MINNEAPOLIS — In Minnesota, bong water can count as an illegal drug.
That decision from Minnesota’s Supreme Court on Thursday raises the threat of longer sentences for drug smokers in that state who fail to dump the water out of bong — a type of water pipe often used to smoke drugs
The court said a person can be prosecuted for a first-degree drug crime for 25 grams or more of bong water that tests positive for a controlled substance.
Lower courts had held that bong water is drug paraphernalia. Possession of that is a misdemeanor crime.
The case involved a woman whose bong had about 2½ tablespoons of liquid that tested positive for methamphetamine. A narcotics officer had testified that drug users sometimes keep bong water to drink or inject later.
Source
Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Guilty plea entered in crash killing officer
Raymond E. Jamison Jr., the drunken driver who pleaded guilty Wednesday to causing the early-morning accident that killed a Buffalo police officer July 24, has been grief-stricken “from the day this happened,” his attorney said.
After Jamison, 22, of Fairlane Drive, Boston, pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and misdemeanor drunken driving, attorney Andrew C. LoTempio said his client is cooperating with insurance companies and has begun alcoholism counseling at Erie County Medical Center.
LoTempio said he hopes Erie County Judge Michael F. Pietruszka imposes a “far lesser” prison term than the four years Jamison could get in the death of Officer Jose A. Colon.
Jamison rammed the off-duty officer’s SUV on the southbound Niagara Thruway at about 4 a. m. in a crash that also injured two of Jamison’s passengers.
After a 30-minute conference during which the judge refused to indicate his sentencing preferences, Jamison pleaded guilty to the two charges as well as to two counts of vehicular assault for the injuries to his passengers.
A 12-year police veteran, Colon, 39, was driving home to Orchard Park after a day working on the department’s Mobile Response Unit when Jamison slammed into his car from behind near the Clinton Street ramp. Colon was pronounced dead about nine hours later in ECMC. Two of Jamison’s passengers, Steven E. Pelc, 21, and Melissa Marshall, 19, required medical treatment.
Jamison remains free on bail pending his Jan. 21 sentencing.
Mark John Grisanti, the Colon family attorney, said that while Jamison allegedly is cooperating with insurance companies, a civil suit could be filed by the family.
Following the plea proceeding, LoTempio stressed that Jamison “has accepted full responsibility and he feels horrible” about what LoTempio described as an accident that might have occurred even if his client hadn’t been drunk.
Before Jamison was allowed to leave court, the judge warned him not to drive or drink pending his upcoming sentencing.
Source
After Jamison, 22, of Fairlane Drive, Boston, pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and misdemeanor drunken driving, attorney Andrew C. LoTempio said his client is cooperating with insurance companies and has begun alcoholism counseling at Erie County Medical Center.
LoTempio said he hopes Erie County Judge Michael F. Pietruszka imposes a “far lesser” prison term than the four years Jamison could get in the death of Officer Jose A. Colon.
Jamison rammed the off-duty officer’s SUV on the southbound Niagara Thruway at about 4 a. m. in a crash that also injured two of Jamison’s passengers.
After a 30-minute conference during which the judge refused to indicate his sentencing preferences, Jamison pleaded guilty to the two charges as well as to two counts of vehicular assault for the injuries to his passengers.
A 12-year police veteran, Colon, 39, was driving home to Orchard Park after a day working on the department’s Mobile Response Unit when Jamison slammed into his car from behind near the Clinton Street ramp. Colon was pronounced dead about nine hours later in ECMC. Two of Jamison’s passengers, Steven E. Pelc, 21, and Melissa Marshall, 19, required medical treatment.
Jamison remains free on bail pending his Jan. 21 sentencing.
Mark John Grisanti, the Colon family attorney, said that while Jamison allegedly is cooperating with insurance companies, a civil suit could be filed by the family.
Following the plea proceeding, LoTempio stressed that Jamison “has accepted full responsibility and he feels horrible” about what LoTempio described as an accident that might have occurred even if his client hadn’t been drunk.
Before Jamison was allowed to leave court, the judge warned him not to drive or drink pending his upcoming sentencing.
Source
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)