cannabisnews.com: Music Legend Fined in Marijuana Case





Music Legend Fined in Marijuana Case
Posted by CN Staff on April 25, 2007 at 06:52:52 PT
By Richard Burgess, Advocate Acadiana Bureau 
Source: Advocate
St. Martinville, LA -- Country music legend Willie Nelson and his tour manager were ordered to pay $1,024 each and were sentenced to six months of probation after pleading guilty to possession of marijuana here Tuesday.Nelson, tour manager David Anderson, Nelson’s sister and two of the singer’s tour bus drivers were cited on misdemeanor drug charges in September while traveling on Interstate 10 through St. Martin Parish.
State Police investigators said they found 1 & 1/2 pounds of marijuana and a small amount of hallucinogenic mushrooms in a search prompted by a “strong odor of marijuana” during a routine motor coach inspection stop of his tour bus.Nelson and Anderson, both of Texas, entered their guilty pleas on a regular court day in St. Martinville, arriving with their attorney a few minutes before the plea hearing and taking seats at the front of a courtroom filled with other defendants.Sixteenth Judicial District Judge Paul deMahy asked Nelson the same questions routine for all guilty pleas, as the singer stood before the judge.Name?“Willie Hugh Nelson.”Age?“I was born in 1933.”Occupation?“I’m an entertainer.”Can you read?“Yes, sir.”The $1,024 in penalties and fees imposed on Nelson and Anderson include court costs, $500 in fines, a $50 fee for courthouse security and $75 to reimburse the Acadiana Crime Lab for tests that confirmed the green leafy substance found on the tour bus was indeed marijuana.The $500 fine was the maximum allowed for misdemeanor possession of marijuana.The judge also handed down 90-day suspended jail sentences, which could be imposed if the singer or his tour manager get in legal trouble again during the six months of unsupervised probation.Nelson could have faced felony distribution charges because of the large amount of marijuana involved, but prosecutor Chester Cedars said the evidence indicated the marijuana was for personal use.“Without a doubt, this is not a case of distribution,” Cedars said.He said the marijuana was found stashed in five or six locations on the bus.Nelson admitted to ownership of some of the marijuana but was unsure who owned the remainder, Cedars said.He said investigators believe some of the drugs might have been left on the bus by people coming and going from the vehicle during a tour stop in Montgomery, Ala.Nelson had just played a gig there with another country music legend, Ray Price, and was returning to his home in Texas when the bus was stopped near Breaux Bridge.Word that a country music legend was in this small southern Louisiana town quickly spread Tuesday after Nelson’s arrival at the courthouse just before 10 a.m.A crowd of about 25 fans gathered outside to see Nelson after his brief court appearance. They waited with cell-phone cameras and scraps of paper scrounged for a signature.He obliged the audience, taking a few moments to shake hands, sign autographs and pose for pictures.“Thank y’all,” he said, waving as he climbed into a car waiting in a parking spot marked: “Reserved District Attorney Staff.”The small group cheered as Nelson pulled away.One woman yelled out, “Go Willie!”As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dismissed charges against Nelson’s sister, Bobbie Nelson, who, like her brother, is in her 70s.“I agreed to do that given her age and the totality of the circumstances,” Cedars said.Cedars said he also dismissed charges against the two bus drivers.“We had no evidence they had anything to do with the contraband,” Cedars said. “State Police had no reason to believe they were under the influence.”A criminal background check indicated that Nelson, who has made no secret of his marijuana use, had never before been convicted on a drug charge, according to Cedars.“We did something apparently nobody else has done,” he said.The prosecutor said that Nelson received no special treatment from his office and paid a stiffer fine than most others convicted of a misdemeanor drug charge.“We assessed this case as we would any other case,” Cedars said. “We charged him as we would anybody else.” Source: Advocate, The (LA)Author: Richard Burgess, Advocate Acadiana Bureau Published: April 25, 2007 - Page 1ACopyright: 2007 The Advocate, Capital City Press Contact: rburgess theadvocate.com Website: http://www.theadvocate.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Willie Nelsonhttp://www.willienelson.com/ Wily Willie Could Teach Those UT Potheads http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22197.shtmlOn The Rope Again http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22196.shtmlShouldn't Willie Be Left Alone?http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22181.shtml
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Comment #20 posted by whig on April 26, 2007 at 15:45:20 PT
Change of government
This is what we're doing. Are you on board? Everyone gets heard and everyone gets to speak as much as they want, that's the idea. We're creating the government right here online. This is part of it, and you're in.Anyone who comes with an honest voice is welcome.
