!

[Joe_]

icwjohn wrote:

<quoted text>they must hate us good looking types!lol! they almost wrestled me to the ground because i had a lighter in my carry on!

You know the thing that puffs air on you to check for whatever it checks, radiation, anthrax, or something....but my first time flying commercially, I set that damn thing off. Bells and whistles, the whole nine yards. I was soooo embarrassed. They had to manually search me and I had everything so nicely packed and they just opened it up and tore through it and didn't bother putting it back. Ugh, that was the worst part about the whole thing, trying to get everything back in my carry on...especially since it was everywhere and other people's luggage was being stacked on it.

[JustAThought]

icwjohn wrote:

<quoted text>they must hate us good looking types!lol! they almost wrestled me to the ground because i had a lighter in my carry on!

How much did you pay them to do that to you? I didn't realize you liked it rough!

[icwjohn]

JustAThought wrote:

<quoted text>
How much did you pay them to do that to you? I didn't realize you liked it rough!

oh man! didn't get enough slim bashing yesterday? now you turn on me! i thought we wuz friends?

[RetiredJSO]

I have flown several times with my wife and a couple of times with my supervisor, we are white and in our 50's and every time we get singled out for the full treatment. I spent 14 years in the army and 20 years as a police officer, and I have watched these people and let me tell you they do not have a clue as to what they are doing.

[JustAThought]

icwjohn wrote:

<quoted text>oh man! didn't get enough slim bashing yesterday? now you turn on me! i thought we wuz friends?

Oh think again!!!!

and I was just kidding! When you leave a remark like that so open, and waiting for someone to just jump right on it. I am talking about the statement and not your aZZ, so don't get your hopes up!

ROFL!!!! LOL!!!!!

Have a gay day Jonnie Boy!

hey, what ever happened with that woman who saw you in drag in your backyard? Did you get the new Victor's Secrets catalog yet?

What did the TSA say about the lingere in your bag?

[Joe_]

RetiredJSO wrote:

I have flown several times with my wife and a couple of times with my supervisor, we are white and in our 50's and every time we get singled out for the full treatment. I spent 14 years in the army and 20 years as a police officer, and I have watched these people and let me tell you they do not have a clue as to what they are doing.

I think the kid that just served me my waffle fries at Chickfila could do a better job then some of those TSA agents.

[Joe_]

Joe_ wrote:

<quoted text>
I think the kid that just served me my waffle fries at Chickfila could do a better job then some of those TSA agents.

But the tard that physically knocked me out of the way to grab a handful of ketchup is more than likely works for the TSA.

[icwjohn]

Joe_ wrote:

<quoted text>
But the tard that physically knocked me out of the way to grab a handful of ketchup is more than likely works for the TSA.

remind me not to go eat with you! you don't have much luck in any resturant!

[kteamjags]

OK, this scares me to death. I am mending from a broken ankle and am flying to Alaska Sept. 4. My girlfriend had a broken hand and just 2 weeks ago TSA made her remove her brace and twist her hand until it hurt so they could scan the screw she has in it. I swear to God they better not twist my ankle. I have a plate, 6 screws and 2 pins in there along with a brace with no metal on the outside. My doctor said just to tell them I had the hardware and I would be fine. Apparently this is not so..........any experience?????

[icwjohn]

kteamjags wrote:

OK, this scares me to death. I am mending from a broken ankle and am flying to Alaska Sept. 4. My girlfriend had a broken hand and just 2 weeks ago TSA made her remove her brace and twist her hand until it hurt so they could scan the screw she has in it. I swear to God they better not twist my ankle. I have a plate, 6 screws and 2 pins in there along with a brace with no metal on the outside. My doctor said just to tell them I had the hardware and I would be fine. Apparently this is not so..........any experience?????

i hope you heal fast!!!

[Moose in Jax]

kteamjags wrote:

OK, this scares me to death. I am mending from a broken ankle and am flying to Alaska Sept. 4. My girlfriend had a broken hand and just 2 weeks ago TSA made her remove her brace and twist her hand until it hurt so they could scan the screw she has in it. I swear to God they better not twist my ankle. I have a plate, 6 screws and 2 pins in there along with a brace with no metal on the outside. My doctor said just to tell them I had the hardware and I would be fine. Apparently this is not so..........any experience?????

I flew to California in 2004 right after I broke my leg/ankle. I have a metal plate and 2 screws in it. I think what helped me is, I just had the cast taken off (a week early) and still was not supposed to walk on it. I rolled up to the screening area in a wheel chair. I told them about the hardware, and they ran the wand over my leg, and sure enough, it went off, but that was basically it. I went right through after that. I think a lot might have to do with what airport you are going through. All I know is JIA, Houston, and LAX were the 3 I went through, and didn't really have much of a problem.

[RetiredJSO]

If we could guarantee you would be screened by someone with common sense, you would be ok. But TSA is short on common sense..

[kteamjags]

Thanks everyone. Seriously, I am scared about this since my friend said the TSA woman actually made her twist her wrist around to wand it. My flight is 1:00 p.m. I think I will show up at 9:00 a.m. to get through this.

[icwjohn]

kteamjags wrote:

Thanks everyone. Seriously, I am scared about this since my friend said the TSA woman actually made her twist her wrist around to wand it. My flight is 1:00 p.m. I think I will show up at 9:00 a.m. to get through this.

sorry we could not be more upbeat! but those people are real asses!

[Joe Durt]

I fly frequently and after dealing with the TSA digging in my stuff multiple times I have learned that one change of clothes and my Lap Top in my Carry on. Everything else Federal Express it is waiting on you when you get there. Of course when I told the agent in JAX last month after he said I was travilling awful lightly for some one going to Tacoma for a week, that they couldn't slap their asses with both hands and I don't want their thugs digging in my stuff so I send it Fed Ex. He got that classic Priceless look on his face.

[Joe_]

Joe Durt wrote:

I fly frequently and after dealing with the TSA digging in my stuff multiple times I have learned that one change of clothes and my Lap Top in my Carry on. Everything else Federal Express it is waiting on you when you get there. Of course when I told the agent in JAX last month after he said I was travilling awful lightly for some one going to Tacoma for a week, that they couldn't slap their asses with both hands and I don't want their thugs digging in my stuff so I send it Fed Ex. He got that classic Priceless look on his face.

Classic. If I said something like that, they'd hold me for additional searches and questioning so that I'd miss my flight.