Judge's Wife Finds Live Mortar Round on Back Doorstep; Bomb Squad Detonates It at Airport
Updated: Judge Charlie Vess likes to collect military paraphernalia, so at first he wasn’t taken aback by the 20- to 25-pound torpedo-shaped item his wife found yesterday on the back doorstep of their home in Natchez, Miss.
But, finding no note to suggest that a friend had dropped it off and seeing that the fuse was still attached, he called authorities, reports the Natchez Democrat.
They determined that the device was a live mortar round and, escorted by the local fire department, a bomb squad from the Fort Polk, La., military base took it from the justice court jurist’s home to the Natchez-Adams County Airport, where it was detonated without incident.
WLBT-TV reports that an investigation is continuing, but Vess says there is nothing right now to indicate a planned attack.
Now authorities are saying that the round wasn’t live, but it was better to be safe than sorry:
‘Live’ Mortar Round Found on Judge’s Doorstep and Blown Up was a Gift from a Friend, Sheriff Says.
Updated on Aug. 11 to link to subsequent ABAJournal.com post.
