Posted on 07/25/2008 8:49:03 PM PDT by bamahead
After being caught twice with a "baggie" of marijuana, 23-year old Rachel Hoffman was reportedly told by police in Tallahassee, Florida that she would go to prison for four years unless she became an undercover informant.
The young woman, a recent graduate of Florida State University, was murdered during a botched sting operation two months ago.
"The idea of waging a war on drugs is to protect people and here it seems like we're putting people in harm's way," said Lance Block, a lawyer hired by Rachel's parents.
The Florida Attorney General's office says it is reviewing the procedures and protocol of the Tallahassee police.
"I'm calling her a criminal," Tallahassee police chief Dennis Jones told 20/20, who maintains that both drug dealers and drug users are considered criminals to his department.
Under Florida law, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana is a felony.
The Tallahassee police chief says Rachel was suspected of selling drugs and she was rightly treated as a criminal.
"That's my job as a police chief to find these criminals in our community and take them off the street, to make the proper arrests," Jones told 20/20.
Rachel's case also is raising questions about how police recruit and use informants in undercover operations.
"There need to be some safeguards here," said Block, the Hoffman family lawyer.
The young woman received no training before being sent to an undercover meeting to buy a large amount of drugs and a handgun from two suspects.
Police says Rachel was killed by the very handgun she was supposed to buy.
"I don't think she understood the risk or danger that she was in," said Block.
Rachel was in a drug court diversion program when she became an informant.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
I think you would do well living in an authoritarian regime, with strict limitations on your freedoms.
You don’t do anything wrong, right? So you would have nothing to worry about, and you can spend your days gleefully watching the police abuse people.
Not for me, I’ll stay in America.
And why would they need to train a drug dealer to deal drugs?
Right up there with Charlie Manson and Jeffrey Damer I suppose.
Do you still think they're off the hook in light of the following? (From Gondring's post #72):
Florida state attorney Willie Meggs said Hoffman, as part of the drug court program, never should have been used as an informant in the first place. "The drug court contract says you are not to associate with anyone using drugs," said Meggs. Under Tallahassee police department rules, any time a person under court probation is to be used as an informant, it requires the permission of the state attorney. Meggs was never notified, and never gave his permission for Hoffman to participate in the sting.
Also, I asked you earlier to back up your claim that Singapore has very little in the way of a drug problem. See#151
What say you?
So just to clarify, your point that rescinding prohibition had nothing at all to do with the massive increased use of alcohol? There were those who quit drinking when it became illegal, and there were those who started drinking when it became legal. Yes, I do believe that making something legal will increase its popularity.
She was running a drug house selling pot and Ecstasy.
I missed that post, they may just get nailed on that technicality.
Also, 151’s data is a joke.
Nothing short of mass murder should get between dopers and drugs. Got it.
When Prohibition ended, the black market in alcohol went away. Why run a still when people can go to the store and buy something better? And it is still illegal to sell alcohol to minors. America had an alcohol problem before Prohibition. America had an alcohol problem during Prohibition. America has an alcohol problem after Prohibition. Prohibition was great for organized crime. I don't see an illegal beer industry being funded by 12 year old alcoholics, but maybe I am missing something. And I think people who smoke pot are lazy and stupid, so I don't think even so-called light drugs are a great "lifestyle" enhancer.
The idea that the government can or should do much to save people from their own bad choices is the essence of statism. But I don't know what to do about the zombies who are on meth. The argument could be made since they have caused themselves irreversible brain damage and are almost always hopeless cases, and they often cause harm to others, thsy should be institutionalized to keep them out of society. But I think any grandiouse scheme to rehabilitate people or re-make society is doomed to failure.
Deal pot and Ecstasy and you'll go to jail in America.
Lincoln County 07/25/08
Arrest Made in Illicit Moonshine Still
The Jackson Police Bomb Squad, The Clinton Police Bomb Squad and the ATF are in Lincoln County to bust a moonshine still and collect bomb making materials.
Elton Rayford King has been arrested for possession of an illicit distillery and possession of moonshine whisky.
http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=8738958
Why? Bank robberies have tangible VICTIMS. Smoking weed does NOT. Get over yourself. It’s not your business what someone else puts into his body in the privacy of his home, period. Nor can it possibly be the LEGITIMATE business of government. Since we know (because the Founders said so) that government derives its legitimate authority from the consent of the governed, and since we ALSO know that one cannot give consent for another to do something that the first one may not properly do, it is NOT POSSIBLE for you to give your consent to have the drug cops bust your neighbor, because that consent is NOT YOURS TO GIVE. The neighbor’s life is not yours to dispose of in any way, shape or form. Any questions?
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Successful troll is successful.
Hitler would would be proud of you.
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Godwin, you lose.
But such actions by our government make us a much more moral society, don't you think? /sarcasm
Guess what? Times and opinions have changed.
You are in a minority now and its getting smaller and smaller.
This police department will pay millions for what they screwed up. And a new generation that realizes that pot is not the killer drug that their parents lied about will be making policy. And some day, we will laugh at guys like you, just like we laugh at Carrie Nation.
It will happen, and you know it.
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