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Stanford Professor Arrested At LAX Says Grenade Was Old Souvenir

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Stanford University professor arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly having a grenade in his luggage says he was returning from his late father's home with the World War II-era souvenir.

Gary Walter Cox tells the Los Angeles Times he cleaned out his childhood home in Palos Verdes after the recent deaths of his parents and had forgotten the memorabilia he packed in his carry-on luggage included the grenade.

He says his father, a retired Navy captain, used it as a paperweight.

Cox was arrested last week after screeners found the grenade as he was attempting to board a flight home to San Jose.

The 58-year-old political science professor is free on $500,000 bail. He said Saturday police have told him the charge will be dropped.

(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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