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Willie Nelson takes a hit: arrested on pot charge in Texas

T

tr1ck_

Active member
I sure hope that if anyone I know is ever caught with 6 ounces they will call it a little bag, and only give them a 378$ fine....



"Nelson must still pay about $378"

"Nelson was arrested on 26 November 2010, when border patrol officers found a small quantity of marijuana on his tour bus. "I had forgotten that there was this little bag of weed on the bus that had been in the back there for weeks when I had been gone"

I love Willie Nelson and I am glad he isnt being punished, but its sad that any normal person in his shoes would have their live drastically changed, and possibly ruined over the same "little 6oz bag" of weed.
 
U

uglyfinger

New member
Willie Nelson’s prosecutor wants to see marijuana decriminalized

Willie Nelson’s prosecutor wants to see marijuana decriminalized

Article by By Stephen C. Webster at rawstory.com
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/...ecutor-wants-to-see-marijuana-decriminalized/

“The Texas county attorney who’s letting musician Willie Nelson plea his marijuana charge down to a fee and a song told Raw Story in an exclusive interview that he wishes authorities could just drop the criminal penalties for pot altogether and make getting busted more like getting a parking ticket.

“That makes sense to me,” Hudspeth County Attorney C.R. “Kit” Bramblett said, throwing his support to a bill in the Texas legislature that would eliminate possible jail time for marijuana possession if the amount is less than four ounces.
In a lengthy telephone conversation, Bramblett, 78, said that when the legendary singer/songwriter swept through his county in November of last year and got busted, he received an unambiguous message from the judge: Get Willie in here.
County Judge Becky Dean Walker, he said, refused to allow Nelson a plea-by-mail, which is typical for misdemeanor marijuana possession cases in some Texas counties.
“She said to me: ‘You ain’t letting him plead by mail, ’cause I’m not accepting that,’”‘ Bramblett explained. “I said to her, ‘Why?’ And she said, ”Cause I want to meet Willie Nelson.’”
Judge Walker was unavailable for comment.
Bramblett added that he’d admired Nelson even before he earned fame as a musician. In his early 20’s, Bramblett said, he’d known of Nelson and loved his music.
“He’s been my favorite artist all my life,” he told Raw Story. “Somewhere in my past, I have a picture of Willie Nelson when he was 20 or 21 years old in Nashville. He had on a zoot suit and a flat-top haircut. I don’t know, I’ve looked for that picture the last 15, 20 years but I can’t find it. I was going to get him to autograph it for me.”

Hudspeth County Attorney C.R. “Kit” Bramblett
Decriminalize it
In a wide-ranging conversation, the elder attorney told Raw Story that he’d never tried marijuana and has only been drunk twice, “and both times on accident.”
The first time he encountered people smoking marijuana, he said, was in 1972, at a concert in a public park near San Antonio.
“My wife was like, ‘What’s that smelly stuff around here,’” he said. “Well I look up and everyone in the damn park was smoking marijuana!”
Bramblett added that he knew it was pot because the cigarettes people were puffing on “not too professional looking cigarettes.” It wasn’t until he was in his mid-40s that he first encountered a significant marijuana prosecution, as a criminal defense attorney in west Texas.
“They had it in bundles, about a thousand pounds,” Bramblett recalled, adding that the last time he’d seen a large quantity of marijuana it was at Texas A&M in the 1950s, where a bunch of agriculture students had been cultivating hemp.
“Not a one of ‘em knew that if you smoked the goddamn thing you could get high,” he said with a laugh.
He also said that the song, “I’ll Never Smoke Weed With Willie Again,” was one of his favorites.
As for the drug war, Bramblett said he doesn’t believe drugs should be legalized. “Especially like, heroin, cocaine, things like that I don’t think we should let out there.”
But when it comes to marijuana, he said, it’s time to change our thinking.
Bramblett specifically said he was supportive of an effort to decriminalize pot in Texas, lowering the penalty for possessing a small amount from a Class B misdemeanor to a Class C, removing the mandatory arrest and replacing it with a fine of up to $500.
As for Willie, Bramblett insisted that he’s actually not getting a better deal than anyone else.
“I usually recommend a fee, if they plead guilty,” he said. “A fee and court costs, which they can just mail in.”
Over 70,000 people across Texas were caught with under four ounces of pot in 2009, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
“I may not like it, but can’t no one can stop people from smoking it no matter how hard you try,” he said. “Besides, people on that dang weed aren’t as senseless as on whiskey, I can tell you that much.”
The Texas legislature, currently controlled by a Republican supermajority, was considering a bill that aimed to reduce the criminal penalties for marijuana. On those arrests alone, NORMAL claims, the state could save up to $400 million each year.
A separate bill before Texas legislators would legalize marijuana for medical uses.
Both proposals have been repeatedly shot down by Republicans.”
Puff, puff, pass...
 
