Police in Georgia get tough on criminals growing plants.

[Shaun__]

I feel so much safer after seeing how my tax dollars are being spent to end the scourge of potted plants plaguing this great country I live in. Link

Smithwick said when police found no marijuana they threatened to arrest him for having equipment and materials that could be used to grow pot.

'The sergeant told me based on (the) fertilizers and the lights in the room, I could be charged with manufacturing marijuana and held without bond and sent to prison," Smithwick said.

Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do?
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do?
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?​

 

[SatanJonez]

Let the guy grow his tropical, pretty plants. :snooty:

 

[Mirra]

I'd like to claim this is shocking... but sadly it is not. Sounds like something that would happen over here in SC too.

 

[Anonymous]

'Murrica.

 

[Zoomer]

Non news issue to be fair. They investigated into a report, which is correct and you'd expect the officers to do. The chap has equipment that is used to grow illegal plants, but he uses it to grow legal ones.

His interpretation of the threat could be nothing more than a warning (there's enough to try prosecute perhaps) and his idea of harassment means someone should give him a dictionary and look it up...

Do not see an issue. Things have to be put into perspective. They followed procedure (again, his claims of what they said do not necessarily match up with what was said nor the intent to which they were said) and this guy goes and cries to the media.

Should grow some balls and stop being such a cry baby over people doing their job

 

[SatanJonez]

Doing their job would have been seeing that it wasn't used for growing an illegal plant and then leaving and finding a real criminal to investigate. They instead threatened to arrest the guy for just owning equipment known to be used for something he was not using it for. That would be like the cops threatening to arrest me for owning a pipe that I only smoke tobacco out of because it could also be used for pot. It's stupid and a waste of time and resources.

 

[lordmagellan]

Shit! I've got a truck that could be used in a hit and run. Or a robbery. Or for driving under the influence. I also have a collection of kitchen knives that could be used for murder. Fuck! This very computer could be used for any number of illegal activities!
Oh god damn! My hands! My hands! I could strangle with these hands! Or touch someone inappropriately! Or commit assault!

Clearly I could be a criminal.
I should be held without bond.



The investigation itself, is fine. They got a report and checked on it. They did their job. They crossed the line when they threatened to arrest the guy and hold him without bond based on bullshit.

 

[16_bit]

Seems like a good time to have planted evidence...
Of course, there'd always be that seed of doubt...

I'm firmly rooted in the story now. Maybe i should leave before i get banned, he he. Okay, i'm out of bad puns for now.

 

[Nordling]

Non news issue to be fair. They investigated into a report, which is correct and you'd expect the officers to do. The chap has equipment that is used to grow illegal plants, but he uses it to grow legal ones.

His interpretation of the threat could be nothing more than a warning (there's enough to try prosecute perhaps) and his idea of harassment means someone should give him a dictionary and look it up...

Do not see an issue. Things have to be put into perspective. They followed procedure (again, his claims of what they said do not necessarily match up with what was said nor the intent to which they were said) and this guy goes and cries to the media.

Should grow some balls and stop being such a cry baby over people doing their job

To me, "doing their job" means being polite during any investigation, NOT subliminal threats to people who are doing NOTHING wrong. Yeah, I wish EVERYONE would cry to the media when cops act like bullies. They're supposed to be our servants, not our schoolyard bullies.

 

[Zoomer]

So you are saying this guy is being 100% honest and not overstating anything for the media, which is giving him coverage based upon what he claims?

Two sides to every story, assigning guilt and hate based on one side only. The police are looking into it (apparently), but until then I'd remain skeptical and not start doing what everyone immediately does. "RAWR RAGE1!11!".

But as pointed out in another thread - it's the internet.

RAGE!!1!!!

:whistle:

 

[Shaun__]

So you are saying this guy is being 100% honest and not overstating anything for the media, which is giving him coverage based upon what he claims?

Two sides to every story, assigning guilt and hate based on one side only. The police are looking into it (apparently), but until then I'd remain skeptical and not start doing what everyone immediately does. "RAWR RAGE1!11!".

But as pointed out in another thread - it's the internet.

RAGE!!1!!!

:whistle:

This guy is probably being 100% honest, and sadly the behavior he is reporting is not unusual for police to exhibit in the idiotic war on plants. After the first search turned up nothing he should have received an apology and been left alone. I personally want to know how they decided to search this guys house in the first place. He should not have triggered anything at the power company with his tiny setup and infrared searches by helicopter were declared unconstitutional. So why did the cops decide he was running a marijuana grow operation?

 

[Nordling]

So you are saying this guy is being 100% honest and not overstating anything for the media, which is giving him coverage based upon what he claims?

Two sides to every story, assigning guilt and hate based on one side only. The police are looking into it (apparently), but until then I'd remain skeptical and not start doing what everyone immediately does. "RAWR RAGE1!11!".

But as pointed out in another thread - it's the internet.

RAGE!!1!!!

