27-Year-Old Man Gets "20 Years Hard Labor" for Half an Ounce of Pot

reply to post by goou111


Now that you bring it up, if different states adopt policies like this over every issue, choosing where to live with one's lifestyle could be the difference between life in prison or being totally accepted.

It could be anything from emissions testing to low-flow toilets to political correct speech being handled differently in each state - or gun laws, or recycling - who knows.

BardingTheBard
reply to post by andy06shake

 

I think you'll find my posting history in agreement.

I can see that buddy.

I was just attempting to reinforce the hypocrisy of the situation!

reply to post by HanzHenry


Why? because they have a job to do, why not be angry at the ones that make the laws.
Also there are other states with much stricter laws on mj then LA.

ATTENTION, PLEASE!

There's a pretty good discussion going on here and provided it stays on topic and within the site guidelines, all is cool. However, please check SkepticOverlord's thread that he wrote when this new forum was opened back in July. You'll see there is a wide range of topics that are just fine and the OP's subject is definitely one of them.

But please note the following

And an important note: While we are now allowing the discussion of drug-related topics in an open, public, and searchable forum, we WILL NOT tolerate advocacy of recreation use in any way. Such posts will be removed, and the author's account terminated.

Short and sweet: please stick to the OP subject and stay away from mentioning recreational use -- whether it's legal where you live or not.

Thank you.

While I think its an incredibly silly sentence even tho I don't personally dabble in drugs bar my normal pain & depression meds I do think the the judge was in a no win scenario.

If he does not apply the laws he's going to be called a slack judge, when he does apply them he's insane.

Awkward one but personally that amount of time for minor drugs is just stupid.

Equally stupid tho is the person caught, in a state that's very severe on drugs you don't let yourself get caught twice. He must have known that a second offence would mean time in jail, maybe not what he got but time none the less.

Was it worth the risk?

Weed is an issue that I'm personally not keen on, its long since become the all to often used drug of choice with kids almost badmouthed if they don't partake which for me is stupid and dangerous. I've also seen people at work use during their working day let alone the number of druggies I have to kick (literally) out of our council block. Kids and men who spend all day smoking weed and injecting.

People say its harmless but its not, not only are you killing your lungs but many become paranoid or psychotic, the dicks around here that smoke it and skunk often become very aggressive and threatening, certainly not the chilled out peeps the films portray.

But at the end of the day the countries have to decide a stance on it and make it nation wide.

Wrabbit2000
...there is no sympathy here. He also wasn't given the sentence for pot as the article states ...but habitual offender status on repeated arrests and convictions. It's like the guy in California who got life for shoplifting. Well... No.. Actually, he didn't. Shoplifting to a felony level was just the 3rd strike and a really crappy one to go out on ...but still, if one wants to live as a criminal with frequent flier status to the local jail? They will stop letting you out eventually.

If he broke other laws, habitually, then convict him for breaking those laws. Regardless what their state law permits, a 20-year prison sentence at hard labor for possessing barely over half an ounce of pot is itself criminally insane.

We are coming to see the light at the end of this dark tunnel. Cannabis had gotten a bum rap because it proved to be so useful and beneficial it was competing with other then-emerging industries. It is possible we are not far from an economic fail and societal re-start will be necessary from the ground up.

Cannabis hemp may be the one most beneficial plant we could have to re-start our basic industries back from the grass roots level up and supply us with needed textiles, fuel and lamp oil, medicines, and perhaps the best vegetable protein source for our nutritional needs.

Are our Overlord Powers That Be still only interested in protecting their own financial interests or is there a greater conspiracy to attempt to eradicate this basic resource with the purpose of keeping us from surviving. In the aftermath of a SHTF scenario can anyone here name a single plant or resource that would provide us more of our basic needs than cannabis? Is there a nefarious agenda to cripple our efforts to survive a devastating event and just keep truckin' on?

reply to post by goou111


I would have to know what his other crimes were before I can comment on this. If he ever hurt a child, or was involved in domestic abuse or selling drugs to kids, etc.. then he deserves it. Otherwise, 20 years is terrible. Child molesters get way more less time than that.

reply to post by Erongaricuaro


As I've noted, I'm not against these laws being trashed. Especially as I have come to learn there are a wide range of medicinal products made from it. Pain creams for topical use ..very effective apparently. Who would have thought?

