Termination Hearing For YouTubing Gilberton Police Chief Continued After Gun Falls From Supporter’s Holster

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Schuylkill County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

GILBERTON, PA – The termination hearing of Gilberton police Chief Mark Kessler, whose curse-riddled YouTube videos about gun rights have gone viral, was stopped Thursday after a loaded handgun fell from a bystander’s holster onto the concrete floor.

The gun did not go off, but Kessler’s attorney, Joseph Nahas, directed that person to leave the room packed with 40 people. After a short private meeting, officials announced that the hearing would be reconvened at a later date at a larger room at the Schuylkill County Courthouse.

“We’re in a very small room. It’s made of concrete. If a gun were to be chambered and land on concrete, like it just did, someone can be injured,” Nahas said.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-gilberton-pa-police-chief-guns-termination-20131010,0,4249276.story#ixzz2hRDYfE6A
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Schuylkill County Police Chief’s Suspension Extended

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Schuylkill County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

GILBERTON, PA – The suspension of a Schuylkill County police chief was extended indefinitely Friday.  Gilberton Chief Mark Kessler is accused of posting online videos in which he fired borough-owned automatic weapons while shouting obscenities.

The Gilberton Borough Council had been scheduled to hold a disciplinary hearing but had to postpone it because of a scheduling conflict, Kessler’s attorney said.

Attorney Joseph Nahas said Kessler’s disciplinary hearing will most likely be held next week.  The indefinite suspension is expected to remain in place until both sides can meet.

Nahas and Kessler himself have both said they expect the chief to be fired.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=505474

Gilberton Suspends Police Chief Kessler For 30 Days Over YouTube Video

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Schuylkill County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

GILBERTON, Schuylkill County — If Mark Kessler wants to make any more bombastic YouTube videos, he has time to work on them.

Thirty days, to be exact.

That’s how long he’ll be off the job as Gilberton police chief for using the tiny coal town’s guns in a profanity-laced video that went viral after he posted it on the Web.

With people outside carrying semiautomatic guns and heckling one another over gun rights, Borough Council voted Wednesday night to suspend Kessler without pay.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-gilberton-police-chief-council-20130731,0,4092001.story#ixzz2agR6Yg3L
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North Schuylkill Distances Itself From Gilberton Police Chief Over YouTube Videos

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Schuylkill County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The North Schuylkill Board of Education issued a statement late Thursday it does not “condone or agree” with the YouTube video of board member and Gilberton Police Chief Mark Kessler shooting restricted guns in a profanity-laced tirade.

“His thoughts and feelings portrayed in the content of the videos are not shared by any other member of this Board, the North Schuylkill School District, its administration and faculty and are his and his alone,” the statement said.

The one-paragraph statement, emailed by Board President Charles Hepler, indicated the board or district will not make any more comments and referred questions to Kessler and his attorney.

Kessler could not be reached for comment.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-gilberton-police-chief-north-schuylkill-respons-20130726,0,6158934.story