:whistle:

No, I'm saying nothing of the kind, nor am I raging. I'm simply saying that IF the man is telling the truth, then the cops are in the wrong. Assuming he's a "crybaby" is rage. The story is very plausible simply because I've witnessed overbearing cops all my life. I've also seen cops who were polite and professional. We can only hope the truth comes out.

 

[Nordling]

It would also be interesting to know the nature of the tip or "report" that led them to get a warrant and search his personal effects in the first place. Was it anonymous? Was it a neighbor who had a history of disliking this guy or his father? What did the tipper claim to have seen?

I've known several people who had a love of raising African violets and orchids, and who had elaborate setups. Should all of these folks had some cops search their property?

 

[Zoomer]

After the first search turned up nothing he should have received an apology and been left alone. I personally want to know how they decided to search this guys house in the first place.

It says in the article that they returned to his house with a warrant for searching. So the first time they called was regarding a "tip off", but when he refused entry they went and got said warrant that is required to conduct said search.


I've included a quote so everyone won't feel each post is aimed at them specifically...

Assuming he's a "crybaby" is rage. The story is very plausible simply because I've witnessed overbearing cops all my life

Yes, going to the media with this as a story is indeed being a cry baby (imo) - most people shrug and just get on with life. However, plausibility based upon "seeing overbearing cops" is irrelevant in any form.

It is the equivalent to the cops saying that 98% of people with light setups such as this are Marijuana growers, who when the cops first called, moved the plants before they arrived back with a warrant for the second search. But, ignore that

And just for shits and giggles - what better way to try and minimise the cops ever coming back than making allegations about undue threats and going to the media claiming harassment. Possible, certainly - and if I were growing pot and knew the cops were coming and moved me plants, it's exactly what i'd do to

 

[Shaun__]

After the first search turned up nothing he should have received an apology and been left alone. I personally want to know how they decided to search this guys house in the first place.

It says in the article that they returned to his house with a warrant for searching. So the first time they called was regarding a "tip off", but when he refused entry they went and got said warrant that is required to conduct said search.


I've included a quote so everyone won't feel each post is aimed at them specifically...

Assuming he's a "crybaby" is rage. The story is very plausible simply because I've witnessed overbearing cops all my life

Yes, going to the media with this as a story is indeed being a cry baby (imo) - most people shrug and just get on with life. However, plausibility based upon "seeing overbearing cops" is irrelevant in any form.

It is the equivalent to the cops saying that 98% of people with light setups such as this are Marijuana growers, who when the cops first called, moved the plants before they arrived back with a warrant for the second search. But, ignore that

And just for shits and giggles - what better way to try and minimise the cops ever coming back than making allegations about undue threats and going to the media claiming harassment. Possible, certainly - and if I were growing pot and knew the cops were coming and moved me plants, it's exactly what i'd do to

Standing up for your rights is not being a cry baby, he has a constitutional guarantee to those rights. By standing up to corruption he is helping other people avoid this happening to them future. It would be a sad world if all people wronged curled up in a cowardly little ball instead of letting other people know and saying it was wrong.

 

[SoTxBob]

as long as we're in the shits n giggles arena, around here at least, if some activity is suspected and this happens, the cops will leave someone watching the premises while the warrant is made out. That prevents "said suspects" from moving the "suspected items" elsewhere. Being a drug case tho, I'd be really surprised if they didn't have a dog there as well. When said pooch didn't key on anything residual in the basement, its time to indeed apologize and make an exit.

 

[Nordling]

Zoomer, sure, your hypothesis is plausible too but whichever happened, or even a third scenario, I don't get why the guy is a "crybaby." If he was indeed growing pot in his dad's basement, and "moved" everything criminal, plus cleaning up any trace of what he'd been doing, he must have god-like powers. Moved where? He'd have to pack up all evidence and drive somewhere and dump everything and not be seen doing so...this in light of "someone" who turned him in, in the first place not watching this activity.

There are just too many details missing for us to say what really happened for sure. But in light of the difficulty of erasing every trace of illegal pot growing in a very short time, I favor the innocence hypothesis.

 

[Nordling]

as long as we're in the shits n giggles arena, around here at least, if some activity is suspected and this happens, the cops will leave someone watching the premises while the warrant is made out. That prevents "said suspects" from moving the "suspected items" elsewhere. Being a drug case tho, I'd be really surprised if they didn't have a dog there as well. When said pooch didn't key on anything residual in the basement, its time to indeed apologize and make an exit.

Exactly. I admit I didn't think of that, but it makes perfect sense...unless the local police were totally incompetent.

 

[SoTxBob]

as long as we're in the shits n giggles arena, around here at least, if some activity is suspected and this happens, the cops will leave someone watching the premises while the warrant is made out. That prevents "said suspects" from moving the "suspected items" elsewhere. Being a drug case tho, I'd be really surprised if they didn't have a dog there as well. When said pooch didn't key on anything residual in the basement, its time to indeed apologize and make an exit.

Exactly. I admit I didn't think of that, but it makes perfect sense...unless the local police were totally incompetent.

Well, lets not forget it is "Boss Hogg" territory... so that is a possibility too. :lol: