Philadelphia Artist Convicted In Second Explosives Case
By Tony Hanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A 55-year-old Germantown artist, who blew off part of his right drawing hand playing with a homemade explosive device, has been convicted of possessing Weapons of Mass Destruction. KYW's Tony Hanson reports defendant Douglas Ferrin, in custody, will be sentenced in April.
This case began, literally, with a devastating bang outside Douglas Ferrin's home last May at 4 in the morning. Police responded and an injured Ferrin was charged.
"The evidence showed he possessed explosive devices, he possessed bombs that he was making in his home with explosive powder inside ready to be set off and he did set one off," said Prosecutor Lisa Nichols.
That device went off in his hand. Neighbors say there had been other explosions there in the past and Ferrin has a previous conviction for blowing up a toilet at a suburban pub after he'd been flagged in 2011. Defense attorney A J Thomson, who successfully argued the dismissal of some other charges, conceded Ferrin shouldn't have had what the defense called homemade fireworks, but Thompson disputes they were WMDs and expects an appeal.