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Comment #19 posted by whig on April 26, 2007 at 15:41:24 PT
museman
Yes, I see. The pretrial probationary restrictions are as bad as a sentence. Isn't the extreme example of that the gulags like Guantanamo?
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Comment #18 posted by museman on April 26, 2007 at 12:45:51 PT
whig
"I'd like to think that I would stand on my first amendment religious right to use the sacrament of my faith, if nothing else. But I would have to protect my family, too."Having had to 'cop a plea' to 2 cannabis felonies, in order to get the charges dropped against my wife -who had nothing to do with my crop, she hadn't been partaking for months - I thoroughly understand. However, even having abdicated my right to a fair trial, I still was able to stand up with the truth, and have the truth set me free. The way that the prohibitionists have gotten over the 'law-defining' jury trial is to string out the court dates over a period of years, put inhuman restrictions on you so you literally can't move, tell you a huge packet of lies to scare you into capitulating, and literally wear down your resolve. Of all the cases that have been, a very very small percentage ever actually make it to a jury trial - which has the constitutional jurisdiction to acquit based on the juries' moral judgement of the law, and it's application. If more people just ride out the BS dished out by the system once they've been 'busted' and confront the jury, or the judge with the truth - without acknowledging the fear and intimidation radiating from the DA, the cops and the judge, that prohibition glass house will surely shatter.
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Comment #17 posted by museman on April 26, 2007 at 12:26:24 PT
Overwhelmsam
There has never been 'justice for the poor.' Law, and law enforcement was created by kings to deal with the population which has always been 'poor' in comparison to the ones who rule.The lies about our 'liberty and freedom' spoken mostly by the rich representatives of the also rich, are similar to the lies about cannabis. Over all, and in general, Americans have been duped by their ruling roman republic aristocracy and every small gain to the people has always come at a huge price.Look around. Just look at the nice clean (thousand dollar)suits and ties, the limos, the 'superior' attitudes. Then look at the millions who struggle daily just for survivial. Look at the population of the prisons. Look at the STILL homeless Viet Nam vet standing on the corner with a sign asking for food.It's not like their flaunting of their wealth and 'stature' is hidden, they make a point of rubbing our faces in their shit -because they have some idea that theirs doesn't stink. They are in denial, but as long as we pay their wages with our sweat, and the wages of their dogs as well, they still hold the actual physical power, and they can lie to themselves and us for another millennium, to quote; “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?” 
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Comment #16 posted by OverwhelmSam on April 26, 2007 at 04:17:04 PT
No Justice for the Poor
Our court systems favor the wealthy. If you have enough money in this country, you can literally get away with murder. Those without financial resources are often sent to jail for many years for the same offense. That's why marijuana prohibition should be repealed. It's just not fair.
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on April 25, 2007 at 19:58:17 PT
Sukoi
I'm glad you found something to help you. One day at a time and you'll make it. 
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Comment #14 posted by whig on April 25, 2007 at 19:16:04 PT
museman
I think the famous rule cuts both ways, if you are high profile enough they can't cut you loose without everyone knowing it. If they let Willie off with no penalty people would certainly question cannabis prohibition, and even if he could have won it would have been at cost of being destroyed by the government again -- like the IRS did to him once before.I'd like to think that I would stand on my first amendment religious right to use the sacrament of my faith, if nothing else. But I would have to protect my family, too. Best to avoid prosecution altogether, and I'm complying with California law as an authorized medical patient.Nobody even thinks to arrest Montel, do they?
