Banana menacing

[Scout'sHonor]

Ha ha ha ha!

Charges reduced in banana menacing case

The Associated Press
Posted: 12/03/2014 07:00:58 AM MST | Updated: 80 min. ago


Not the actual banana
Not the actual banana (The Denver Post file photo | iStock)

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) — Prosecutors have reduced charges against a man who was arrested after two western Colorado sheriff's deputies say he brandished a banana, which they thought was a gun.

Mesa County District Attorney Pete Hautzinger tells KKCO-TV (http://bit.ly/1FKTe3h ) in Grand Junction he decided to reduce charges against 27-year-old Nathen Channing from felony menacing to obstructing a peace officer, a misdemeanor. Channing was arrested Nov. 23.

Deputies Joshua Bunch and Donald Love said they feared for their lives even though they saw that the object was yellow. Bunch wrote in the arrest affidavit he has seen handguns in many shapes and colors.

He wrote that Love was drawing his service weapon when Channing yelled, "It's a banana!"

Hautzinger says what Channing did "is certainly felony stupid, but I don't think it necessarily needs a felony charge."

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Information from: KKCO-TV, www.nbc11news.com

[blink]

I don't understand. Was he stopped to begin with? Or was he just walking around pulling out his banana everywhere? What is the banana's fate here? Is there anything that's not a gun now?

[mbcdefg]

Dec 3, 2014 10:34:57 GMT -5 blink said:

Or was he just walking around pulling out his banana everywhere?

*snerk*

[josieposy]

LOL @ "not the actual banana."

[Scout'sHonor]

Dec 3, 2014 10:34:57 GMT -5 blink said:

I don't understand. Was he stopped to begin with? Or was he just walking around pulling out his banana everywhere? What is the banana's fate here? Is there anything that's not a gun now?

I found this, which was a little clearer.  Looks like he just happened to point his banana at some passing cops.

The infamous 'Banana Man' - who pointed the yellow fruit at Mesa County Sheriff's Deputies - is having his charges lowered.

Nathen Channing was arrested on November 23rd on the possibility of felony menacing charges after allegedly pointing a banana at deputies as a "funny joke" according to an arrest affidavit.

District Attorney Pete Hautzinger says he consulted extensively with the sheriff's office and at a hearing today, and they are now charging the 27-year-old with obstructing a peace officer - which is a class two misdemeanor.

Hautzinger says he won't consider dropping the charges against Channing because his action were criminal.

"Playing jokes with guns or fake guns or using something else that looks like a gun is just plain stupid and unsafe," said Hautzinger. "What Mr. Channing did is certainly felony stupid but I don't think it necessarily needs a felony charge."

The D.A. also says the Mesa County Sheriff's deputies involved in the situation should be praised for the great amount of restraint and professionalism they showed.

If they shot Channing, Hautzinger says they would be justified in doing so if they feared for their lives.

If found guilty, Channing faces possible jail time or probation.

He'll be back in court in mid-December.

[blink]

Dec 3, 2014 10:55:53 GMT -5 Scout'sHonor said:

Dec 3, 2014 10:34:57 GMT -5 blink said:

I don't understand. Was he stopped to begin with? Or was he just walking around pulling out his banana everywhere? What is the banana's fate here? Is there anything that's not a gun now?

I found this, which was a little clearer.  Looks like he just happened to point his banana at some passing cops.

The infamous 'Banana Man' - who pointed the yellow fruit at Mesa County Sheriff's Deputies - is having his charges lowered.

Nathen Channing was arrested on November 23rd on the possibility of felony menacing charges after allegedly pointing a banana at deputies as a "funny joke" according to an arrest affidavit.

District Attorney Pete Hautzinger says he consulted extensively with the sheriff's office and at a hearing today, and they are now charging the 27-year-old with obstructing a peace officer - which is a class two misdemeanor.

Hautzinger says he won't consider dropping the charges against Channing because his action were criminal.

"Playing jokes with guns or fake guns or using something else that looks like a gun is just plain stupid and unsafe," said Hautzinger. "What Mr. Channing did is certainly felony stupid but I don't think it necessarily needs a felony charge."

The D.A. also says the Mesa County Sheriff's deputies involved in the situation should be praised for the great amount of restraint and professionalism they showed.

If they shot Channing, Hautzinger says they would be justified in doing so if they feared for their lives.

If found guilty, Channing faces possible jail time or probation.

He'll be back in court in mid-December.

I wonder if he tried to disguise the banana at all, or altered it. Because I'm having such a hard time imagining a banana as menacing unless you are a classic cartoon character who's running.

ETA: I looked up banana gun and these came up:

[meshaliuknits]

Dec 3, 2014 11:18:03 GMT -5 blink said:

ETA: I looked up banana gun and these came up:

that's kind of impressive