Swallowing the evidence did not prevent 20 year old Devon John of Virgin Lane from being convicted and reprimanded at the Roseau Magistrate’s court on Monday.
John, a student of the Dominica State College, DSC, was arrested after he swallowed a quantity of cannabis he had in his possession when confronted by the police. “A little smoke I had Officer,” John told the arresting police officer.
He pleaded guilty to obstruction under the Drugs Act.
John’s lawyer Darius Jones told the court that his client was remorseful for his actions and that he came from “a single parent and his mother is the bread winner and would have been the one to pay the fine for her son.” Jones asked the court to apply “social conscience” and help the DSC student to “walk the straight and narrow path.”
Before sentencing magistrate Carette George asked John to think of his actions and focus on his school work. “In the process of swallowing the drugs you could have been killed, go home, do your school work, help your mother and don’t come back here,” she told him.
In a similar case, Valdez Royer of Fond Cole was arrested on the “Block” on Kennedy Avenue by the Drugs Squad for a quantity of marijuana referred to as a ‘5 bag’ which he threw away when he saw the police.
However, despite a strong a passionate mitigation plea by Royer’s pro bono lawyer, Joshua Francis, he was fined EC$500.00 to be paid by November 30 or face one month in jail.
for that you arresting a young man, really. the amount of police that have to take cocaine, in all kinds of ways and forms, just to be fearless for when they go on their crimes (cowards), and that is a known fact by certain individuals. heartless police. well ever dog has its day , and all police are hungry dogs
Dominica News online WILL NOT to any survey on the legalization of cannabis because they already know what the result will be, so does the AG, Minister of Health and all others concerned.
In maintaining this DEMOCRACY, I think that the impartial DNO actually provide a survey that the audience requests for a change or are they just another FOX or CBS.
By the way, try as you may to stop it, the revolution is coming -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2QJ74U_W0w&feature=youtu.be
We need to get this important message on all radio stations, tv and media houses across the Nature Isle and the world.
Legalize the Herb
Choo man. Him swalla di evidence, He coulda bust him belly
great way to raise state revenue, a $500 fine for a lil grass….kool if you ask me. the officer should have just wrote the man a dyyam ticket and be done with it. dragging this nonsense to the court wasting state paper. stupes zor to sot tan zor avec cote’ foo sah la
Na man Valdez…smh..I’m disappointed. Ur mom working so hard.
But the “evidence” was swallowed. How they police know if marijuana that was there? It could be a piece of coconut the man had in his mouth. No visual evidence no arrest. Come on man.
use ur head pal. each drug have their scent. yes it marijuana smells like coconut. and tht is something u smell from a distance. common man. logic. and he did which is also evidence.
this is comica… firstly, for any one to be brought to caught for a small quantity is not worth it. Leave the boy be.
Secondly? the scent is evidence? really? so if my incense smells like herb, i will get locked up too?
If i smoke a pound of weed and wreak of the plant but have nothing on me, I may walk into the police station normally with no fear at all.
you can have mango leaf in your hand, once you tell the officer is marijuana that there even if he knows it is not marijuana. you can be arrested. and swallowing the evidence was obstruction under the drug act.
is dthat i wanna know
but he told the officer he had a little smoke, that cant be coconut…
Would you like them to dig a pit toilet” or allow him to pass the evidence by bowel movement. Where they get you all “BUSH”LAWYERS”FROM? again he was charged for obstructing the police while in the execution of their duty.”SMFH”
Firstly, I’ve asked D.N.O to conduct a survey regarding the legalization of marijuana in Dominica. They prefer to bombard Dominicans with articles with so called statistics on homosexuality.
Secondly, in light of new evidences presented on marijuana it needs public discussions.
Thirdly, we need to implement good policies in light of new evidences and to reshape our laws.
Man conduct your own servey, what is preventing you from doing that??
its a no brainer you want to talk and order D.N.O. to do servey, for argument sake, what if they conduct the servey and it satisfie you. Does that means illegal drugs will automatically be legalized? SMFH.
Excellent point my Muslim brother.
Laws are made by the people for the people. To be honest, I believe the majority of people in Dominica do not have a problem with weed and a slight lesser percentage uses the plant.
Therefore why do we need daddy PM and all the aunties and uncles in Parliament to tell us how to live.
why not decriminalize it to the point where u can have it locally up to a certain amount. Can some1 say tourism boost.
in this poll, they should pose the question as to who is against it because it is illegal or because they genuinely have an argument against it.
i like the thinking behind the argument and i am very pro weed but i have long realised that the notion of decriminalisation will not fly with many governments in the region. the simple fact being that too many of the ruling elite depend on the funding of the guys who make the real money in this drug running thing. imagine weed being decriminalised and we being able to plant it where and when we want, it would become the value of the many other agri products we currently grow, where maybe a pound of cured buds fetching only a few dollars. now compare that to the thousands presently being paid for a pound, the ifluential drug dealers and the whole industry created by them( lawyers, law enforcement big budgets, boat owners, and planters) will never allow this to happen. One thing though, if we dont want the region to become NARCO states, we need to insist on decriminalisation as this is the only way of strangling the most important weapon in the arsenal of those who deal, and that is the money!!!
The only way that spliff would kill him is if he chocked to death on it.
awa man devon………..we go to school together…..I EXPECTED MORE FROM YOU
When ur friend beards catch fire, take water and wet urs! Let’s hope you not hypocritically trying to condemn the man.
dem! home boy eat that lol
i understand you, you expect the man to tell the cop that he was just finishing his lunch instead of saying that is only a little smoke.. lol
that was foolish of him!!!
hhhmmmmm smh
Is it preature to have a serious discussion on legalizing carnibis in Dominica? I just asking.
After all, it seems that thre are more important crimes to solve and people to arrest than hussling people for a joint.
And I am not a marijuana smoker, never was and hope I never will be.
But I just find that if a man can smoke tobacco legally, he should be able to do the same with Canibis.
I say let us legalize it in a controlled environment, one spliff should not cause damage to a person reputation..
I myself well want some weed to make tea for my asma…
That is Jah herb you know, it have lots of medicinal properties, at least i should be able to grow a tree in my back yard to make tea lioke basailic!!!
Joe you dont even know what you have.{ASMA}can you explain? D.N.O.managed to eradicate the icons for “like”and dislike” Good for those lazy writers
;now i can just read the comments and move on.
don’t know why people get messed up in the head over a piece of dried plant leaves. what a silly infantile people.