War Veteran with PTSD Faces Life in Prison for less than an ounce of Pot

A marine corps combat veteran who has done 3 tours for our country including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan is facing life in prison for less than an ounce of weed.

He was battling PTSD from his military service and started growing 6 plants in his house because he was tired of taking all the pills and wanted to try smoking weed.

His wife is saying he had a PTSD episode so she left the house "to defuse the situation" and called the police to get him help . When police arrived they searched the house found the 6 plants (totaling less than an ounce in plant matter) and arrested and charged him with cultivation,

This is in Oklahoma and the penalty for cultivation is 20 years to life.

Cultivation
Cultivating up to 1,000 plants is a felony, punishable by a maximum $25,000 fine and between 20 years and life imprisonment. Cultivation of more than 1,000 plants is punishable of a fine up to $50,0000 and between 20 years and life imprisonment.

Oklahomas ridiculous weed laws

His wife is also saying they originally put her in cuffs and said they were going to charge her with the same crime and take her kids if she did not press assault charges on her husband.

Ok maybe they were fighting, maybe she was sacred of him and is changing her story now ,but thats neither here nor there I want to focus on how a guy can do three tours for our country and can face this much time for weed.

I am ashamed to be from Oklahoma right now.

I mean how many people are rotting in prison in Oklahoma right now on the taxpayers dime for some weed?

I cant believe "we the people" have allowed other people to rot in prison over a plant..

If we can get the confederate flag banned all over the country in a week, why the hell cant we do something about these stupid ass laws?

US Marine Corps combat veteran Kristoffer Lewandowski, who served in three tours of duty overseas including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, reportedly faces up to life in prison for pot charges connected to a June 2014 raid on his Geronimo, OK home that occurred after his wife and neighbors called police to get him help for a post-traumatic stress disorder flare-up. However, rather than providing mental health resources, police responding on the scene searched Lewandowski’s home for contraband and found six marijuana plants, weighing in at less than an ounce of plant matter in total, and charged him with, among other offenses, felony marijuana cultivation, which, under Oklahoma’s unusually-harsh marijuana laws, carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Truth in Media obtained an exclusive interview with Kristoffer Lewandowski’s wife Whitney Lewandowski in an effort to get their family’s story on the record.

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a reply to: alienjuggalo

THATS JUST PLAIN WRONG !!!!

Nice wife. She calls paid trained killers whose speciality is civil forfeiture and imprisoning those who comply, others get shot. Sounds like he's safer in jail. At least he's alive. Next time he may not be so lucky.

a reply to: alienjuggalo

# 467

a reply to: alienjuggalo

Supreme court needs to again exercise its recent display of power and get weed legalized asap everywhere before stupid pigs and lawyers take any more advantage of the private prison system and war on drugs.

a reply to: alienjuggalo

Living in a state where this wouldn't be punished at all, it strikes me in a way it never has before.

How can you get life in prison and no punishment at all for the same "crime" in two different places in the same nation?

PTSD no less. I can't twist the logic enough for this to make sense to me. I hope legalization of bogus crimes goes the way of marriage equality on a federal level. There are simply things that just seem inhumane to legislate.

a reply to: alienjuggalo

The US is slowly getting with the program but wow 20 to life , who is this supposed to benefit . Below is a list of on the spot fines for mary j use and cultivation in South Australia .

Also where a person is found guilty of cultivating more than 1 plant but under 5, the maximum penalty in such cases is $1000. When the number of plants is over 5 but under 10, the maximum penalty is 2 years imprisonment and/or a fine of $2000 [Controlled Substances Act 1984 (SA) s 33K]. If you are able to prove that the plants were for personal use or supply and not sale, regardless of the number, then this penalty will also apply. However, this would be difficult with large numbers of plants.
Offence Expiation fee
Less than 25 grams of cannabis $150
Between 25 and 100 grams of cannabis $300
Less than 5 grams of resin $150
Between 5 and 20 grams of resin $300
For smoking or consumption in private $150
For pipes or other equipment (provided it is not for commercial purposes) $150
For pipes or other equipment (if there are other offences) $30
Non-commercial cultivation (1 plant only, but not hydroponically cultivated) $300
[Expiation fees set out in Shedule 5 Controlled Substances (Controlled Drugs, Precursors and Plants) Regulations 2014 (SA)]

The cops i have talked to hate it when they have to raid a place for one or two plants

a reply to: hutch622

That's if they know what they're getting into. I can see a plausible scenario where law enforcement is ordered to do something by some authority, and they do it because "it's their job." But, I guess that's why all law enforcement does the terrible things that they do?

