A 40-year-old Grand Bay woman who was caught with a quantity of cannabis over the weekend has been fined over $10,000 which is to be paid within the next three months or she spends 10 months in jail.
Karen Nicole Charles pleaded guilty to the possession and intent to supply 410 grams of cannabis.
Charles was caught with the substance during a routine drug search while being was a passenger on a bus in the Loubiere area on Saturday December 17, 2011. Police had stopped the driver of the bus to check his particulars when they decided to search all passengers’ bags.
“Some weed I have there to sell,” she told police.
An apologetic Charles promised not to commit the offense again and told the court it was the first time she had done it.
Magistrate Evelina Baptiste pointed to the destructive nature of illegal drugs on society stating, “Some people don’t care how they make a living. They don’t care who they destroy. The message must be sent.”
Charles was also fined $1,000 on the possession charge. This is to be paid by March 31 or she spends another six months in jail. Sentences run concurrently.
Sometimes I feel like I want to scream. Why should Dominicans in these elite position do that to the Grand Bay people? Why some Dominicans take pleasure in destroying the poor people without cause? Grand Bay freed Dominican from Teddy Boys in England, from gangsters of St Thomas, Guadeloupe, Dominica has a bigger population in St Thomas than any other island. Ninety percent is from Grand Bay. They have sacrificed their livelihood,life,fight. killed and died for fellow Dominicans but why so many hate them, God will help us understand them. Amen!
A previous comment caused me to read related DNO stories, and it’s alarmingly eye-opening. This judge shows passionate bias in her sentencing and charges against folks from Grandbay caught with weed.
One guy Marcelis allegedly had 600 grams last year and charged $6500, one guy was caught in Belles with over 1300 grams charged $6000, now this woman from Grandbay charged over $10,000 to be paid within three months.
Evalina does whatever she wants with law interpretation when it comes to Grandbay. Your intentions stink fowl Baptist, you just encouraging anger and more crime as a result. And you hated Tiyani for that with the same passion.
I meant for comparison ‘over $10,000 for 410gms to be paid within three months’.
hey vip and what happens when they come for you?/
has anyone here heard the phrase “ilegal search and seizure’.
that lady needs a good lawyer.
that was an illegal search on the police part.
that lady need a good lawyer.
I always compare current criminal cases with past cases to compare the consistency and justification for the penalty. In the related article on this page, the scooter rider was fined $6000 for possession of 1384 grams (just over 3 pounds). This woman is now fined over $10000 for 410 grams (less than one pound).
These magistrates are vindictive and they hate Grand Bay with a passion. This woman sentences people with anger and she does not deserve to be on the bench. Her sentences seem to hinge on whether she had a good night with her man or the class and origin of the defendant. The good news is that we are all equal before the Lord and will all face his wrath or his mercy. Pitch fork for you my dear Magistrate Evelina Baptiste.
Yes the Nature Isle, and Marijuana is pure and natural. Have some tea and chill out.
So why some people talking about brain cells like theirs multiplying with all the junk they talking,the woman may be a farmer who fall on hard times, she have to do what she have to do to feed her family, there is nothing wrong with ganja compare with all what we taking in our bodies, it’s the law that is against it, ok so for that you right! But didn’t the law say afew more things were wrong and some people do it anyway, so what should someone do in a country that find it hard to gain decent employment, beg? There are too many beggars already,sing for supper ? the cupboard is bear,and by the way that weed would have keep some people out of mischief, is the legal drugs like alcohol , crack and cocaine ” well yes they are legal, cause they are protected by the law, or rather like scrunter say” it’s Big Man thing’ so it is easier to squeez the little people.But you can damed the water as long as you can it will burst one day . Chubby did not make all these great hits drinking alcohol anyway.
This is the nature island. Go figure.
:] Yes I am stupid, but you are ignorant. Sorry for you.
Politbureau It’s rum thats killing brain cells, By the way do you drink? I think so. Awa Oui! Take a chill my lady! or gentleman. Ease up now man the ganja smokers are peaceful not bothering anybody not true?
Yes VIP I agree with you, random search and arrest the criminals for cocaine. And no name you pick the correct name for yourself! You should have no voice as well. I never said Ganja was good for children and likewise rum and every other vice you may think of. What I am saying is the law and the court should spend more time and put stiffer sentences on the hard core dangerous criminals and leave the peaceful ganja smokers alone, unless they do something against the law. Yes I know Ganja is against the law. And so is adultery and buggery and sex with a minor child! WEEE how many people in high places would we have in stockfarm if they inforced these laws. You may only have ganja smokers left outside prisons walls. {that would be very nice indeed} Let me know when that happens I will be the first one on the plane to return to Dominica.
that is really cool.i like when police arresting those marijuana man.random searches are the best . we nedd to search everyone on the streets no warrant is needed.we have to get rid of those drugs in our communities. we need to search those college girls as well , i find they smoking too much marijuana and are trafficing alot of drugs. donot let their pretty face fool you.oh how i wish i was a police to chase them down.man as well as woman.
and the same Evalina Baptiste charged a man 35,000 for much less weed. All they 2 people have to do is plant more and sell, to get the money. How can police stop a driver and then extend the search to the passengers? Nowhere in the civilized world can police get away with that, unless they have probable cause to search her, i.e a tip, and then she must CONSENT to the search, barring that she could have been arrested, read her rights and then they could proceed. Dominicans just accepting anything and say the police is right.
