Drug War Issues
An Illinois sheriff goes down hard, a Massachusetts police chief parties too hard, a Massachusetts cop gets nailed for helping out his local pot dealer, and a Florida motorcycle cop gets caught stealing a bud in his helmet. Let's get to it:
Raymond Martin -- a sheriff heads for the Big House
In Salisbury, Massachusetts, the former police chief is accused of exchanging drugs and money for sex with known criminals -- and much more! -- in a 31-page report compiled after town officials hired an outside investigator. Former Chief David L'Esperance, who resigned the day he was set to be interviewed during the investigation, is also accused of falsifying police records, improperly interfering in arrests, and numerous other violations. The report is being forwarded to other law enforcement agencies, so criminal charges could be soon forthcoming. Investigators focused on allegations that L'Esperance gave money and drugs to three women in their twenties, at least two of whom had criminal records or drug addictions, in return for sexual favors. He is also accused of taking "trophies" from arrest scenes, including a bag of cash seized during a drug raid.
In Worcester, Massachusetts, a Worcester police officer was convicted January 19 on drug charges for tipping off a marijuana dealer that police were near his workplace. Officer Carlos Burgos was found guilty on one federal count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Prosecutors said that Burgos had a one-minute telephone conversation with the dealer in January 2009 in which he warned him that undercover officers were near the location where he worked. No sentencing date was announced.
In Winter Haven, Florida, a Winter Haven police officer resigned January 20 after being busted stealing a bud of marijuana during a drug arrest. Ricardo Flores, 36, a motorcycle officer was fingered by fellow officers for hiding a bud in his motorcycle helmet before heading home as his shift ended. He is charged with felony burglary -- for taking the bud from a vehicle -- as well as petty theft and possession of less than 20 grams of pot.
Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.
Comments
Corrupt Cops
What's this world coming to when cops aren't allowed to break the law? After all, they ARE the law, so they should get to do as they please. The cops, and the correctional officers, and the Coast Guard are ALL underpaid so they should be allowed to "take a little off the top", right? After all, they're risking their very lives to make sure that none of us are allowed to injure or endanger ourselves by ingesting substances that the federal and state governments have deemed to be potentially harmful to our health.
After all, the original hearings that outlawed marijuana was based on the premise that Mexican farm workers would smoke the illegal weed and turn into monsters, possible attacking and raping white women who got in their way. Two "experts" testified in front of the Congressional committee. The first expert was a physician representing the American Medical Association. He testified that the AMA had exhaustively studied marijuana and had found NO evidence of ANY negative effects from the the use of marijuana. This expert was told, in no uncertain terms that, "We're trying to get something done here, and if you don't have anything helpful to add, then you might as well just hit the road."
The other "expert" witness, an unnamed unqualified pharmacist, testified that he had smoked marijuana to test the effects of the drug whereupon he "turned into a bat and flew about the room". THIS was the testimony that was used to prove that marijuana was a dangerous drug.
Racism against Mexican farm workers was responsible for banning marijuana.
Not to be outdone, the Senators and Congress from the southern states claimed to have many, many instances where "negroes" had been under the influence of Cocaine and had been caused to rape white women due to the effects of this evil drug.
All of the foregoing data is easily found in the official Congressional Record. This is how our drug laws were written.
In reply to Corrupt Cops by Bill Atherton (not verified)
Cops
Did you check into that for yourself? Really, you did get some things right, You get points for that. Jazz music, black musicians playing jazz music and the danger to women.. They use it and rape women. Marijuana BAD! The supply came from somewhere and it was Mexico, with those folks, migrant workers 'in the day" they were the perfect scapegoats. Truth is, that was propaganda. Check out The history of Hemp, from the same family without the high that comes from it's cousin, and what it can be used for. Think about oil and lumber and who owned what back then . Fiber for cloth and paper. Ethanol and plastic. Check those reasons you'll get a whole bunch more uses.. Let us know what you find out.
Mexicans will turn in to violence and rape after using marijuana
This argument was made by Harry Anslinger in the 1930's. There is no credible evidence that this is true since the 1930's up until today.
Well.....
What do you expect from congress, the justice system, local and state, NSA, CIA, FBI? A really healthy percentage of these people, in those agencies belive that it is completely rational and normal and healthy to belive in a God that told a father to kill his son because God loves him.
LOL. Go go puritan nutjobs!
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