Brandon Minor Arrested on Marijuana Charges
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/local-crime/2011/nov/28/former-varin…
Sad. I always hoped this guy's career would be better since my high school and his were so close, but he never seemed able to stay healthy. Hopefully things work out for him.
EDIT: Mods, feel free to delete this thread, the whole thing has disintegrated into an (unforeseen) debate on marijuana laws. Sorry.
[MOD-PGB: Normally I enjoy a good debate but this one has been had before and we don't need another 50% saying pot should be legalized vs. 50% saying laws are laws and should be abided by. So I locked this thread but am leaving it up because it is pertinent news about a former beloved Wolverine. Good post, JClay.]
November 29th, 2011 at 11:45 AM ^
This is the charge that will get him some time. Baggies, scale etc. Never ride dirty Brandon
November 29th, 2011 at 11:48 AM ^
when your former teammate is always ridin dirty
November 29th, 2011 at 12:00 PM ^
It's no turtle though
November 29th, 2011 at 11:46 AM ^
He gets his life on track? Who knows what he is doing with his life? We are talking about some weed here. Come on man.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:49 AM ^
But it's still illegal. And having scales and such, with an intent to distribute charge is definitely a crime (obviously) that could have jail time. I dont know about you, but someone making choices that are sending themselves to jail is someone who "needs to get his life on track" to me.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:51 AM ^
on whether the thing sending him to jail is something that should be sending him to jail.
Sorry, I know, I know, no politics. But the reaction when someone gets arrested with some pot is almost always hilariously over the top.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:56 AM ^
but Rules are Rules. Laws are Laws, etc. Whether or not you agree that something should or shouldn't be illegal isn't relevant to its actual legality.
The laws are in place, and he broke them. For more on this see: Ohio (State)/Tattoo Scandal. Sure they "just got some free tats, no big deal" but there are rules in place against it, and most of us hope the NCAA does the right thing and comes down on them.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:58 AM ^
but this is just so hilariously arbitrary. If Brandon Minor got caught with 2 unopened cases of beer, no one would be saying "oh no, I really hope he gets his life on track" because no one would think that having 2 cases of beer meant your life was off track.
I fail to see any distinction whatsoever other than the law arbitrarily deciding that having pot means your life is off track while having beer just means you're a fun guy (obviously driving under the influence of anything is a completely different situation that should be taken incredibly seriously).
November 29th, 2011 at 12:05 PM ^
On a personal level I think (if this is too political I apologize) a lot of the drug-related laws in this country were made by older, affluent politicians years ago who had no idea what the hell they were talking about. Many of them are dated and bad laws.
However, the laws still exist and are on the books. According to the laws, having pot =/= having beer. Just because a speed limit on a certain street is too low, that doesn't mean you can go as fast as you want. Some speed limits are arbitrary too. Modern cars are faster and safer than cars were when the speed limits were established. Does that mean we don't have to follow them?
November 29th, 2011 at 11:59 AM ^
So all rules and laws are good then?
November 29th, 2011 at 12:02 PM ^
but deciding not to follow a bad law is still illegal. There are ways to change laws, ignoring the ones that you don't like isn't a good way to go about changing them.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:14 PM ^
It is the duty of responsible citizens to disobey unjust laws. I'm not saying anything about this law in particular, I'm speaking in a broad sense.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:19 PM ^
"The only place for a just man in unjust times is prision" Was that MLK Jr? Did I even get the quote right?
November 29th, 2011 at 12:21 PM ^
I respect you as a fellow poster, but this comment is riotous. You honestly believe that a "responsible" citizen should purposely disobey "unjust" laws? That's basically the definition of anarchy. Responsible citizens should petition their elected officials to get the laws changed. Responsible citizens that choose to ignore/disobey laws should be thrown in jail. I won't even get into the discussion of what qualifies as "responsible" and "unjust" . . .
November 29th, 2011 at 11:55 AM ^
And did you even read the article? There's no mention of scales, baggies, nothing like that... Reserve your judgement please.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:58 AM ^
This charge will come with discovery of materials. He had to have baggies and/or a scale. Otherwise only possession would be charged.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:59 AM ^
says possession of more than an ounce (or whatever) automatically means you intended to distribute.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:09 PM ^
See His Dudeness's comment below. Often times charges are proportional to the amount you have so:
A little = possesion
some more = possesion with intent to distribute
even more = worse charge
etc.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:00 PM ^
Not true in the slightest...
