Newsbrief:
Methamphetamine
Labs
Are
Not
Weapons
of
Mass
Destruction,
North
Carolina
Judge
Rules
11/21/03
Watauga County, North Carolina,
prosecutor Jerry Wilson thought he'd hit on a brilliant new tactic in his
personal crusade against methamphetamine cookers when he came up with the
idea of charging them under state terrorism laws. The meth labs were
weapons of mass destruction, Wilson charged amidst a flurry of publicity.
Not so fast, said a Watauga
County judge last week. On November 12, Superior Court Judge James
Baker dismissed 15 WMD charges against 10 people accused of cooking meth.
Making meth in home labs does not rise to the level of possessing, creating,
or using weapons of mass destruction, despite Wilson's novel arguments,
the judge ruled.
Eight of those accused were
in the courtroom, unable to make bail set as high as $500,000 on the WMD
charges. While those charges have now been dismissed, most of the
defendants still face meth manufacturing charges.
District Attorney Wilson
vowed to appeal.
-- END --
Issue #312, 11/21/03
Editorial: One Step Too Far |
Harsh New Drug Bill About to Be Introduced in House |
Jamaica: Ganja Decrim is Moving Again |
Incident at Goose Creek: Fallout Continues in Aftermath of High School Drug Raid |
DRCNet Interview: Youth Sociologist Mike Males |
Call Campaign Targets Congressmen Voting Against Medical Marijuana |
Newsbrief: Methamphetamine Labs Are Not Weapons of Mass Destruction, North Carolina Judge Rules |
Newsbrief: California Judge to Run for Senate on Legalization Platform, Libertarian Ticket |
Newsbrief: Mexico City's Top Prosecutor Goes Off the Reservation -- Talks Legalization While Fox Government Vows Loyalty to Drug War |
Newsbrief: California to Quit Sending Parolees Back to Prison Over Drug Tests |
Newsbrief: Arkansas Attorney General Rejects Medical Marijuana Initiative -- Again |
Newsbrief: Filipino Senator Calls for Firing Squads in Continuing Escalation of Drug War Rhetoric |
Newsbrief: Reform Judaism National Body Endorses Medical Marijuana |
Media Scan: Jack Cole of LEAP on Cultural Baggage Radio Show Next Week |
DRCNet Temporarily Suspending Our Web-Based Write-to-Congress Service Due to Funding Shortfalls -- Your Help Can Bring It Back -- Keep Contacting Congress in
the Meantime |
Perry Fund Accepting Applications for 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 School Years, Providing Scholarships for Students Losing Aid Because of Drug Convictions |
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