Alabama Marijuana Party what a bunch of bs.
[FONT=arial, Arial, Helvetica] Dear Alabama:
On September 17,2002 a series of events began which changed my life forever. It started with a helicopter flying over my property and continued with a raid that came to a screeching halt with a few words. It has now evolved into a political grassroots revolution and a new sense of hope in Alabama. I am writing to ask you to become a part of that hope and new direction.
At first I though nothing of this helicopter, as all kinds buzz my house all the time. But this particular helicopter seemed to be very interested in my particular piece of property and continued to circle my home at just above tree level. I suspected that this chopper was looking for marijuana plants.
After AN HOUR of this harassment, I became very upset at this invasion of my privacy . I was not growing marijuana and they should have just moved on! It would not leave so I decided to film the chopper with my video camera. I filmed for about 5 minutes and then came back inside. No sooner had I set the camera down when four large black dodge pick-ups with tinted windows and trailers with ATV in tow descended upon my property. Around 15 armed men piled out of these trucks and started looking around. These men were not wearing uniforms and were not identifiable at law enforcement officers. I ran outside and demanded to know what was going on.
A man flashed a badge at me and said he was with Alexander City Undercover and that his helicopter pilot thought he saw some marijuana growing on my property. I responded with I think you should buy him some glasses before you make another mistake as costly as this one is going to be.
He asked if they could look around (they already were poking around) and I asked for a warrant. He said, Do we need to go get one? I responded that he did and that I was going to get my video camera and film them conducting a warrant less search.
In the time it took me to get my camera (about 30 seconds) they all piled back into their vehicles and hauled ass in a cloud of dust.
Remember I mentioned the most important words that one has in this world today! They are do you have a warrant?
I spent the next day trying to figure out what was going on. I called the airport about how much it cost to fly the chopper over me for that long, calling the local police department asking who authorized the raid, what agencies were involved in the raid, why they were targeting me, how much it was costing the taxpayers of my county and generally trying to find out what I could do to stop it.
I have to be honest I was incensed! I felt as though I had been violated. I am Libertarian at heart and I believe I own my property from the ground up. I also believe that what people do in the privacy of their own homes that harms no one else is ABSOLUTELY NOT the governments business.
So, I decided to fight back, but in a very unconventional way. To kick things off, I decided to try my luck at getting a Letter to the Editor printed in the Birmingham News. This was the first letter I had ever penned, so I was very excited when they called me up and told me that my letter would run.
As I wrote that letter I realized that I had to do more. I decided to form a political party based of the legalization of marijuana and the end of the drug war in general.
I never realized how much my life would change with those simple thoughts!
My letter to the Birmingham News was printed on November 7, 2002, only two days after our still contested Gubernatorial election. Here is what it said:
Across the nation, marijuana consumers are joining forces and coming out of the "cannabis closet." And what do you know? As it turns out, we do not all fit the stereotypical stoner-without-a-clue image of pot smokers that has long been portrayed by the media. People who admit to using marijuana include former presidents, mayors, teachers, lawyers, doctors, police, judges, celebrities, business owners, suburban housewives and most likely your next-door neighbor. We are not criminals who rob, steal or otherwise cause harm to the fabric of society, and it is time to stop treating us as if we were. It is time to demand an end to cannabis prohibition and the harsh drug laws that do more harm to society than the drug itself will ever do. It is time for change.
--- Loretta Nall Alexander City
I went out and bought about 10 copies so I could give them to my family and friends. I was very proud. Little did I realize that this expression would change everything.
Life progressed as normal until November 13, 2002. My husband and I had gone to town to run some errands and as we returned home we saw 5 police cars lining our driveway all the way to the road. I suspected the reason they were there but I was still shocked!
I exited the car and demanded to know what was going on. They were already inside the house, shop and spread out over all of my 2.15 acres. An officer said something about a warrant and we were led into the house and out through the back door while they continued to search. I asked to see a copy of the search warrant and I was handed a piece of paper that said they were looking for marijuana, based on the above and foregoing facts which were NOT INCLUDED with the warrant.*
I had never been arrested before in my life. My family and I live a very quiet life with very little socializing. We are basically just regular country people living in a trailer, with cats, kids and chickens. Other than standing them down in September and writing a letter to the editor, I was a nobody. Because I had written that letter I had become a somebody!
I asked Eric McCain, (the officer who eventually testified before the judge) how he got the warrant. McCain told me that the grounds for the search warrant were based on an anonymous phone call. I told him that the Supreme Court had ruled that to be unconstitutional and not grounds for a search. He then stated that it depends on who it was that had called. I commented Oh, so it wasnt anonymous?
I then stated I know why you are here you read my letter in the Birmingham News. He walked away at this point.
Fred White, another police officer there that day said to me Oh well, every activist must go to jail at least once
As the search went on, I went into activist mode and began extolling my feelings on marijuana prohibition, how much more harm the laws against it do, how police resources could be better spent fighting violent crime and how legalizing and controlling would be healthier for society.
