FORSYTH, Mo. — A nonprofit that builds homes for severely injured soldiers has rescinded its offer to a Branson veteran after he was convicted of a felony drug charge.
Scott West pleaded guilty Dec. 11 to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. The charge carries a sentence of five to 15 years in prison.
West lost both legs while serving in Iraq when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb. He was slated to receive a free house from Massachusetts-based Homes for Our Troops, but lost the offer under the group’s provision that veterans who commit felonies are not eligible.
West was arrested after an Oct. 1, 2007, traffic stop in Taney County netted law officers 2.5 pounds of marijuana under the car seat, smoking pipes and digital scales.
According to the incident report, the officer who made the stop smelled marijuana coming from West’s car. The officer said in the report that he remembered receiving an anonymous tip that West might be involved in illegal drugs.
The officer told West about the tip and asked if he could search the car, the report says. West agreed to the search and told the officer that he had medical marijuana under the seat. Later, he led deputies to his house, where they found drug paraphernalia.
In late December, West told the News-Leader that despite his guilty plea, the drugs found in his car weren’t his and he doesn’t deal drugs.
What is the emoticon for “I don’t believe this f’n b.s.!” Yay! Just what we need, more homeless legless veterans! Support the Troops… unless they use medical marijuana!
Who the hell gives an anonymous tip to police about a citizen who sacrificed two limbs in a war for this country over weed? After losing your legs and seeing the atrocity of war up close, I say combat vets get to take any drug they want, no questions asked.
Now some will note that he had 56 ounces of marijuana and scales; he must be dealing. Maybe. Maybe he’s got severe pain from his amputated legs and incredible post-traumatic stress from seeing the viscera of dead children in the street and he has to smoke an ounce a day just to keep from sticking forks in his eyes to dig out the unforgettable images. Maybe since he lives in the heart of the Bible Belt and he’s on a fixed income and he can’t just run down to the dispensary he felt the need to stock up on a year’s supply.
But let’s suppose he is making some money on the side dealing dime bags to adults who freely want to buy them. Do you have any other great job ideas for a legless soldier? It’s not like the pension and benefits allow you to live like a king, and he’s probably in need of all sorts of medication and treatment, and prosthetics aren’t cheap.
I’m sure we’ll all feel safer when this double amputee veteran is serving 5-15 years in prison. Thanks for fighting for the land of the free and the home of the brave… now get in the cage.
This is bullshit. I am a 30 year old vet with a spine that has been bolted back together along w/ PTSD; I risk loosing all of my vet benefits if they find out that instead of being a fentanyl/morphine/cylcobenzaprine/ativan addict as they prefer – instead I just smoke weed – the others make you a zombie
Last year alone the police made almost 830,000 arrests for marijuana law offenses in the United States. 89 percent of those arrests were for posssession for personal use. Those arrested were seperated from their families, branded criminals, and in many cases fired from their jobs and denied school loans and other public assistance. The arrests cost taxpayers billions of dollars and consumed an estimated 4.5 million law enforcment hours (that’s the equivalent of taking 112,500 law enforcement officers off the streets).H.R. 5843 would make it legal under federal law for adults to possess up to 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of marijuana for personal use. It would also allow not-for-profit transfers of up to one ounce of marijuana between consenting adults
I’m not saying go out and drive while high. Infact if you do get high I wouldn’t reccommend driving for at least 30 to 45 minutes.
The funny thing is you never hear about anyone really going crazy at the wheel while smoking marijuana.
In a world got mad shouldn’t the government have something better to do? I have an online head shop SunflowerPipes.com. I sell my products like glass pipes and glass bubblers to regular citizens above the age of 18. I like what I do and I want to be left free to make an honest living. I have been this business for a few years in that time I have had many occasions were I was harassed by various law enforcement agencies. In a country with huge populations of inmates, homeless and poverty stricken people perhaps it is about time we learn to respect each others personal choices.
Back when I was younger I used to drive everywhere while smoking marijuana. I found that normally I would drive around 30 miles an hour, anything over felt too fast and 30 was the comfort zone for me. I’ve never been in an automobile accident and when high have a tendency to pay more attention to the road and my surroundings. So who knows, you never hear of people only on marijuana killing people in car wrecks, it’s usually tied in with alcohol.
Another thing, if an officer asks to search your car, you have the right to say no. If he understands and brings a K9 to the car… remember that K9 dogs are also considered officers and they don’t have the right to walk the dog around the car if you’ve already stated an officer can’t search.
[Quote]According to the incident report, the officer who made the stop smelled marijuana coming from West’s car.[/Quote]
Isn’t it funny that the vast majority of people caught with marijuana in their vehicles are *only* apprehended because the police were able to smell it?
We’re told all the time that driving high is EXTREMELY hazardous to everybody on the road, but how bad can it be if the only thing that alerts police to the fact that you’ve been smoking is its smell???
Russ light the torch of rightious freedom and let the flames reveal the truths.