A woman has been charged with trying to carry a gun into a courthouse in gun-free Chicago.

Julia Shephard, 53, of Chicago, told investigators that she forgot the gun was in her purse, which she placed on an X-ray machine where a deputy spotted it, sheriff's spokeswoman Penny Mateck said.

Shephard, who was arrested without incident, was charged with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon, Mateck said. No reason was given why the woman was carrying the gun.

Of course in places like Virginia, you don't need to give a reason to carry a gun. You just strap a holster to your hip and, with few exceptions, wear it proudly just about anywhere you want. While guns are banned in courthouses, I would hope that they let you check it, or put it in your car.