|
Australia:
First
"Drugged
Driver"
to
Sue
Police
for
Defamation
6/3/05
https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-old/389/driversuit.shtml
In December, a motorist from
the Australian state of Victoria became the first person to be identified
as a "drugged driver" under the state's brand-new roadside drug test program.
As TV camera crews filmed it all, John de Jong, 40, was pulled over, forced
to submit to drug tests, and then accused of testing positive for methamphetamines
and marijuana. Only
one problem: The roadside tests were wrong, and a police laboratory
later cleared de Jong of any wrongdoing.
Now de Jong is suing the
government of Victoria for defamation. While the professional courier
told the Advertiser newspaper Tuesday that he mainly wants an apology from
Victoria police, he is also seeking unspecified damages for harm to his
reputation after being falsely identified as a doped-up driver. Police
told him his face would not be shown on TV by media they had invited to
witness the new policy in action, but it was anyway.
The program, which is still
underway, allows police to stop passing motorists at random and force them
to submit to a saliva test for cannabis and methamphetamines. Those
found to have drugs in their systems are punished by fines similar to those
for drunk driving. But unlike Australia's drunk driving laws, which
specify a blood alcohol level beyond which impairment is assumed, the drugged
driving laws punish drivers for any detectable amount of the drugs, regardless
of whether that amount is linked to actual impairment.
Police plan to randomly test
some 9,000 drivers this year, they said when the plan was announced in
December. Among the targeted locations are areas with heavy truck
traffic and "areas known for rave parties," police said.
-- END --
|
Issue #389
-- 6/3/05
Feature:
US
Congressman
Criticizes
Drug
War
at
John
W.
Perry
Fund
Reception
in
Seattle
|
Feature:
British
Courts
Reject
Medical
Marijuana
Necessity
Defense
|
Feature:
High
School
Drug
Bust
and
Hard-Line
Prosecutor
Prove
Volatile
Mix
in
Western
Massachusetts
County
|
Weekly:
This
Week's
Corrupt
Cops
Stories
|
Medical
Marijuana:
Lawmakers
Raid
Oregon
Medical
Marijuana
Program
Surplus
|
Sentencing:
9th
Circuit
Says
Prisoners
with
Appeals
Pending
Can
Challenge
Sentences
|
Sentencing:
Connecticut
Governor
Vetoes
Bill
That
Would
Have
Eliminated
Crack
and
Powder
Cocaine
Sentencing
Disparities
|
Marijuana:
Alaska
Governor
Plotting
Against
Marijuana
Again,
Eyes
2006
Session
|
Marijuana:
Milton
Friedman
and
500
Economists
Call
for
Debate
on
Prohibition
as
New
Study
Suggests
Regulation
Could
Save
Billions
|
Asia:
China
Says
Drug
War
is
Failing
|
Australia:
First
"Drugged
Driver"
to
Sue
Police
for
Defamation
|
Asia:
Philippines
Farmers
Say
No
Road,
No
End
to
Marijuana
Growing
|
Job
Listing:
National
Field
Organizer,
ACLU
Drug
Law
Reform
Project
|
Weekly:
The
Reformer's
Calendar
|
This issue -- main page
This issue -- single-file printer version
Drug War Chronicle -- main page
Chronicle archives
|
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