These same policemen scared to search the big dons and pappas roaming the middle of Roseau, their wives in top government jobs and all dog and cat know exactly what they moving daily infront of HQ except the drug task force. People are being robbed left right and center and they can’t bring not criminal in, passport selling like hot bakes, crack and coke by Roseau bride as if is cool-aid, but they can search passengers on a bus. Only on the weak Dominica excuse for police prey. I’m not supporting what she did, but all wrong is wrong, and it aches me to see and know like everyone else who are the coke and crack dealers in Dominica, watch them and their wives flossing, and on tv talking and Dominica police playing saul.
all of allu that there talking bad about the weed more need to throw away than the weed. the weed is a natural plant just like me. it survives on water, the sun and air. THE HERBS R FOR THE HEALING OF THE NATION. I believe that the recent number of people that the police are arresting for marijuana is ridiculous. They arrest people for half a joint that’s just crazy. there are bigger issues to be solved in this country than to pass around looking for marijuana. The police needs to go arrest fellow officers who do nothing but gamble, isn’t gambling illegal? the police needs to solve the fire bombing at mr.emmanuels house, the police needs to run the waters of dominica so that they can stop all that cocaine coming into , my country, the police needs to fix up themselves and learn to be a role model in society, so much to say so little time
allu too hypocrite…some lady was dere cussing me off for smoking weed..then her son fell sick…she came to ask me for some weed for her son…look all what alcohol making people do…they are violent..wen i smoke i just want to be alone and it relaxes me….i dont even think much less to have the strength to go do some robbery…..wen i had eating problems and coming meg meg meg..i started smoking weed now i have gained the weight that i needed…even wen i have cramps it helps…what good alcohol doing??
thats because everything goes numb ,including your brain cellls ,if there are any left.
government need to provide jobs so there can be less drugs and crimes in our society. too many people are unemployed, because of unemployment all of this happening
. some of us afraid of speaking out thats the main problem we are facing.
DNO PLEASE BE CORRECT ABOUT THE FINE IS IT 10,000 OR 1,000.00? COME ON MEN THE STORY NEED TO BE CORRECT BEFORE POSTING….
This makes me sick! They need to get the crack off the street and leave the Ganja alone. Its just a plant in its natural form. What the Hell is wrong with our society? You can let murderers go free but lock up a lady so desperate to survive she breaks the law.I am sure she would rather not but Dominicans are desperate. As a matter of fact if you would make marijuanna legal some of those violent people may chill out. I don’t smoke but spent my life around people who do. It calms people,helps them focus,relieves pain,and many other things to numerous to mention. Many young girls are selling their body to survive is this not worse than Ganja. Wake up wake up before its too late. Set an example with cleaning up the corruption in the court, then you will make head way with the people.
You should be soo ashamed of yourslef!..did u read what u just wrote??… cant u see the effects smoking of marijuanna has on young people today?..look at a smoker and a non smoker and compare their behavioral traits… a smoker has less brain cells than a non smoker and it SHOWS!!
TELL HIM THAT .. YOU WANT YOUR KIDS TO SMOKE MARIJUANA ?
You must be an a** because alot of doctors, lawyers, ministers and other people of high position in Dominica smoking weed so is best u shut up….And i know this through experience so if you wana talk bout less brain cells u dead wrong!
Country,
Are you stupid? or are you stupid?
pick one
I think you have been 2nd hand smoking that weed because it looks like you’re missing a few brain cells for making this comment.
Have you chose which stupid you are yet?
Yea…I figured you didn’t
See what weed does to ya?
i still don’t understand why they fight a natrual growin plant so much and the factory produced alcohol and cigaretes which are proven to harm so many individuals are still on our shelves at supermarkets and shops.
GO AMERICA .. GO ENGLAND .. GO CANADA .. AND SEE IF THEY WONT PRESS YOU FOR MARIJUANA .. SO DONT DO LIKE IS DOMINICA ALONE
marijuana is decriminalized in all those places so……ur point?
and this is goin to be one sad lady during the xmas dere….
a routine drug search police had stopped the driver of the bus to check his particulars when they decided to search all passengers’ bags. thats not right well onlyt in dominica dat can happen look a ass country we
NO IT CAN HAPPEN .. IF AN OFFICER IS DOIN TRAFFIC STOP HE HAS A RIGHT TO SEARCH YOU UPON SUSPICION OR INFORMATION ..
So they stop to do license and registration on the bus driver and end up searching the passengers’ bags…i wonder how it went from that to this. If he checking the bus driver, how did he become suspicious of the passengers? they are not required to carry license and registration. A part of the story seems to be missing. Did they have drug sniffing dogs on patrol?
THATS WHY WE BACKWARDS DOMINICA .. HEAR THAT .. IF I AM A POLICE AND I STOP A RIDE AND I KNOW A DRUG DREALER THAT THERE YES I WILL SEARCH PPL ..
You think police going to tell you Where they get their info: You can see their suspicions were right on point because they did find something. This is excellent execution of policing..kudos to you officers.
buh who is dat karen dere nah somebody put me in d light please.
lol
how u mean.. “some people dont care how they make a living” some sell diplomatic passports, fertilizer, and so on.. so what?
Make alcohol illegal. Legalize Marijuana!
That’s highway robbery. Crime is growing in Dominica while police are busy persecuting people for a harmless marijuana. No wonder they can’t get a grip on growing crime.
BUT IS THE WEED AND DRUGS THAT BRINGIN THE CRIME ..
unknown; could you explain to me what is crime?are you aware who the real criminals are?and they all drink alcohol,even having drama for their left overs?some of us see what we want to see,the crack and cocaine is free, cause they pay their way to thoese who look the other way, while only one set pays.
weed aint bringing no crime…when u drink alchohol and take cocaine that giving an extra anger, on the other hand weed calms the mind and body. so think before you talk…and do some research