Consequences of Prohibition
Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy
Derek Copp, the 20-year-old Grand Valley State University student who was shot in the chest during a March 11 drug raid on his Allendale, Michigan, apartment, will be charged with an unspecified drug possession offense. The Ottawa County prosecutor's office has authorized an arrest warrant, said Copp's attorney Fred Dilley.
While a Western Michigan Enforcement Team (WMET), a multi-jurisdictional anti-drug task force, raided Copp's apartment in search of evidence of drug dealing, authorities have never said exactly what -- if anything -- was recovered in the raid. Copp's attorney said early on after the raid that all that was found was a few "spoonsful" of marijuana.
Copp was not armed. He was shot once by Ottawa County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Huizenga, a WMET member and member of the SWAT team, as Huizenga came through a glass door into the apartment and encountered Copp.
Huizenga has now been charged with a misdemeanor -- careless discharge of a firearm -- and was arraigned Monday. He was first put on unpaid leave, but has now been returned to the job to perform administrative duties by the sheriff's office, which said he was reinstated because it would take a long time for the case to be heard.
The shooting of Copp led to angry protests by college students and others in the area, as well as calls for an investigation by university officials and local newspaper editorial pages. An investigation is being done, but it is being conducted by the Michigan State Police, which partners with WMET.
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Comments
COPS
THIS is not the 1st time a cop has shot someone in a drug raid that turned up esentially nothing A numbert of years ago A person in BeaverDAm WI ( DODGE COUNTY) was shot & kiled By Officer Scot Nueman of the Dodge County sheriffs dept THe offiecer claims he does not remember drawing his gun The person that was shot was reacking to the rempte control to turn down the tv after hearing a knock on his dor & had his preschool age son sitting next tohim at the time Nothing at al was found during the raid therteason for the search ?? COPS found pot seeds in his trash The cop was suspended With pay & later reinstated Yet this same county supends another of its officers for 6 months for takeing a soda from a supects refrigerator during a gambling raid So I gather it is ok for the doge co Sherrifs dets officers to shoot & kil a person without justification But they can't take a soda out of anyones fridge Oh & by the way the cop that did the shoting is stilon the force & recently ran for sherrif Also THe countys isurance Co recently settles a lawsuit filed against the county by the fmily of the person shot by this cop out of court for a rather large amount of $$$$$
The War on Drugs has ruined our Police force.
They've lost all ability to fight real crime.
Same Old Story
This is not the first time we've heard this story. Last year in Tallahassee Florida a young college girl lost her life to police in a marijuana possession 'offense'.
Her name was Rachel Hoffman. After being busted for an ounce of weed, the detectives forced her to be a snitch and go in wearing a wire after two thugs. She had no attorney, and no DA or judge ever okay-ed the deal. They just sent a scared 23 year old U of Fl student in as 'live bait' to a couple of mendacious hardened criminals. She panicked, was caught by the crooks, who promptly shot her full of bullets, dead. The murderers, savvy about the 5th Amendment, never confessed, and we never heard what happened to them ever again.
The State of Florida had to pay out 3 million dollars to her family from the tax-trough to settle and hush it up. Two otherwise good detectives probably lost their jobs.
Once again the message is clear: the most dangerous thing about pot is if you get punched-up by the police.
Decriminalize means to make possession beefs a low priority - perhaps a ticket and a small fine. Stop killing people over this.
Still Ignorant of Our Constitution
He was first put on unpaid leave, but has now been returned to the job to perform administrative duties by the sheriff's office, which said he was reinstated because it would take a long time for the case to be heard.
So much for the right to a speedy trial, something supposedly guaranteed by our Constitution.
Still more breaching of justice by the evil overlords controlling our government.
Brothers and sisters, I wish I had good news for the short-term but it seems evil is triumphing (as prophesied in the Bible so many of the corrupt cling to). However, there is long-term good news, these evil people become separated from us for ETERNITY!
NewOldSalt
In reply to Still Ignorant of Our Constitution by Anonymous (not verified)
Damn, somebody come rapture these idiots already...
What's the saying "all it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing"?
