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wtf our govt is stupid...
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| gehzumteufel |
| quote: | Lafayette judge steps down: Frieling won't enforce new marijuana law
By Eric Schmidt (Contact)
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
An associate municipal court judge in Lafayette resigned Monday in protest of stiffer penalties for marijuana possession in the city.
Leonard Frieling, a Boulder criminal-defense lawyer, said he is resigning out of principle after more than eight years as a backup to Lafayette Municipal Judge Roger Buchholz.
"I cannot in good conscience sit on the bench while being unwilling to enforce the municipal ordinances," Frieling said in a resignation letter to city officials. "Specifically, since you have seen fit to increase the penalty for cannabis possession from a $100 fine (which matches the state penalty) to a $1,000 fine and a year in jail, I find that I am morally and ethically unable to sit as a judge for the city."
The Lafayette City Council last week passed a first reading of an ordinance increasing the possible penalty for possession of cannabis or drug paraphernalia, which now carries a maximum $100 fine. The change is pending final approval next week.
Frieling said he was willing to enforce the old ordinance despite a personal belief that the war on marijuana is "ridiculous." He said it makes no sense for cannabis to be illegal for adults who are allowed to drink alcohol, and the proposed penalty in Lafayette would set a bad precedent.
"The state of Colorado has somewhat decriminalized small amounts for personal possession by making it a petty offense with maximum $100 fine," he said. "I think that it is inappropriate for a municipality that a crime is so much more serious within their city limits than it is statewide."
Lafayette Mayor Chris Berry said Monday night that he had not seen Frieling's letter and could not comment on its contents.
Berry said the new pot penalties were among several changes supported by the city's law enforcement. The idea was to increase the maximum penalty to give judges more discretion when sentencing marijuana offenders under different circumstances, he said.
"My interpretation was that it would be up to the judge," Berry said. "A sitting judge could still make (the fine) $100."
Mayor Pro Tem David Strungis — who cast the sole vote against the ordinance — said the police chief and sitting judge showed "no evidence that we have a pandemic of marijuana-possession arrests in Lafayette."
"My feeling was that punishments have to be within reason, and the punishment has to fit the crime," Strungis said. "To put someone in jail for a year for less than an ounce of marijuana — I couldn't justify that." |
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| MrJiveBoJingles |
| All governments that criminalize ingestion of any substance are stupid. |
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| gehzumteufel |
| quote: | Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles
All governments that criminalize ingestion of any substance are stupid. |
+1 |
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| Aristronica |
if the gov't made any profit of drugs you'd bet your ass they'd be legal, this, however, is not the case - nor will it ever be.
all "illegal" means is - "does not profit government" |
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| HardTranceProd |
| quote: | Originally posted by Aristronica
if the gov't made any profit of drugs you'd bet your ass they'd be legal, this, however, is not the case - nor will it ever be.
all "illegal" means is - "does not profit government" |
not even close buddy.
The government could have made a good profit off of legalized prostitution - just like they do in Germany or Holland - but that's not happening either.
MOney is not the only force that drives this country |
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| Aristronica |
| quote: | Originally posted by HardTranceProd
not even close buddy.
The government could have made a good profit off of prostitution - just like they do in Germany or Holland - but that's not happening either.
MOney is not the only force that drives this country |
lol, you have never been to Las Vegas have you. |
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| AndreaCKY772 |
| in the us, weed will never become legal. |
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| HardTranceProd |
| quote: | Originally posted by Aristronica
lol, you have never been to Las Vegas have you. |
of course i have. AND:
1) Prostitution is not legal in Vegas - only in some remote villages
2) Nowhere else do they dare make it legal. despite the potential of profits
THerefore...profits ain't the end of the story
Even gambling would have been illegal (and in fact online gambling is already illegal in the US) |
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| Boomer187 |
| quote: | Originally posted by HardTranceProd
of course i have. AND:
1) Prostitution is not legal in Vegas - only in some remote villages
2) Nowhere else do they dare make it legal. despite the potential of profits
THerefore...profits ain't the end of the story
Even gambling would have been illegal, but it's a step below that |
villages? You mean counties with a low population. IE, the county next to vegas (Clark County). |
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| Aristronica |
| quote: | Originally posted by HardTranceProd
of course i have. AND:
1) Prostitution is not legal in Vegas - only in some remote villages
2) Nowhere else do they dare make it legal. despite the potential of profits
THerefore...profits ain't the end of the story
Even gambling would have been illegal, but it's a step below that |
but my point is prostitution is legal in certain parts of the country that need it. i guarantee you that if got that bad that they needed the money from prostitutes the gov't would be all about it. they're just too busy jacking people for medication and taxes. |
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| UWM |
| quote: | Originally posted by HardTranceProd
of course i have. AND:
1) Prostitution is not legal in Vegas - only in some remote villages
2) Nowhere else do they dare make it legal. despite the potential of profits
THerefore...profits ain't the end of the story
Even gambling would have been illegal (and in fact online gambling is already illegal in the US) |
Remote villages? What, are we in the Himalayas? Last I checked Reno wasn't a remote village. |
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| HardTranceProd |
hehe... well u get the point :thepirate only in some very obscure places
my point is: many ppl say "if u want to understand some policy, just look at the money trail"... well I disagree strongly... there's another force that's just as strong as money in this country - religion and "vaaalues" :wtf: :haha:
that's why ->
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in the us, weed will never become legal.
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