Man in court on marijuana charge is arrested for smoking pot

[Stevicus]

Man arrested for smoking marijuana while in court for marijuana charge - CNN

Spencer Boston had a message. And nothing was going to stop him from delivering it -- not even jail time.

Boston, 20, was in court Monday in Wilson County, Tennessee, facing a simple marijuana possession charge, according to Wilson County Sheriff's Department Lt. Scott Moore. But as he stood to face Judge Haywood Barry, he began expressing his views on why weed should be legalized.

And to amplify his point, he reached into his jacket and slipped out a single marijuana cigarette. He then pulled out a box of matches and, you guessed it, lit it up.

Boston got in several quick inhales before security personnel realized what was happening. They detained Boston and escorted him out of the courtroom, Moore said.

Well, you gotta admire the brass on this guy.

 

[epronovost]

He's aware that courts don't make laws. They judge their application. He should have smoked in front of Congress (or his State legislature) to make his point. Now, the guy could actually be charged of outrage to magistrate since that's a clear breach of protocol.

PS: Yes, I'm a party pooper, but I'm trying to get better...but not today.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

He's aware that courts don't make laws.

Are we sure of this?

 

[Mindmaster]

Are we sure of this?

Yeah, they don't.

Courts do help determine how a law is applied, however, which often has similar implications. There is also the situation where previous rulings create a precedent and thus shift how a law is enforced / applied.

Anyway, it's the state legislatures that do that job in every state. Courts can "limit" or "expand" the scope of a law, but cannot create one. They also can abolish laws effectively if they neuter them to the point of ineffectiveness. In many cases where the law is too liberally applied this happens frequently, and often what you will see is the state legislature redefine or remodel the provisions for more clarity. In general, they will attempt to determine the "spirit of the law" and judge how it is to applied to relevant cases.

It's perhaps best to say -- state legislature comes up with the law, but the courts decide when and if those laws are applied at all to a case. Via "cases" the application of the law becomes much more defined, and previous rulings often shape the decisions on trials to come.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Yeah, they don't.

I meant are we sure he is aware of that.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Even if it was legalized he is too young. In the states where pot is legal the legal age is 21, the same as for alcohol. I do have to give him some credit. This is proper civil disobedience. Paying the penalty for one's "crime" is part of it. Expecting to protest and get set free is merely being an ***.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Good on him.

 

[ChristineM]

Man arrested for smoking marijuana while in court for marijuana charge - CNN



Well, you gotta admire the brass on this guy.

I see he wasn't charged with smoking in a public building.

 

[Darkforbid]

In the UK cannabis was made a class C drug then quickly reclassified as a class B

The main reason for cannabis being put back as a class B, was the amount of idiots who decided that meant they could smoke anywhere they liked

 

[Windwalker]

The main reason for cannabis being put back as a class B, was the amount of idiots who decided that meant they could smoke anywhere they liked

Maybe they are following suit with all those idiots who drink beer in public places, like parks and ballgames, not to mention all those idiots who smoke cigarettes in public places too? Maybe they just figured if it's okay to do those in public, it's okay for them to smoke pot too?

Granted, you're not supposed to stand on the street corner downing a fifth of Jack Daniels. Maybe they view smoking pot to be more hardcore, like that? Pot smokers are viewed more like those who drink whiskey?

 

[Revoltingest]

Are we sure of this?

I've seen judges make law ad hoc.
But one cannot depend on it.
Black robe syndrome, ya know.

 

[shmogie]

Man arrested for smoking marijuana while in court for marijuana charge - CNN



Well, you gotta admire the brass on this guy.

There are idiots, then there are IDIOTS !

 

[Darkforbid]

Maybe they are following suit with all those idiots who drink beer in public places, like parks and ballgames, not to mention all those idiots who smoke cigarettes in public places too? Maybe they just figured if it's okay to do those in public, it's okay for them to smoke pot too?

Granted, you're not supposed to stand on the street corner downing a fifth of Jack Daniels. Maybe they view smoking pot to be more hardcore, like that? Pot smokers are viewed more like those who drink whiskey?

Why you comparing illegal an legal?

 

[Windwalker]

Why you comparing illegal an legal?

Oh, I thought we were talking about legal marijuana usage in Canada. I see you said UK. In which case, were it in a legal area, then to say you can't smoke pot in public, while you can drink beer in public, would be a contradiction.

 

[Darkforbid]

Oh, I thought we were talking about legal marijuana usage in Canada. I see you said UK. In which case, were it in a legal area, then to say you can't smoke pot in public, while you can drink beer in public, would be a contradiction.

No worries, buddy.