Posted on 01/13/2020 7:03:27 AM PST by xxqqzz
Early one morning on May 5, 2006, Paul Allen Houser walked into a convenience store in Columbus, Miss., to purchase cold medicine, a copy of Tradewind magazine, lithium batteries and a 24-ounce bottle of Mountain Dew. Houser, then 43, had struggled with substance abuse for most of his adult life, after a work-related back injury at age 15 left him with a prescription-painkiller addiction. Houser was on his phone at the check-out counter when he noticed a police officer approaching the store. He rushed out after paying for his items and drove off in his truck.
#Shortly afterward, the same officer, Wade Beard, stopped Houser and held the unarmed man at gunpoint while waiting for another officer, Scott Quinn, to arrive. The store clerk, Crystal Strickland, had notified Beard of Houser's "nervous" demeanor and his purchase of the batteries and medicine, which contained pseudoephedrine—ingredients commonly used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
#Quinn arrested Houser for driving with a suspended license, while Beard and a police dog searched his vehicle. They later recovered the cold medicine and the batteries, which Houser testified he had purchased for his game camera, and which he had thrown out of his truck earlier because he was worried about his previous criminal history.
#Police charged Houser with "possession of precursors" to create an illicit drug—meth. In Mississippi, being caught with ingredients for a drug can land a person in jail, regardless of whether the person has manufactured or possesses the drug at the time of arrest.
(Excerpt) Read more at jacksonfreepress.com ...
There is so much missing information that I can’t form an opinion on this.
“Precursors” — seems like thought crime. “He didn’t do anything, but I know he was thinking about it!”
Putting someone in prison for life who hasn’t committed armed robbery, rape or murder is excessive and inhumane.
You’re talking about putting people who aren’t a threat to society much less than to themselves behind bars until they die.
How many seniors are violent criminals? I rest my case.
Did he create meth? Was that established in court? Buying precursors isn’t in and of itself a crime.
I have a meth precursor in my pocket, and am about to ingest it (we have bad allergies here in South Texas during the winter). It is beyond absurd and unjust to punish people for doing NOTHING wrong. If the officer found actual meth on this guy, that’d be a different story.
If it is, then cold medicines should be considered illegal in that state.
“Precursors”... Sure, if you buy a six pack you can arrested for drunk and disorderly.. :(
And yet political figures, alphabet traitors, and coup plotters remain free.
He bought cold medicines and batteries from a pharmacy. Apparently that’s illegal in MS if you have a “nervous demeanor.”
No proof of making illegal drugs needs to be proven. Just having legal purchases on your person is enough to land you behind bars for life.
Go figure.
#Shortly
#Quinn
#Police
What language is this? Do they speak English there?
The idea is that some things may be legal but are so obviously intended for criminal use that law is adjusted to allow prosecution anyway. In this case, “sudafed” can easily be turned into meth; given enough circumstantial evidence, a known druggie with a quantity of pseudoephedrine, an “oh $#!^ I got caught” demeanor, and other indicators gives police reason to stop this guy before he fs up someone’s life further.
Problem is the intention of the law turns into a tool for a prosecutor to rack up convictions. This guy understandably was skittish about cops (heck, I’m skittish and have no record nor infraction beyond an old speeding ticket), and seems just wanted to stop sniffling from allergies (Sudafed is great). Conviction seems overkill, just another win for the prosecutor ... but may be more we don’t know.
I'm guessing that there is more to this story. Given he has been deemed a habitual offender, I'm quite certain of it. The one previous conviction on selling less than an ounce of marijuana seems pretty harmless but we don't know the circumstances of that offense. This could easily be a plea in order to save the time and expense of a trial for a more serious offense.
No, I don’t think the conviction is right. He didn’t do anything actually wrong. “Precrime” convictions are evil.
Buy apples, caramel, and razor blades in October and see if DAs will wait to act.
Wow, another bash Mississippi Thread?
It’s been a busy couple of days around here.
I’m surprised someone didn’t Post the recent Article from a Black Publication saying that the outgoing MS Governor was a Racist (using a sensationalist Headline) because he bashed the Black Democrat that wants to run for Senator.
“Putting someone in prison for life who hasn’t committed armed robbery, rape or murder is excessive and inhumane.”
Do you know his criminal history? A Juvie record won’t show, but the cops and Judge will know.
I’m law and order as they come. Locking someone up until they die when they haven’t harmed anyone isn’t right.
If God can forgive, why can’t we? None of us is perfect and we all deserve a second chance.
A society incapable of showing mercy isn’t a decent society in my book.
He committed a crime. But does he have to pay with the rest of his life for it?
Drug abuse and trafficking is definitely bad news. I am not excusing their behavior. Lots of theft that goes on around it. But there is another side to it.
There is way too much incentive to law enforcement and the court system to prosecute users. I help my son pay through the system. I have seen it in action. Then there is asset confiscation and dirty cops that are involved in the drug trade themselves. They make money off of it. I just keep marveling and the $80K SUV police/ deputy cars that they drive around. No shortage of money that I see in law enforcement where I live.
I have said before, drug addicts are the easiest people in the world to take advantage of, and from what I have seen, they most definitely are taken advantage of.
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