Trouble in Argoland

The Montreal Gazette is reporting that Argo left tackle Edawn Coughman has been arrested and placed in custody in Montreal on a restricted weapons charge.

People are worried about our offensive line, but it's in much better shape than what Winnipeg and Toronto have right now.

Wasn't Coughman supposed to be their starting left tackle this year?

I think that was the plan since Rob Murphy remains an unsigned FA. Apparently the restricted firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum 3 year prison term if Coughman is found guilty.

Wow 3 years, didn't realize this is what you could get for such an offence. But I'm all for gun control so I don't have a problem locking someone up, whomever, for gun violations.

Three years??? Hefty. I know the gun-control issues, and agree with them. Like Earl, I just didn't know they were that severe.

I'm with you on that. I agree that people should be allowed to own and use certain firearms (e.g. hunting rifles, target pistols) under certain conditions, but restricted firearms are restricted for a reason. Allowing unrestricted firearm possession and use would be equivalent to allowing someone to drive a F1 racecar on city streets.

The fact that he was allegedly in posession of a loaded restricted firearm without a licence is probably what took the offence into the mandatory three year, maximum ten year penalty. Even with our country's rules on early release, if convicted, he'd be gone for at least a full season.

I normally never care about a players criminal record but a weapons charge is a clear red flag to a dangerous individual.

Might be, might not be. He may have a permit to carry a gun in the US and had it in his car and the weapon was found while his vehicle was searched or they may have seen the gun in the glove compartment.

Oh yeah, even youth get up to two years for that.

There's an article here:

[url=] ... story.html[/url]

Worth noting for the sake of the broader discussion that Coughman isn't accused of possessing a "prohibited" firearm (one which an ordinary citizen cannot currently acquire a permit for without a virtually-never-granted exemption, e.g. a fully automatic firearm, a handgun smaller than a certain size, etc), but is accused of possessing a "restricted" firearm (presumably a non-prohibited handgun) without the required permit, and could conceivably face additional charges related to the specific circumstances.

The article stated that he allegedly had a loaded restricted firearm in a hotel room, and did not have a permit. True, it did not indicate whether he had a US permit or not, but that's irrelevant to the charges, given that he was in Canada.

I think if you compare the difference in frequency in gun-related crimes between Canada, with gun control, and the US, with minimal gun control, you might conclude that it actually does work. (Or are we just naturally nicer?)

(And I really wish you two would get this identity crisis resolved. Although, on some topics, it's not hard to tell which of you is which.)

Yeah , read the article afterwards. Looks like someone who was in his room saw the loaded gun and called the police. Does not say if it was an escort or a maid but he' in a world of trouble. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse...

What a bonehead. Why don't people ever learn. HFXTC, I highly doubt he didnt' know it was illegal to possess weapons here in Canada. Even if he had a permit he would have been charged with unsafe storage at the very least. We are not allowed to walk around with guns here even if they are licensed. Doubt this jerk was ignorant of that fact.

Before you pass judgment, read: ... 1-qmi.html

[i]Coughman, a father of two boys, told the judge he bought the gun at a pawn shop in Georgia. It's legal in his home state to carry weapons at home, at work or in a car.

"I didn't know. It's different in the U.S.," said Coughman, 23, who had come to Montreal for pre-season training.

"Had I known (about the law), I never would have come with (the gun)."

At another point, the lineman broke down in tears and said "all I want to do is play football and be a good citizen." [/i]

Sounds like an error of ignorance on the part of a fundamentally decent guy. He has a family to take care of and it is really terrible that he faces a three-year sentence for this. It was a mistake on his part but he's a human being.

I don't know how he gets out of this. Even in the US isn't it illegal to carry a weapon across a state line ???

You sure about the decent part ?!/edawncoughman

Don't know, actually. But regardless it's not like he did anything. He didn't point that gun at anyone or threaten anyone. He just had it in a province where he didn't know the law.

You sure about the decent part ?!/edawncoughman
LOL. I'm owned. That's pretty bad. :D

I call BS on that. He obviously crossed the border with it and didn't tell them he had it or else he wouldn't have been permitted to cross the border with it. If he spent a season in Toronto he has to know that it's illegal unless he lived with his head in the sand. As for the twitter posts, while I can't blame him for hating Toronto, the guy seems like a real clown.

He moved it from the dresser to under the matress because he didn't think there was a problem :lol:

Exactly lol.

I like that it says it’s legal in Georgia to carry a gun at home, in a car and at work. I didn’t see “in a hotel” in there anywhere. What a dumbass

I just couldn't help myself. My twitter response:

edawn coughman ? @edawncoughman
So ready to be back in US. Hate Toronto. Hate i have one more ur here
Reply Retweet Favorite
? @Ticatsfan1
@edawncoughman 1 year in Toronto is better than 3 to 10 years in Montreal.

2:32 PM - 4 May 12 via web · Details