An American lawyer accused of illegally possessing two guns and ammunition allegedly found in his luggage at L.F Wade International Airport went on trial at Supreme Court this morning.

Gary Peter Barket, 61, of Little Rock, Arkansas, has pleaded not guilty to contravening the Firearms Act by possession of a .32 calibre revolver, a 6.35 mm semi-automatic pistol and four rounds of .32 calibre ammunition.

Opening the trial, Principal Crown counsel Michael McColm told the jury the weapons were discovered in a garment bag as Barket was screened at the airport on January 25 before catching a flight to Newark, New Jersey. He had flown into Bermuda from the US two days before.

The jury heard a tape-recorded Police interview with the defendant, in which he claimed that the guns belonged to his late father-in-law, and he had packed them in the suit bag months before for safekeeping.

Barket told the Police he had no idea the guns were in his luggage during his trip to Bermuda, until he was stopped at the x-ray machine on his way out.

“I practiced law for 36 years, I have a pristine record as a lawyer and a citizen. I would’ve never done anything stupid like this, or even thought about doing it,” he protested during the interview.

See The Royal Gazette tomorrow for more.