Police: Wash. man pointed gun at woman for smoking while pregnant

(CBS/AP) BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A Washington state man has been arrested on allegations that he pointed a handgun at a pregnant woman because she was smoking a cigarette.

Bellingham police spokesman Mark Young says 24-year-old Justin Dain Palmer stopped his pickup truck Wednesday to shout at a smoker on a sidewalk, "Who the heck smokes when they're pregnant?" The woman replied, "I do."

Young says that, after more words were exchanged, the man pointed a handgun at the woman. The Bellingham Herald reports the man was still sitting in the truck, about 10 feet from her, and that he then drove off.

The woman called 911.

Police stopped Palmer a short time later. Young says Palmer acknowledged confronting the woman but denied pulling a gun. Police say they found two semiautomatic .45-caliber handguns in his pickup's center console.

Young says Palmer was arrested for investigation of pointing a gun.

[Gonji0831]

Judging this women is so easy to do, but to those who know anything about addiction or those who have addictive personalities should know well that its not that easy to put down your cigarette. If it was it wouldn't be classified as ADDICTIVE. Hell cigarettes kill the smoker. Do you honestly think she wants to die as well? Maybe she has been struggling with smoking for sometime now and trying her best to quit? Its not easy and it is not for anyone to decide whats right for her child and her body. Even if I myself think its a horrible thing to do as well. Encouragement and support are what people need when they are trapped by an addiction. I am so happy my X had the will power to stop when she got pregnant, but I never yelled at her or told her she had to. Sometimes stress can be the bigger killer. This man should be in jail for however long the law requires, but stop and think before you place judgement on this women. You have no idea what she has been through in her own life. A cigarette could be the least of her worries as bad as that may sound to most.

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

by Bojax39

Dependent yes, but not a part of it

==========

That's a very, very odd statement.

So where is it, if it's not part of the woman's body?

[monkeyreturns]

who in the hell points a gun at a pregnant woman....was he intending to kill her and the baby???

[lokibear2]

You should not smoke while pregnant however it is still a personal choice. How many of you drive with kids in the car talking or texting on your cell, or having 1 drink or 2. There are many things that every single one of us do that we should not but again it is a choice. Not one of us is perfect.

[nonpolitico]

See how far the left wing propaganda has brought the USA?
A lady makes a personal choice.
Gets a HANDGUN pointed at her by a government-brainwashed LOON!!
The man needs to be jailed for 10 years!
Then he needs education in the Constitution. For his information there is no where in the Constitution that covers smoking being a crime!
Golly, our slave owning ancestors could well have gotten rich on growing tobacco!
See how Socialist propaganda has infiltrated even the UNITED STATES??
A young woman GETS THREATENED WITH A GUN!!!! For her lifestyle choice.
See what Communism does to your brain??
Wake up people the USA was founded on Choices, and we got that right. Now the socialist Politically Correct idjits are the lunatics running the asylum!!
I hope the fella gets a jail sentence, but his right to bear arms is not impinged!!

[The_Justice_League]

Justin Palmer
[phone]
3 Shetland Ct
Bellingham, WA 98229-4435

[JoelDick]

She should have replied:

"I'm aborting it anyways."

[EmpireGeorge______--]

by lillyhorton September 14, 2012 2:10 PM EDT

wmdmia, a zygote is not living.
__________

Can you please explain how a "Non-Living cell" is able to reproduce and split into multiple cells, etc. ???

[Scimajor]

The guy with the gun needs to go to jail for a long time but so does the woman. How can anyone intentionally poison their unborn child?

[EmpireGeorge______--]

by lillyhorton September 14, 2012 1:03 PM EDT

Why then do women have to damage their bodies if they don't have to? Empire you seem to believe, asside from her egg, that the womans body is not necessary to develop a full term baby. Can you physically show that? I would like to see it.
_____________

They shouldn't damage their body, or the body of the unborn baby.....I really don't understand your question.

[formerlyluvnut]

So SHE says.

[jtdev1]

She should be charged with child endangerment.

it is no different than a crack head smoking it up while she's pregnant.