Don't even need the vet angle here to be angry. To face any time for a plant is just ridiculous. Oklahoma needs to get with the times.

When, not if, weed gets legalized men and women like this men better be pardoned.

Still seems bizarre I can drive for five minutes and pick up whatever I want legally and without a medical card and some people get locked up for a ridiculous amount of time.

originally posted by: Cuervo
a reply to: alienjuggalo

Living in a state where this wouldn't be punished at all, it strikes me in a way it never has before.

How can you get life in prison and no punishment at all for the same "crime" in two different places in the same nation?

PTSD no less. I can't twist the logic enough for this to make sense to me. I hope legalization of bogus crimes goes the way of marriage equality on a federal level. There are simply things that just seem inhumane to legislate.

It seems ridiculous that you could drive a couple hundred miles across one state border and smoke it in front of a cop and not get arrested. But get life in the other state..

WTF??

a reply to: alienjuggalo

Is this about pot? Or the fact that he's a potential "Right-wing extremist"...

a reply to: Wardaddy454

It sounds like it's about pot.

a reply to: alienjuggalo

"States' rights," amiright? We've seen the same thing with marriage equality, alcohol, cigarettes, prescription drugs, etc. It becomes ridiculous when we try to smack folks down for crossing borders (e.g. Canadian generic drugs) when they are supposed to be "free and open."

originally posted by: Wardaddy454
a reply to: alienjuggalo

Is this about pot? Or the fact that he's a potential "Right-wing extremist"...

Its about pot, I am from Oklahoma and I had a friend do 6 months then 2 years of parole for a fu%$%^& joint lol.

originally posted by: alienjuggalo


I am ashamed to be from Oklahoma right now.

In Oklahoma it is illegal to be caught with a farm animals legs in your boots.

In Oklahoma, dogs must have a permit signed by the mayor in order to congregate in groups of three or more on private property.

In Oklahoma, oral sex is a misdemeanor and is punisable by one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

In Oklahoma, whaling is illegal.... and thank God for that cause the Whale population is way too small!!

But you are ashamed by their laws about weed?

I am poking fun, sorry I had to.

The reality however is far more concerning. and stories like this have helped to make a lot of progress in affecting change to laws concerning drugs and the failed "drug war". Just think about how many people, Nationwide, have been incarcerated for 20+ years for similar reasons. Believe it not, people have been using MJ to self medicate for relief from very serious symptoms for a VERY long time, even before there was any science involved. Before people even were aware that they were actually self medicating.

a reply to: MrWendal

I would be ashamed of all those other laws as well. the difference is they are actually trying to uphold this stupid law and put people in prison for it.

a reply to: alienjuggalo
I'm all for states rights, but this kind of crap has got to stop. The hypocrisy is off the charts. This needs to be fixed with nationwide legalization for medical and recreational. Booze which kills thousands a year in drunk driving is legal but bud isn't?
When things don't make sense, follow the money and you'll find your answer.

Doesn't criminalization, at the very least, violate one Amendment?

For example:
Fourteenth Amendment
. It effects more minorities than not often illegally
. Non equal treatment of medical patients from non legal states during travel

Welcome to the Bible belt. I live here and I'm about done with this state for many reasons. The ignorant and hypocritical mentality that I see on a daily basis in this state is sad. There's a mass majority here that are so brainwashed with obsolete ideologies that it's futile to debate even the simplest of topics. Legalize weed? They're not having anything to do with that. They don't embrace change of any kind.

originally posted by: rationalconsumer
a reply to: alienjuggalo

"States' rights," amiright? We've seen the same thing with marriage equality, alcohol, cigarettes, prescription drugs, etc. It becomes ridiculous when we try to smack folks down for crossing borders (e.g. Canadian generic drugs) when they are supposed to be "free and open."

This is the very definition of states rights. Oklahoma isn't required to write it's laws to coincide with Colorado's. States rights is intended to cause large differences like this, in order to reflect the will of the people.