It took me over 9 months to get a copy of the affidavit. Officer Fred White said to me Regardless of how you feel, marijuana is illegal in the state of Alabama. To which I responded Freeing a slave was once illegal in Alabama, but that did not make it right. Officer White walked away from me at that point.
After an intense search Eric McCain came back around back and stated that they had found marijuana in my home. Remember that the helicopter pilot had reported all sorts of plants growing on my property? I did not believe them and asked to see it. The showed me an envelope with a plastic bag inside with what looked to be A SEED, A STEM, AND A CHARRED PAPER. They asked whose it was and my husband and I both stated that we did not know anything about it.
They said that since the envelope was addressed to me that I would be going to jail for it.
The real nightmare however was just about to begin. About this time, I saw two women walk through my home. I asked who they were and the police would not answer my question. I looked at my husband and said Thats DHR. They have called DHR to take our kids. And sure enough that is what the police had done.
The workers from DHR came outside and said that we had to take our children to someone elses house or they would take them away. I had never been so OUTRAGED in my entire life. Ask any mother what I am talking about
It was about this time that Eric McCain placed handcuffs on me and led me around to one of the Sheriffs cars parked in front of the house. I was placed in the backseat. I was not told that I was being placed under arrest. I was not read my rights.
About this time the school bus arrived with my children. My neighbor across the street ran out and collected the kids so that they would not have to witness their mom being led away in handcuffs. My husband walked over and tried to explain to these little kids what was happening.
The DHR interrogation began. The ladies followed him and began to question my daughter about her hair. They said Oh you have such pretty hair...who brushes it? My daughter who was 5 at the time replied that her mommy brushed her hair. They then asked her if it ever hurt when I brushed it. She responded that it didnt hurt. They continued to ask this same question in different ways until she finally responded that it might hurt once in a while.
They asked my son if he played on the computer and if he had an email account. He stated yes to both. They then asked him if he ever received pornographic stuff in his email?? As if I am responsible for SPAM!
I was taken to the Tallapoosa County Sheriffs Dept. where I was finger printed, had a mug shot taken, stripped searched and basically humiliated. I was allowed a phone call to arrange for bail. Gaining my release took over 9 hours. My husband had called on numerous occasions and was told I wasnt there, that it was a felony charge and I could not get out and various other things to delay my release. Finally around 1 am my husband showed up and I was allowed to go free on a signature bond.
Now the fun really starts.
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[FONT=arial, Arial, Helvetica] Dear Alabama:
On September 17,2002 a series of events began which changed my life forever. It started with a helicopter flying over my property and continued with a raid that came to a screeching halt with a few words. It has now evolved into a political grassroots revolution and a new sense of hope in Alabama. I am writing to ask you to become a part of that hope and new direction.
At first I though nothing of this helicopter, as all kinds buzz my house all the time. But this particular helicopter seemed to be very interested in my particular piece of property and continued to circle my home at just above tree level. I suspected that this chopper was looking for marijuana plants.
After AN HOUR of this harassment, I became very upset at this invasion of my privacy . I was not growing marijuana and they should have just moved on! It would not leave so I decided to film the chopper with my video camera. I filmed for about 5 minutes and then came back inside. No sooner had I set the camera down when four large black dodge pick-ups with tinted windows and trailers with ATV in tow descended upon my property. Around 15 armed men piled out of these trucks and started looking around. These men were not wearing uniforms and were not identifiable at law enforcement officers. I ran outside and demanded to know what was going on.
A man flashed a badge at me and said he was with Alexander City Undercover and that his helicopter pilot thought he saw some marijuana growing on my property. I responded with I think you should buy him some glasses before you make another mistake as costly as this one is going to be.
He asked if they could look around (they already were poking around) and I asked for a warrant. He said, Do we need to go get one? I responded that he did and that I was going to get my video camera and film them conducting a warrant less search.
In the time it took me to get my camera (about 30 seconds) they all piled back into their vehicles and hauled ass in a cloud of dust.
Remember I mentioned the most important words that one has in this world today! They are do you have a warrant?
I spent the next day trying to figure out what was going on. I called the airport about how much it cost to fly the chopper over me for that long, calling the local police department asking who authorized the raid, what agencies were involved in the raid, why they were targeting me, how much it was costing the taxpayers of my county and generally trying to find out what I could do to stop it.
I have to be honest I was incensed! I felt as though I had been violated. I am Libertarian at heart and I believe I own my property from the ground up. I also believe that what people do in the privacy of their own homes that harms no one else is ABSOLUTELY NOT the governments business.
So, I decided to fight back, but in a very unconventional way. To kick things off, I decided to try my luck at getting a Letter to the Editor printed in the Birmingham News. This was the first letter I had ever penned, so I was very excited when they called me up and told me that my letter would run.
