Pa. man who brought gun to Obama rally acquitted

BEAVER, Pa. - A Western Pennsylvania man has been cleared of criminal charges after bringing his handgun to a presidential campaign rally for Barack Obama.

John Noble of Industry wore the 9mm on a holster and carried a Bible to the August rally to protest Obama's remark that Americans who felt left out by the system clung to guns and religion. The rally was in Beaver, about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Police said Noble, 51, wanted to be disruptive. They said he posted on the Internet that he was taking the gun to "test what would happen."

Friday, a jury acquitted him of a disrupting a public meeting and a judge acquitted him of disorderly conduct, but called his actions foolish. Noble was not charged with gun offenses because he was legally carrying the weapon. - AP