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Comment #13 posted by Sukoi on April 25, 2007 at 18:51:25 PT
FoM
No. Nicorette is a gum containing nicotine, so it never really allows any release from nicotine addiction; I know of a guy that is addicted to Nicorette because of that. What I used was Nicocure http://www.nicocure.com/ and it really worked for me. The thing that sold me on it is the fact that it's nocotine free, herbal and it has a 97% success rate. I have zero willpower and this helped me to get to the point where after smoking a pack a day for twenty years, I've had none for a month. I did use the gum as well, but what ultimately got me away from nicotine was the Nicocure patch... we'll see how it goes; it's still difficult at times. 
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on April 25, 2007 at 18:13:17 PT
Sukoi
Are you using Nicorette or anything to help? I heard on Tucker that it really helps. 
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Comment #11 posted by Sukoi on April 25, 2007 at 18:00:49 PT
FoM
Thanks, I'll certainly need it...
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on April 25, 2007 at 17:50:58 PT
Sukoi
That's good to read that you quit smoking. Good luck to you. 
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Comment #9 posted by Sukoi on April 25, 2007 at 17:38:02 PT
I Understand As Well...
and I don't blame him for what he did (I'm sure that he thought about it long and hard) but IMHO, it was still a missed opportunity as he is the PERFECT person to challenge the law itself. Thanks FoM, it's good to be back (sort of); I recently quit smoking cigarrettes and my mood has been all over the place but it is getting better. Anyway, that's one of the reasons that I've been so quiet... 
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Comment #8 posted by mayan on April 25, 2007 at 17:20:58 PT
Sukoi
Willie is a busy man with his music and other projects and he sure isn't getting any younger. Besides, the IRS has already taken everything he owned once and he's probably tired of feds harassing him.He knows he's right and that's all he needs to know.
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on April 25, 2007 at 16:45:04 PT
Sukoi 
It's good to see you. As far as Willie standing and making a statement there were other people involved and how could he take the others thru it at their age? He's done more then about anyone over the years so I totally understand. 
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Comment #6 posted by Sukoi on April 25, 2007 at 15:23:25 PT
Missed Opportunity???
I kind of see this as a missed opportunity. I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity and Willie the perfect person to put the law ITSELF on trial. That is what needs to be done and I was hoping that Willie would be the one to do it.
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Comment #5 posted by Hope on April 25, 2007 at 10:59:27 PT
Willie Nelson.
A much beloved man. That's a good thing for anyone to be able to be.
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Comment #4 posted by museman on April 25, 2007 at 10:19:14 PT
Willie
"Well other than the fact that I just love a revolution..."Willie is high on my list of exceptions to the rule, but of course he has always been for the common man, and the family farmer.Willie and Neil-two "Men of the Year" in my book.
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on April 25, 2007 at 09:59:46 PT
Just Because Willie Nelson is a Hero To Me
Willie Nelson On Peace, Solutions To Global Warminghttp://youtube.com/watch?v=wW1K5Nu5B28***Working Cowboyshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O2ZVEz0XQw
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Comment #2 posted by museman on April 25, 2007 at 09:04:57 PT
ordinarily
In a situtation like this, I would make a comment about how fame and notoriety has a way of bending an otherwise inflexible and unconscionable law -prohibition- to accomodate popularity, but in Willies case there is an element (though a small one) of upholding right. His way of treating the whole debacle as the silliness it is (without the very real persecution, pain and suffering that most have to go through) is an example to those not so famous who find themselves up against the same Roman wall of injustice.Standing up, and making the 'justice' system serve you -the people- instead of the special frat boys who run it, is one of the things that has seriously been lacking in this battle. Too many fall victim to the fear deliberately enhanced and magnified by the judge, the DA, and the lawyers in the courtroom, and give in. While it is true that they have the supreme advantage of power and a seemingly secure position from which to wage that power, when it comes to the truth they are as weak as a fly caught in a spiders web. The more that the true victims in this war stand up and question the false authority, the closer we get to ending this foolish waste of americans time, money, and good spirit.
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Comment #1 posted by The GCW on April 25, 2007 at 07:10:45 PT
Cedars is special.
prosecutor Chester Cedars said, “We did something apparently nobody else has done.”-0-Cedars is quite an athlete, isn't He?420
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