MickeyBlue42

MickeyBlue42

Member
Willie -The Unstoppable

Willie -The Unstoppable

When It Comes to Marijuana, Willie’s Punishment Seems to Vaporize
By JOE NICK PATOSKI

Joe Nick Patoski wrote this column for The Texas Tribune.

What is it about Willie Nelson, weed and the law?

It’s been a question worth asking since at least 1971, when Mr. Nelson brought together rednecks and hippies at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin with his unique style of country music and his open attitude about marijuana. His eldest daughter, Lana, and his former wife Connie said pot helped tamp down the rage; he had been a mean drunk when alcohol was his drug of choice.

Mr. Nelson, 77, is perhaps America’s best-known marijuana smoker. He is co-chairman of the advisory board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, has been a High Times cover boy and famously smoked a joint on the roof of the White House when Jimmy Carter was president. His disciples include the actor Woody Harrelson and the country crooner Ray Price, his former employer — each known to have enjoyed a puff now and then. He is the inspiration for Toby Keith’s hit song “(I’ll Never Smoke) Weed With Willie (Again),” which testifies to the quality of Mr. Nelson’s stash.

All that is part of Mr. Nelson’s folklore. It’s when he tangles with law enforcement that things get interesting, though not necessarily all that punitive.

Take his most recent bust. On Nov. 26, Border Patrol agents at the eastbound Interstate 10 immigration checkpoint just west of the far West Texas town of Sierra Blanca arrested Mr. Nelson inside his touring bus, Honeysuckle Rose, after drug-sniffing dogs and the agents’ own olfactory acumen gave them reason to search. Six and one-quarter ounces of high-grade, domestically grown marijuana were discovered. Mr. Nelson was arraigned on a misdemeanor charge, posted a $2,500 bond and went on his way. Afterward, he announced he was forming a new political party, the Teapot Party.

Last week, C. R. (Kit) Bramblett, the Hudspeth County attorney, announced that Mr. Nelson was going to have his day in court, telling The Big Bend Sentinel, “I’m gonna let him plead, pay a small fine and he’s gotta sing ‘Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain’ with his guitar in the courtroom.” Mr. Bramblett added, “I ain’t gonna be mean to Willie Nelson.”

This week, Becky Dean-Walker, the Hudspeth County judge, said Mr. Bramblett was joking; Mr. Nelson could dispense with the matter by mail. Misdemeanor possession cases from the Sierra Blanca checkpoint are typically settled with a plea, a $100 fine and $278 in court costs.

We’ve heard this song before. In the wee hours of May 10, 1994, two highway patrolmen found Mr. Nelson sleeping in the back seat of his Mercedes, parked on the southbound frontage road of Interstate 35 south of Waco, near the town of Hewitt. He had been involved in a late-night poker game in nearby Hillsboro and got tired driving back to Austin, so he pulled over to take a nap.

After he admitted to the highway patrolmen that the hand-rolled cigarette in the ashtray contained marijuana and belonged to him, as did a Baggie stashed under the driver’s seat, he was arrested. He lawyered up and canceled an appearance at the Grammys so he could be in court. Before his trial, one of the patrolmen who arrested him was fired on an unrelated charge of sexual harassment and left town. Mr. Nelson was found not guilty by a McLennan County judge.

On Sept. 18, 2006, Mr. Nelson, his bus drivers, his road manager and his older sister Bobbi were arrested at a commercial vehicle inspection station on westbound Interstate 10 in St. Martin Parish, La., while traveling from Alabama to Austin to attend the funeral of Ann Richards, the former Texas governor. Authorities found one and a half pounds of marijuana and one-eighth of a pound of hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Mr. Nelson said the dope belonged to him and was for his personal use. Seven months later, he canceled concert dates and had his bus drivers take him from California back to Louisiana for his court date. He was fined $1,024 and given six months’ probation.

