Gore's Son Given Probation on Marijuana Charge

Associated Press ^ | February 2, 2004 | Stephen Manning

[Wolfie]

Gore's Son Given Probation on Marijuana Charge

Rockville, Md. -- Albert Gore III will have to complete a substance abuse program under an agreement approved Monday by a judge presiding over a marijuana possession case against the son of former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore.

Montgomery County District Court Judge Mary McCormick put Albert Gore III's case on an inactive docket for a year, at which point the case will be dropped if Gore meets certain requirements.

Those include submitting to 12 weeks of urine testing, community service and substance abuse counseling sessions. Gore also can't have a criminal conviction during that year.

Gore, who did not comment after the brief hearing, was accompanied by his mother, Tipper Gore, who did not comment other than saying the issue was a "private matter."

A student at Harvard University, Gore, 21, was arrested Dec. 19, 2003 in Bethesda after an officer pulled him over for driving a Cadillac without its headlights on. The officer smelled marijuana and noticed the windows of the car were open despite frigid temperatures.

A search of the Cadillac turned up a partial marijuana cigarette, a cigarette box with suspected marijuana in it and a crushed soda can that smelled like marijuana.

Gore was charged with marijuana possession, as were the two passengers in the car, Yann V. Kumin, 21, and Marc G. Hordon, 22, both of Cambridge, Mass. All three were released before trial.

Hordon and Kumin will also have their cases placed on the inactive docket and undergo the same treatment program as Gore, according to Montgomery County State's Attorney Douglas Gansler.

He said there was no favoritism shown Gore because of his family's political stature. The substance abuse diversion program is standard for first-time drug offenders, he said.

"Regardless of who the defendant is ... we treat them in the exact same way," Gansler said.

The younger Gore has been pulled over by police two other times in recent years. He was ticketed by military police in September 2002 outside Fort Myer in suburban Virginia for driving under the influence.

North Carolina police also cited Gore in the summer of 2000 for driving 97 mph in a 55-mph zone. Charges against him were dropped under an agreement with prosecutors, but he had to pay a $125 ticket and had his driving privileges suspended in the state.

[xrp]

Why wasn't former VP Al Gore's house invaded and ransacked in the quest for finding all of Al III's doobage?

[Wolfie]

'Cuz if you want to keep a good Drug War going, you ease off when it comes to the wealthy and connected.

[longtermmemmory]

Perhaps that is a question for the FL Bar...

[weegee]

The substance abuse diversion program is standard for first-time drug offenders, he said.

Reportedly this isn't his first drug offense.

[CPOSharky]

Global warming made him do it. (Because it was so cold in NY when Al jr. made his last speech.)

[newgeezer]

Have another toke.

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

The liberal american courts at work!

[Ragirl]

Well well well.....Mr. Gore's drug posession conviction and sentence (not his first) is not much more harsh than Jenna Bush's sentence for underage drinking!

CNN

[Ragirl]

Well well well.....Mr. Gore's drug posession conviction and sentence (not his first) is not much more harsh than Jenna Bush's sentence for underage drinking!

CNN

[weegee]

President Bush's niece's run in with the law over drugs got much more press.

[marty60]

Trying to buy beer in Chuy's is equal to driving a caddie drunk? Only CNN would think so.

[mombonn]

He said there was no favoritism shown Gore because of his family's political stature.
"Regardless of who the defendant is ... we treat them in the exact same way,"

Too bad Rush doesn't live in MD.

Oh, wait, silly me, Rush starts with "R", and votes "R".

Never mind.

[helper]

For Montgomery County MD that is a harsh sentence. In most cases he would be sentenced to serve on the County Council when stoned.

[chainsaw]

It makes a difference who you are when you go before a US court.

[TexasRepublic]

A doper like his old man.

[MD_Willington_1976]

1 set of rules for the big people
1 set of rules for the little people

Hypocrisy...keeps everything working just fine...

[Wolfie]

Searched for many variations, including just the word "Son". FRs search engine need a little tweak (or 12).

[hershey]

It does make a difference who you are, especially if you're 21, and mommy goes to court with you.