Posted on 03/14/2006 7:28:34 PM PST by MRMEAN
This year, the body of 17-year-old Jacob Bowers was found in a parking lot behind a furniture store in Cape Girardeau. He had been shot once in the back. The bullet went through his heart. A small quantity of cocaine was found in one of his pockets. He had also been carrying a two-shot derringer pistol. It was loaded. Both bullets were dented from the gun's hammer. Apparently, the pistol had misfired.
Three days later, Bernard Richards, 19, was arrested and charged with Bowers' murder. The interesting thing about the case was the total absence of virtue.
According to the state, Bowers and John Lewis decided to rob a small-time drug dealer, David McKee. Lewis called McKee and said he wanted to buy some cocaine. As McKee walked to the parking lot where he was supposed to meet Lewis, he happened upon Richards, who told him that he had seen Lewis with a second man, and that made him think that this "deal" was going to turn into a robbery. So Richards, who had a weapon, came along as protection. He hid behind a trash container as McKee met Bowers and Lewis.
Sure enough, it was a robbery. After McKee gave the men the cocaine, Bowers pulled out his derringer and put it to McKee's head. He demanded McKee's money. Which amounted to two bucks, by the way. McKee grabbed Bowers' gun, and the two struggled. During the struggle, Richards came from behind the trash bin, shooting and yelling. McKee, Bowers and Lewis all took off. Richards chased after Bowers and fired again. Bowers went down.
That is the state's theory, anyway.
(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...
Okay, point made. But the disingenuous headline is a bit annoying. There absolutely have been victories in the war on drugs. They're even less conspicuous than military victories in Iraq, so they get reported even less.
Legalized cocaine would have made the out come different how?
They all would be dead from OD instead of just one from a bullet. But the good news is the reduction in the ammount of innocent children catching drive by bullets would be really reduced!
What victories?
There wouldn't have been an outcome because the scenario wouldn't have happened.
Pinging just in case you have any interest ...
I hear you on that - the number of arrests which feature meth possession her in Cherokee County - NW edge of metro Atlanta - is astonishing. We recently had the assistant County Coroner and three members of his family arrested for dealing meth. The costs are staggering. I'm not in the least bit suggesting that legalization is the answer - or that we should step back from vigorous pursuit of drug dealers/producers. But the magnitude of the problem, particularly in places where it shouldn't be, is disheartening.
I don't know if I can do an anti-WOD tonight. I'm caught up arguing whether I'm a racist or not because I tend to have supported the Dubai ports deal. Yes, that makes me a racist. Go figure.
Besides, in a war, aren't there supposed to be dead bodies? We need to start killing people or we aren't going to win this war.
And what about the war on poverty?
BTW - I didn't read the article, so I have no idea what I'm talking about.
We've declared WAR on drugs. If we're serious, particularly in light of the fact that the WOD has failed to curb either the demand or the supply, then we have only two choices: Legalization or impose the death penalty for possession of illegal drugs. You can't win a war without piling up some bodies.
From the article ... Consider, too, the murder of Jacob Bowers. Why would he want to rob a drug dealer? First of all, a drug dealer can't report the crime. Second, he might have cash. And so we have these little shootouts.
The point is, they sought to rob a drug dealer because drugs are illegal. If drugs were legal, this scenario wouldn't have happened.
Kill the homeless.
I'm caught up arguing whether I'm a racist or not
You're not.
I don't know if I can do an anti-WOD tonight
There's more potential for fun here.
You can take back your straw man, nobody's advocating giving drugs to druggies. I suspect you and I will not find any common ground on this issue if you can't understand that the reason they sought to rob this guy was because, as someone engaged in illegal activity, he could not report it to the police.
As opposed to tax me more so non-violent Americans can be terrorized by law enforcement because, well, they can.
Anything of value can be a motive for robbery. Rolex watches, jewelry, apparent wealth, credit cards, cash, the list goes on. Note from the article that they were after cash, too, and that is when the gunplay started.
Sorry, legalizing something does not remove it from being a target for robbery. People rob liquor stores every day. I'm not buying it.
Surely you have some familiarity with the period of American history where alcohol was made unconstitutional. It's accepted fact that prohibition was an utter failure. Why is the prohibition of drugs different?
If someone commits a crime while taking drugs they can be prosecuted for that crime. Taking the drugs should not be a crime.
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