"Air marshal fired over airport fracas"

Friday, June 27, 2003

Air marshal fired over airport fracas 
Police say federal agent pulled his gun on civilians at JFK 
By Brock N. Meeks
MSNBC 


WASHINGTON, - A federal air marshal was fired and faces a felony assault
charge after a June 8 incident in which police say he pulled his service
weapon on two civilians during a parking space dispute at JFK International
Airport in New York. The incident comes amid reports that more than 100
marshals have either left their jobs or been pulled from flight status and
placed on paid administrative leave due to problems with the background
investigations needed for their top secret security clearances. 
  
THE AIR MARSHAL involved in the JFK incident is John Barbusin, 35, of
Richmond Hill, N.Y., according to police and court records. Barbusin was
"immediately suspended pending a quick and thorough review of the matter,"
confirmed TSA Spokesman Brian Turmail. "Within less than a week, that same
marshal was terminated."

As a result of the incident, Barbusin faces a felony charge of assault, and
two misdemeanor charges of menacing and harassment in Queens County where he
is to appear in court Monday. 

Because the case against Barbusin is pending, Turmail said the TSA couldn't
disclose details such as how long he had been in the program, whether he had
received his final top secret clearance or whether there were any other
disciplinary problems in his background.

But Turmail stressed that "every air marshal understands how important it is
that the traveling public have absolute confidence in their ability to
defend the skies in a split second at 30,000 feet without backup. That is
why marshals are held to the highest possible standard of performance and
conduct both on and off duty."

Earlier this year, three top officials of the air marshal program, including
the program's deputy director, were stripped of their positions and banned
from holding supervisory roles in the program because of an undisclosed
incident that took place 10 years ago. 
       
NO FINAL CLEARANCES

Turmail also noted that every air marshal on active duty has undergone an
initial background investigation that includes a criminal history check,
credit check, psychological exam and drug test. However, as previously
reported by MSNBC.com, some active-duty air marshals are doing so without
having yet received their final top secret security clearances.   

According to a New York Port Authority police report and a criminal
complaint obtained from the Queens County District Attorney's Office,
Barbusin pulled his loaded .357 Sig Sauer service weapon on Doug Everson of
Montclair, N.J., and Everson's father-in-law, William Vreeland, 65, of Long
Island, N.Y., during an argument over a parking space in the orange lot at
JFK. Everson and his wife and kids were flying to Orlando, Fla., for a
convention. Vreeland met Everson at the airport to pick up a dog that he was
going to watch while the family was away.

Everson told MSNBC.com in a phone interview that Barbusin became
increasingly abusive toward Vreeland when Vreeland refused to move his car
from a parking spot that he was saving for Everson, who was approaching in
his own car.

The situation quickly escalated beyond profanity when Barbusin pulled his
gun, pointed it at Vreeland and told him that he was a "federal marshal" and
that Vreeland was being placed under arrest, according to Everson.

When Everson tried to intervene, Barbusin wheeled around and "pointed the
gun right in my face," Everson said. "I thought I was a dead man."

Barbusin told Everson that he also was being placed under arrest, according
to Everson. In the course of handcuffing him, Barbusin broke one of
Everson's pinkie fingers, Everson said.   
  
Barbusin has a different story. "He was effecting an arrest," said Gregory
Kuczinski, Barbusin's attorney. What may have started as a parking lot
dispute turned into an accident scene when Everson or Vreeland's car at some
point struck Barbusin's, Kuczinski said. Kuczinski said Barbusin called 911,
asking for the police to respond to the scene, an assertion backed up by the
Port Authority police report. 

"The police came and after talking to some witnesses they made the
determination that actually [Barbusin] was acting in the wrong here and was
placed under arrest," said Tony Ciavolella, a Port Authority spokesman.

What exactly happened to make the police arrest Barbusin "is what we'll find
out in court," Kuczinski said. "That's the $60,000 question."

Attached Graphic:

Airport security here and abroad.

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