As I wrote that letter I realized that I had to do more. I decided to form a political party based of the legalization of marijuana and the end of the drug war in general.
I never realized how much my life would change with those simple thoughts!
My letter to the Birmingham News was printed on November 7, 2002, only two days after our still contested Gubernatorial election. Here is what it said:
Across the nation, marijuana consumers are joining forces and coming out of the "cannabis closet." And what do you know? As it turns out, we do not all fit the stereotypical stoner-without-a-clue image of pot smokers that has long been portrayed by the media. People who admit to using marijuana include former presidents, mayors, teachers, lawyers, doctors, police, judges, celebrities, business owners, suburban housewives and most likely your next-door neighbor. We are not criminals who rob, steal or otherwise cause harm to the fabric of society, and it is time to stop treating us as if we were. It is time to demand an end to cannabis prohibition and the harsh drug laws that do more harm to society than the drug itself will ever do. It is time for change.
--- Loretta Nall Alexander City
I went out and bought about 10 copies so I could give them to my family and friends. I was very proud. Little did I realize that this expression would change everything.
Life progressed as normal until November 13, 2002. My husband and I had gone to town to run some errands and as we returned home we saw 5 police cars lining our driveway all the way to the road. I suspected the reason they were there but I was still shocked!
I exited the car and demanded to know what was going on. They were already inside the house, shop and spread out over all of my 2.15 acres. An officer said something about a warrant and we were led into the house and out through the back door while they continued to search. I asked to see a copy of the search warrant and I was handed a piece of paper that said they were looking for marijuana, based on the above and foregoing facts which were NOT INCLUDED with the warrant.*
I had never been arrested before in my life. My family and I live a very quiet life with very little socializing. We are basically just regular country people living in a trailer, with cats, kids and chickens. Other than standing them down in September and writing a letter to the editor, I was a nobody. Because I had written that letter I had become a somebody!
I asked Eric McCain, (the officer who eventually testified before the judge) how he got the warrant. McCain told me that the grounds for the search warrant were based on an anonymous phone call. I told him that the Supreme Court had ruled that to be unconstitutional and not grounds for a search. He then stated that it depends on who it was that had called. I commented Oh, so it wasnt anonymous?
I then stated I know why you are here you read my letter in the Birmingham News. He walked away at this point.
Fred White, another police officer there that day said to me Oh well, every activist must go to jail at least once
As the search went on, I went into activist mode and began extolling my feelings on marijuana prohibition, how much more harm the laws against it do, how police resources could be better spent fighting violent crime and how legalizing and controlling would be healthier for society.
It took me over 9 months to get a copy of the affidavit. Officer Fred White said to me Regardless of how you feel, marijuana is illegal in the state of Alabama. To which I responded Freeing a slave was once illegal in Alabama, but that did not make it right. Officer White walked away from me at that point.
After an intense search Eric McCain came back around back and stated that they had found marijuana in my home. Remember that the helicopter pilot had reported all sorts of plants growing on my property? I did not believe them and asked to see it. The showed me an envelope with a plastic bag inside with what looked to be A SEED, A STEM, AND A CHARRED PAPER. They asked whose it was and my husband and I both stated that we did not know anything about it.
They said that since the envelope was addressed to me that I would be going to jail for it.
The real nightmare however was just about to begin. About this time, I saw two women walk through my home. I asked who they were and the police would not answer my question. I looked at my husband and said Thats DHR. They have called DHR to take our kids. And sure enough that is what the police had done.
The workers from DHR came outside and said that we had to take our children to someone elses house or they would take them away. I had never been so OUTRAGED in my entire life. Ask any mother what I am talking about
It was about this time that Eric McCain placed handcuffs on me and led me around to one of the Sheriffs cars parked in front of the house. I was placed in the backseat. I was not told that I was being placed under arrest. I was not read my rights.
About this time the school bus arrived with my children. My neighbor across the street ran out and collected the kids so that they would not have to witness their mom being led away in handcuffs. My husband walked over and tried to explain to these little kids what was happening.
The DHR interrogation began. The ladies followed him and began to question my daughter about her hair. They said Oh you have such pretty hair...who brushes it? My daughter who was 5 at the time replied that her mommy brushed her hair. They then asked her if it ever hurt when I brushed it. She responded that it didnt hurt. They continued to ask this same question in different ways until she finally responded that it might hurt once in a while.
They asked my son if he played on the computer and if he had an email account. He stated yes to both. They then asked him if he ever received pornographic stuff in his email?? As if I am responsible for SPAM!
I was taken to the Tallapoosa County Sheriffs Dept. where I was finger printed, had a mug shot taken, stripped searched and basically humiliated. I was allowed a phone call to arrange for bail. Gaining my release took over 9 hours. My husband had called on numerous occasions and was told I wasnt there, that it was a felony charge and I could not get out and various other things to delay my release. Finally around 1 am my husband showed up and I was allowed to go free on a signature bond.
Now the fun really starts.
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