Grower commits suicide during struggle with police

[dagnabit]

http://blog.al.com/live/2011/06/mobile_police_discover_elabora.html

THEODORE, Alabama — A man shot himself to death during a struggle with police this morning after investigators discovered an elaborate marijuana growing operation in a warehouse on U.S. 90.

Police did not identify the man who died. Another man at the scene, Jeffrey Coolidge, was arrested and charged with trafficking marijuana.

Officers in the area on an unrelated investigation saw a U-Haul truck parked at the loading dock of a brown warehouse with no sign about 8 a.m., police said, and they decided to check on the activity.

“All over the city, we find ourselves working cases where copper and...coils are being stolen from businesses that are vacant, so officers stopped to investigate these circumstances as to why this truck was parked there,” Police Chief Michael T. Williams said.

Police found Coolidge near the truck and noticed the truck’s cargo — marijuana plants, Williams said.

After arresting Coolidge, officers walked inside the warehouse and found a large-scale marijuana growing operation with more than 100 plants at 3 feet tall, Williams said.

Police learned that a second man was on his way to the warehouse, and officers waited for his arrival, said Mobile police spokesman Officer Christopher Levy.

The man, who was not identified by police Friday, saw the officers, ran back to his truck and got into a physical struggle on the ground with two officers, Levy said.

The man pulled out a gun and shot himself in the head during the struggle, Levy said. He died at the scene.

Police allowed news reporters to walk through the warehouse on Friday. Several rooms were built to cultivate marijuana plants at different growing stages from seedlings to tall plants. The 114 plants inside were stacked close together underneath lights, fans and a large irrigation system.

The lighting, fertilizing and watering systems were all controlled by a computer in an office. Security cameras outside the building sent surveillance video back to a screen in the room. There were also crates of manila files with labels referring to different kinds of equipment.

“That’s where the brains of this whole operation lies,” said Lt. Randy Jackson, head of the narcotics unit.

Jackson said police were still sorting through all of the evidence on Friday. He said using a rough estimate, the marijuana plants could have produced $250,000 in product sold on the street. Meanwhile, he said, the equipment could have cost between $150,000 to $200,000, according to a preliminary estimate.

The building was leased to the man who was killed since 2009, Jackson said, and the owner had was unaware of what was going on inside. The man told the owner that he worked in construction.

Jackson said narcotics investigators have been in the area recently for two unrelated operations.

“We’ve driven past this place a hundred times,” he said.

He said it’s unclear exactly where the marijuana produced there was eventually sold and whether the plants were being loaded or unloaded Friday morning.

“These officers did a good job, first of all, with noticing that something was suspicious,” Chief Williams said. “That’s good police work ... they did an investigation. They did it correctly. The end result is ...those plants will not hit the streets in the city of Mobile.”

Coolidge lives on Dauphin Island, according to jail records. Other than traffic tickets, he has not been previously charged with a crime in Alabama, according to court records.

did he commit suicide?
did he shoot himself in the struggle?
why would he use all those LED's?

 

[Bobby Stainless]

http://blog.al.com/live/2011/06/mobile_police_discover_elabora.html





why would he use all those LED's?

It was in southern Alabama. Electricity use, heat, etc are all considerably less with LED.

As for shooting himself? Probably bullshit.

 

[dagnabit]

Not my orig. Title for the thread...
Not sure why it was changed.

 

[AfroSheep]

I wonder if the cops helped him "commit suicide"...
How do we even no the cops didn't shoot him with his own gun and bullshit about it all?

Dirty scoundrels, well never no the true story

 

[diggdugg]

Shot himself with two cops fighting him on the ground huh. Sounds like a ham sandwich situation to me.

 

[Graham Purwatt]

Fancy being killed over and over again since 2009.

damn thats crazy but this line made me laugh inappropriately. maybe he did shoot himself,some folks are pretty scared of prison but with 2 cops wrestling with him? doubtful,more like he ran and they killed him

 

[nickman]

thats crazy...

 

[Claude Hopper]

I hope we don't see a rash of "grower suicide" now.

 

[megayields]

kinda like "he was shot while escaping" hmm even I find this explanation fishy.

 

[nomaad]

what was the original title, dag?

 

[GAME]

Scared to go to the pen

 

[MIway]

"The man pulled out a gun and shot himself in the head during the struggle, Levy said. He died at the scene."

"“That’s where the brains of this whole operation lies,” said Lt. Randy Jackson, head of the narcotics unit."

"“We’ve driven past this place a hundred times,” he said."



So... the cop shop grow operation had a few problems with their master grower... and that revolver in the back trunk of the sqaudy found it's way into the brains of the whole operation... hmmmmmm

 

[ijim]

I wonder if the surveillance cameras picked up the struggle or if the tapes disappeared. When doing a warehouse gig. Get one with a drive in bay. And inclose the bay with double doors so you can close the outside door before opening the inside. The guy might have been a three time loser with another conviction. Mandatory sentencing equals desperate people.

 

[dagnabit]

what was the original title, dag?

guns and growing,bad idea!!!

 

[greenmatter]

shoot yourself because the cops found your grow? really? what would the the sentence be in alabama for 100 plants anyway? something does not sound right. i wonder what the guy who is in jail saw. it would be wonderful if a security camera picked up what really happened, but i would say it is more than likely that the tapes would get "lost".

 

[303hydro]

Yeah that's fucked.

 

[Captain Ginyu]

If there's news that the surveillance damaged or missing, then I think we all know the answer then.

 

[superbolan]

alabama the lovely place where they took someone's kids away because they sold hemp products such as twine

 

[Mr. Mountain]

Although I find it hard to believe that the guy "pulled out a gun and shot himself in the head"

I will say that there are plenty of people who are NOT willing to go to jail/prison, and would use a weapon.

But if the guy really was going to end it all why not take a few cops with him? Makes sense to me..


I know I'll prob get - rep for that post but hey, thats the way I see it.

 

[Sour Deez]

Got this off the NORML website for Alabama:

The sale, cultivation or manufacture of marijuana shall be known as "trafficking in cannabis" and is a felony offense. For an amount greater than one kilogram (2.2 lbs) but less than 100 lbs, the sentence is a minimum of three years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000. For an amount greater than 100 lbs but less than 500 lbs, the sentence is a minimum of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. For an amount up to 1000 lbs, the sentence is a minimum of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $200,000. Any amount of 1,000 lbs or greater is punishable by life without the possibility of parole.