Posted on 02/03/2009 1:45:19 PM PST by King of Card Games
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Olympic superstar Michael Phelps could face criminal charges as part of the fallout from a photo that surfaced showing the swimmer smoking from a marijuana pipe at a University of South Carolina house party.
A spokesman for Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, who is known for his tough stance on drugs, said Tuesday the department was investigating.
"Our narcotics division is reviewing the information that we have, and they're investigating what charges, if any, will be filed," said Lt. Chris Cowan, a spokesman for agency.
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Honestly, I didn't think it looked much like him from the picture. :-)
The photo doesn't have the strength of evidence that can prove he smoked marijuana, but, considered along with Phelps abject apology, it sure seems that way. He never denied the assumption that he was smoking pot. So, very likely no criminal charges will ensue but this won't help Phelps's merchandise himself. Towering achievements in sports (his 8 Olympic gold metals for swimming) and sucking marijuana smoke into your lungs tend to be somewhat incompatible.
Some conservatives characterizing Michael Phelp's alleged pot smoking as of no consequence and irrelevant demonstrates how far the U.S. has gone down the road toward moral bankruptcy. This young man is a famous, highly acclaimed athlete and his sucking up what is very likely marijuana smoke sends the same old corrupting message that getting high is 'cool' and nothing to be concerned about. See, even political conservatives agree! Sad.
I can't believe he could be so stupid as to do it at a party. There are always envious people who would love to bring him down. Whatever, many parents worried about drug use by their children would not now buy a cereal with his picture.
Then you have the nitwit Jane Valdez Mitchells who bemoan, "We should not be judgmental." You have people committing crimes and we should not be judgemental. This was echoed by Lisa Bloom looking weird in her Farah Fawcett wig. Hate to think Jane or Lisa serving on a jury.
Any damage the pot would have caused him pales in comparison to the legal damage caused by this ignorant war.
The only real problems that pot has caused ANYONE successful is legal trouble and other issues stemming from being illegal.
So, why doesn’t this Sheriff go after the current occupant of the White House? He has admitted to pot and cocaine use in his own biography that Bill Ayers wrote for him. Why play favorites?
Just another politician sheriff trying to get his puss in the media. In the meantime, I suspect burglars in his county are having a hayday.
With that, he wasn’t read his Miranda rights when he gave the statement. Inadmissible in court.
People who are cheering this need to think about what each did years ago. The statute of limitations was just suspended in discrimination cases. It can be suspended for anything.
I certainly hope no one got a picture of me smoking oregano in 1980. It could come back to haunt me.
Not under oath
I’m not saying they would get pot legalized, I’m saying it would draw unneccessary attention to a silly trial. I don’t mean they would make it legal.
Geeeez he’s aa friggin 23 year old kid who for the first time probably has a lot of attention and girls and lots of money ..BIG DEAL he smoked some pot. Most politicians use heavier stuff than that . You can’t bust anyone from a picture , how stupid. The same folks slamming this kid will defend their precious IV drug using baseball stars to the hilt.
Phelps was arreted for drunk driving four years ago. He may have already ruined his life in regard to substance abuse.
No one’s fault but his own.
Yeah, I was thinking kind of along those lines myself.
God knows if someone takes what I did 17 years ago and holds it against me in a court of law.
Honestly, someone needs to get the kid a set of handlers and tell him that if you’re going to smoke something, at least put it in a Zig Zag, for heaven’s sake!!!
Translation: make a nice donation to the police department and this will all go away....
oh please
Rome burns and we worry about this shite
smoked tuna
You are right.
The Dell guy, who was funny, was dropped right away from the commercials after he was caught with pot. I guess because Phelps is an athlete, he gets more lenient treatment.
You wrote:
“Geeeez he’s aa friggin 23 year old kid who for the first time probably has a lot of attention and girls and lots of money ..”
So what was his excuse four years ago when he was arrested for drunk driving?
And by the way, he had plenty of money then too, and girls for that matter. He was already an olympic champion after all.
After his arrest he said: “I’m 19, but was taught that no matter how old you are, you take responsibility for actions, which I will do.”
Clearly he’s not only a TERRIBLE hypocrite, but a moron.
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