Mr. Nelson is not the voracious viper he once was. A collapsed lung persuaded him to switch from joints to a carbon-free vapor delivery system three years ago. But he does not lack for the substance when he wants it. Every grower worth his product wants the stamp of approval from Mr. Nelson, since “Willie weed” is considered the gold standard by which all marijuana is judged.

By making a joke of possession and enforcement laws, Mr. Nelson has done more to demonstrate the ineffectiveness of marijuana prohibition than a hundred lobbyists or a thousand politicians could ever do.

Is he bulletproof? Above the law? Too hot to handle or incarcerate? No. But he is Willie Nelson. If you’re a law enforcement person, it pays to know that before you start investigating that funny smell emanating from Honeysuckle Rose.

Joe Nick Patoski is the author of “Willie Nelson: An Epic Life.”


What a great story ? Lovely to hear when at least some people are getting away with police harassment ! gooooo Willie!!
 
U

uglyfinger

New member
http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2011/07/willie_nelson_marijuana_plea_deal_rejected_by_judg.php

Texas Judge Wants Harsher Pot Punishment For Willie Nelson
Tuesday, July 5, 2011, at 1:20 pm

Vengeful Judge Becky Dean-Walker, who evidently gets her hair done at Trailer Park Skanks R Us: "If Willie Nelson gets off with nothing, I'm not going to be part of it."
​A proposed plea deal in music legend Willie Nelson's marijuana possession case has been rejected by a vengeful Texas judge who said she wants harsher punishment for the 77-year-old singer.

Nelson was arrested last November by the U.S. Border Patrol when they found several ounces of weed on his tour bus, reports Justin Harp at Digital Spy.

The bust went down at the Sierra Blanca, Texas checkpoint after Nelson's tour bus pulled in and a Border Patrol officer smelled marijuana through the vehicle's open door.

Willie had reportedly agreed to plead "no contest" to a charge of misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as pay a $500 fine and $280 in court costs, with the presiding Hudspeth County Judge Becky Dean-Walker initially indicating her agreement.

The country icon had faced up to two years in prison for the marijuana charges.

Willie Nelson needs harsher punishment, according to a Texas judge.
​But the judge has now reversed her decision and will deny the plea agreement, citing a desire to avoid any accusations of favoritism due to Nelson's star status.

The judge claimed she had "accidentally" signed off on the paperwork approving the plea deal for Nelson, then crossed out her signature, reports Dave Itzkoff of The New York Times.

"I did sign it before I realized," Dean-Walker said. "I flipped it over and I said, 'Oh, no.' "

"I'm not going to be guilty of signing something because someone is a celebrity," Judge Dean-Walker said. "Everybody should be treated the same in my court."

Nelson's case was handed back to County Attorney C.R. Bramblett, who has been tasked with deciding on a harsher punishment for Willie.

"He's supposed to file the charge he feels is appropriate," Judge Dean-Walker told The New York Times in a telephone interview. "Not what he feels he should do for his favorite singer. It is up to the judge to agree or not."

The judge said on Tuesday that Bramblett previously asked to have Nelson's charge reduced to a Class C misdemeanor and that she had refused. She attitudinally added that Bramblett "has made a habit of speaking with the press before anything has been resolved."

Bramblett hasn't yet commented on whether he will pursue the matter, or simply drop the case entirely.

Bramblett had previously suggested the marijuana possession charge against Nelson could be dismissed if the singer would agree to perform his 1975 hit "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain" before the court. But Judge Dean-Walker quickly slapped down that idea, saying there would be no singing in her courtroom. Bramblett later tried to claim he had just been kidding.

Nelson has long advocated the legalization of marijuana, even co-chairing the advisory board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

Judge Dean-Walker said she was "not concerned" that the disagreement over Nelson's plea was denying the singer his due process.

"At no point do I have to let him off," the judge said, clearly relishing her power, along with the media spotlight. "If Willie Nelson gets off with nothing, I'm not going to be part of it."


There is a photo of Willie and the judge in the article.
Currently listening to Moby Grape "I've got murder in my heart for the judge."
 
Hydrosun

Hydrosun

I love my life
Veteran
uglyfinger said:
Currently listening to Moby Grape "I've got murder in my heart for the judge."
Click to expand...

Executing corrupt officials and tyrants that abuse the public trust is not murder, it is a just solution to an unjust problem. The Chinese execute corrupt government officials and corporate leaders and the world keeps spinning.