That is the big problem with faith, whether in gods or governments, the absurd notion that these self serving groups respect the self-evident inalienable rights of the individual.
We are the sovereign owners of ourselves... and we should always act like it.... in a carefully measured, responsible, way!
Humanistically Yours,
Smokin' Since '75
In reply to Damn, somebody come rapture these idiots already... by Anonymous (not verified)
somebody come rapture these
somebody come rapture these idiots already...
Amen! :-)
NOS
Sweet irony
Due to the way the MI Medical Marijuana Act is written and is being interpreted, protections for medical marijuana patients are retroactive.
Due to the nature of Derik's wounds he will be in chronic pain for the rest of his life.
This means Derik is now eligible for a medical marijuana registry card and once he has that in hand the judge "shall" dismiss charges.
Greg Francisco, MA
Exec Director
MI Med MJ Association
www.MichiganMedicalMarijuana.org
In reply to Sweet irony by Anonymous (not verified)
Brilliant
Now that's thinking ahead.
Since when is attempted manslaughter a misdemeanor?
Since it's a cop... more equal then the rest of us.
Penalties should double for people who are trained... not to accidently shoot people... for marijuana of all things!
Beware... Assholes & Idiots... Everywhere... Beware!
COP = Criminal on Patrol
Drugs
Uh, but wont the communists take us over if we legalize pot and other drugs !? If we legalize drugs just think about all the crime we will have ! You know what happens when those dang immigrants and people of color smoke pot !? They will be burning our cities down and raping our women folk and killing our babies ! Drugs will destroy our scociety just like drugs destroyed ugh,you know drugs will destroy our country ! Those damed druggies should be shot because they all are a bunch of commies who dont want to work for a living ! Drugs are ruining our country,now adays all the damed kids are on dope and have no respect for their elders.Drugs are illegal therefore druggies should go to prison and have the key throwed away ! Drugs are bad because the communists want to get us high and then turn us into high communists ! We can not allow the commies to get us high kill our kids and rape our wives ! God does not want us to become high communists ! If we do drugs and become high commies Jesus will kill us and our children when he comes back because drugs are bad and the russians do not believe in God.If you are a dopper God will send you to hell because drugs are illegal and are destroying our country !
In reply to Drugs by Anonymous (not verified)
Uh...what?
If this is meant to be satire, tighten up your prose. You're not very focused and any satirical content you intended is lost.
If this is serious, then ...
Uh...WTF?
emmetc
In reply to Drugs by Anonymous (not verified)
Read it, don't thump it!
If you had any idea what it said in the Bible, you would know that cannabis is not "illegal" (not even mentioned) as alcohol (a drug) is not "illegal", in that, same, Bible. It is obvious you are not an edified Christian. And, you sound functionally challenged, too!
When Jesus comes back, he will sift the wheat from the chaff, too. Which will you be, not knowing what the Bible, really, says? Any judgment you give out, be prepared to receive back on yourself. You better read your Bible all the way through, first, like I have. I am a Bible reader, not just a Bible thump-er.
How Many
Will it take to open our eyes , how does this not make the front pages acroos the nation? The media has to see and act. But no they are in bed with the Government , so the Lies continue and get bigger and deeper.v Good men are going to have to act soon . How about a million man march to stop the DRUG WAR
rachel hoffman
just a correction, Rachel was a graduate of FSU.During the 'sting' operation she was under "close observation at all times " by ; Tallahasse police , Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement, a Leon Co. sherrif's helicopter & DEA operatives.She also had a 'wire ' on ,which malfunctioned after she reported to her "handlers" that she was leaving the very "busy" public park police had chosen as their "sting" location.When Rachel disclosed to police that she was on her way to Gardiner Road with the suspects following her, the police could not FIND gardiner road which is ONE mile north of the parksite !!!!!!! By the time our geographically challenged LOCAL police realized where Gardiner road was , Rachel was gone. This madness must be ended
The Cannibitoid plant
The Cannibitoid plant species, grows natively throughout the world. Alcohol does not. It is man-made.
We have destroyed mother earth with our own corruptions. Leave mother-nature alone and she will take care of you, in return.
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