Still, you make the point then contradict it. 'If he broke other laws...' Well, what other laws qualify to count, if not this one? He DID break a law and it's been habitually. The fact we hate that law, as it may be to each person, is totally irrelevant to following it.

If we just chose what laws we wanted to follow and paid no mind to consequences.. why.. We'd look like Eric Holder and the Department of Injustice!

I’m sure after the first offence, he was told what would happen if he didn’t comply. Well, he DIDN’T comply and am now paying the consequences for it. Is it really that hard to understand? When I was a kid, I touched the hot stove and figured out real quick that if I touched it again I would pay the price. If I figured that out as a kid, than this guy should have figured what he was doing wrong as an adult.

All that can really be said is people need to know the state laws of where you live.

reply to post by goou111

That's just sick and twisted, unjust and disgraceful.

Just because the guy happens to live in Louisiana instead of Washington state..

Unbelievable.

Wrabbit2000
The fact we hate that law, as it may be to each person, is totally irrelevant to following it.

To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, "If a law is unjust it is our duty to defy that law." That is the relevance to following it. Regardless if he violated that law a thousand times it remains that it is criminal insanity to be able to issue a sentence of 20 years at hard labor for possessing a small personal-use amount of pot as he had.

I have stood in defiance of those laws for 46 years now. Our last several Presidents of the US have defied those laws. Then there are those persons who will knuckle-under in obedience and give support to any tyrannical oppression handed us. The law is The Law, is that the bottom line?

This way to the showers, folks. Cleanliness is next to Godliness and you will soon meet your maker.

Our grandchildren will laugh and despise us for this cruelty in the future .Life is destroyed here for possesion of some harmless plant, and life is above every law. I dont have words to describe my anger and sorrow.

spartacus699
There's a site called Escape Artist. Go there. Get out while you still can.

Thanks for the site...interesting material!!!!!


- SN

NewAgeMan
Just because the guy happens to live in Louisiana instead of Washington state..

No, it's because he lives in Louisiana instead of Washington state AND BROKE THE LAW. See the difference? Nobody was arrested for just living anywhere.

Jailing him =

1) they eliminate competition. You cant compete with #1 drug dealers without paying consequences.

2) more free labour in jail, in 20 yrs, his jail time will be extended mysteriously.

xavi1000
Our grandchildren will laugh and despise us for this cruelty in the future.

Well, our grandchildren will laugh at us for all kinds of things -- allowing 50,000 people a year to die on the nation's roads and highways, allowing smoking at all, allowing surgery for obesity, not recognizing pets as dependents, not wearing helmets everywhere, and so on. But until time and laws change, it's foolish to live somewhere you know the authorities will persecute or prosecute you for doing something you feel compelled to do.

reply to post by shockedonlooker


you are correct sir! the creep teacher who statutorily rape of his 14 year student just finished his 30 days of jail today! the "pastor" who raped the gay away to the amount of at 60 times gets NO jail time. lovely, isn't it?

thesaneone
All that can really be said is people need to know the state laws of where you live.

I agree wholeheartedly.

I think the demonization of "drugs" like natural substances such as marijuana, psilocybin, '___', etc is absolute hypocrisy.

But hey, Alcohol is "legal"...so are "cigarettes"...no, they're not drugs, they don't directly effect your mental and physical state, nahh......neither is "coffee"...nope...not at all. I have ABSOLUTELY not been drinking a "drug" sine the moment I got out of bed this morning just to remain ambulatory and somewhat comprehensible. Nope, not I.

I hope we see the day soon when naturally occurring drugs (I'm against man made or augmented drugs, like coc aine, heroin, Oxycontin, etc) are just as legal as "beer". At least then the hypocrisy will be out of the picture.

Ok, enough of my drug rant.

But, you're right...if you're idiotic enough to smoke up in such a draconian and backwards state, well, you kinda sorta deserve what you get, in my book. Might as well just ask a cop for a light for your weed....


- SN

Blue Shift

xavi1000
Our grandchildren will laugh and despise us for this cruelty in the future.

Well, our grandchildren will laugh at us for all kinds of things -- .......allowing surgery for obesity

Really, you have an issue with people having a surgery to help them lose weight ?

Are you talking about publicly assisted / financed surgery, or even folks who pay for it out of pocket ?


- SN