Maybe you just have true justice on your mind?

:joint:
 
J

john:420

New member
fuck Texas!!! the only thing to come out of Texas is steers and queers!! you know he wasn't hurting anybody!! ol boy was just trying to go home!!! when will the American people quit bending over and taking it in the ass by the federal government? i mean come on he works, pays his taxes, and keeps to him self while trying to better the environment with the whole bio diesel thing. its not like he was out on the corner across from the local elementary school sellin dope to third graders, hell from what i got from the article he wasn't even smokin!! it is "HIGH" time that the government leaves responsible marijuana users alone and worry about all the serious criminals in this country
 
J

john:420

New member
fuck Texas!!! the only thing to come out of Texas is steers and queers!! you know he wasn't hurting anybody!! ol boy was just trying to go home!!! when will the American people quit bending over and taking it in the ass by the federal government? i mean come on he works, pays his taxes, and keeps to him self while trying to better the environment with the whole bio diesel thing. its not like he was out on the corner across from the local elementary school sellin dope to third graders, hell from what i got from the article he wasn't even smokin!! it is "HIGH" time that the government leaves responsible marijuana users alone and worry about all the serious criminals in this country
 
S

socioecologist

I'll be throwing Willie something for his vaporizer tonight--can't wait to watch the legend himself. I might give him extra for the judge; she needs to chill out.
 
budlover123

budlover123

Member
"I did sign it before I realized," Dean-Walker said. "I flipped it over and I said, 'Oh, no.' "
Click to expand...
more like "I did sign it before I realized I could make a name for my stupid ass self by acting tough on drugs and crime by exploiting this elderly country music star who was minding his own business, traveling with his stash"

If I remember correctly, Stephen Colbert blamed himself and Toby Keith for this as he had Toby Keith on his show and he said something about smoking up whenever he's on Willies' bus. Good job Toby Keith, you had to try to sound cool and now this man might go prison and shit.
 
Stranger

Stranger

Member
The best way to get a bad law off the books is to enforce it fully.

I have this vision of people marching to the police stations plants , joints, edibles in hand demanding to be arrested. If the economy gets much worse might be a way to eat, get medical and shelter soon. As more and more have nothing to loose it might work.

Then I woke up, people are selfish and would never unite. ( Although we did get an offer in this thread to send homeless people with pot to TX jails... how noble).
That's how this crap is the way it is now, not giving a damn about our brothers and sisters being victimized in the name of the law.

Getting tired of living under the radar, I am doing nothing wrong!... starting to feel like a coward.
These laws are wrong on every level in every way.

Give that hag hell Willie!
 
B

Bazarocka

Yup

Yup

strawbrrygirl said:
LAND OF THE FREE HOME OF THE POLICE STATE!!!!!!!!!!!!AMERICA FUCK YEAAAAA!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...


Exactly Why I got the fuk out. *&%$@~!@#%^^%^$#@!

C.H.A.N.G.E oh your in for some CHANGE all right.

I'll be here in Europe patiently awaiting the implosion.lmao. :artist:
 
M

MummyCat

Bazarocka said:
Exactly Why I got the fuk out. *&%$@~!@#%^^%^$#@!

C.H.A.N.G.E oh your in for some CHANGE all right.

I'll be here in Europe patiently awaiting the implosion.lmao. :artist:
Click to expand...


A change we can believe in: Changing the number of wars we're fighting to more of them. Changing the number of dollars we owe china to trillions billions. Change the amount of soon to be worthless money to more of it.

How about changing the number of dominant political parties to more than just two corrupt ones?
 
B

BrnCow

A big part of the people of Texas are not pushing the politicians to fuck with pot. The cops and politicians are playing favorites to the redneck minority (big money) and chasing the money from fines, probation, confiscated money, vehicles, land. At one time possession was a ticket-able offense but the goddamn greedy bastards running the system secretly voted that out and installed a more profitable system. Hell, to open a hot dog cart in Texas requires a $1000 worth of licenses . Texas has turned into Babylon complete with top fines and levies on everyone for everything.
 
E

eric stoner

Hi !

I m a german guy and just read this thread and thought that it seems texas is like bavaria in germany ..
last year i grow some Willy Nelson genetic (WN x SSh , WN x Marrakesh ) .
I hope just the best : FREE WILLY !!:ying:
 
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