November 29th, 2011 at 12:13 PM ^
just checked. I would have thought that you would need discovery of materials, etc. How can a law be written that only an ounce of weed or so would be 'intent to distribute'? What a crock.
Thanks for setting me straight.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:16 PM ^
The thought behind the laws are (not saying I agree with them but...)
If you have X Amount of drugs (not just weed, cocaine and other drug laws are similar) you intend to use them
If you have Y Amount of drugs, you can't possibly use all of it, so you intend to distribute
If you have Z Amount of drugs, you're a higher level criminal, because the only thing you can do with that amount of drugs is run a cartel.
As some people above have argued, the values of X, Y and Z were relatively arbitrary, decided years ago by Politicians (aka, historically, mostly white, rich males - who never would have admitted using drugs).
November 29th, 2011 at 12:16 PM ^
And thanks for not being a jerk about it.
Kumbaya...
November 29th, 2011 at 12:21 PM ^
WE BEAT OHIO!!!!!!
Now if Urb Creyer steals our Kalis in the next two months I might be a jerk.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:50 AM ^
Intent to distribute any illegal drug is a big deal. Personal convictions aside, this doesn't bode well for anyone.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:56 AM ^
but "intent to distribute" can mean nothing more than "had more than an arbitrary quantity of drugs such that the law presumes you meant to deal it even if you didn't."
November 29th, 2011 at 11:58 AM ^
Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is how it is in Virginia. I think anything over an ounce is intent to distribute, and I don't think that's very much marijuana. I don't know where people are getting this "scales and baggies" talk unless there's another article on the subject I've missed.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:02 PM ^
This is accurate.
It is often based on weight caught with and that weight is a very small amount (anything over a half oz. I think is what it is in MI).
November 29th, 2011 at 12:17 PM ^
That's harsh - and it would create an inaccurate description of the situation for a few people I knew in college.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:50 AM ^
Regardless of what one's thoughts is on marijuana, I don't think anyone can say being arrested for having some is a positive event in one's life. He doesn't appear to be in pro football in any context anymore either after bouncing around a couple of practice squads. I don't mean to be snarky, I legitimately mean I hope things start going, you know, better for the guy.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:54 AM ^
This is a good thing I'm just saying using a phrase like I hope he gets his life on track is a tiny bit judgmental. Do you know him personally? We all need to get our life on track.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:47 AM ^
The weed helps him with his Minor Rage. It's medicinal.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:52 AM ^
My first thought was Hoke's going to be mad...then I remembered he's graduated.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:55 AM ^
He may get some time. Certainly hoping for the best to come of this bad situation he put himself in.
On that note... #LegalizeItFerGodSakes
November 29th, 2011 at 12:00 PM ^
So much time and money is wasted arresting and jailing people for weed charges (not that I recommend breaking the law). Erase if this is too political.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:06 PM ^
just make weed legal.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:15 PM ^
A little weed never hurt anyone
November 29th, 2011 at 12:14 PM ^
I hope he wasn't doing anything foolish....like smoking it in the car. Keep it secured in the trunk or out of sight fergodsakes!! When you are scoring, park your car a few blocks away and walk to the spot. Bring a backpack, try to look like a student. When you leave the weed spot, take a look around outside through the windows for any narcs. Leave preferably through the back door and walk through the alley. You should have worn something like a brightly colored sweatshirt that you can take off and stash in the backpack on your way back to the car. Throws the heat off you. Take a roundabout walk back to your car, and closely inspect the vehicles around your own, taking note of anybody sitting in them. Check out as many of them as you can. Don't drive high when you are carrying (or generally, I might add). Drive carefully. Keep smoking in moderation, and don't ever feel bad because some squares might look down on you for it. It can truly open your mind if you don't do it too much, and don't come to rely on it.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:20 PM ^
I'm not saying this is the case but what if it come out we was selling topeople with cancer,or aids? The "crime" of smoking or selling weed is foolish when you can go buy cancer sticks anywhere. Hopefully weed is the only thing Minor was into.