AG's Offfice seems to be a Problem

Linda from Michigan,
It is admirable to your approach in trying to solve crimes in the USVI, but there is a saying, don't throw stones if your roof is made out of glass. Especially from a person that is promoting the legalization of marijuana, which is one of the contributing factors of crime (people trying to support their habits) in the VI. How can you be serving two masters? You want to legalize marijuana to have a bunch of pot-smoking tourists come down here?(per your myspace NORML page) When you're sitting in the lobby of the Attorney General's office demanding to be seen, why don't you baal up a spliff and start smoking the chronic there and see where that leads you. I hope the pilot that flies your plane down here isn't high off of what you're trying to legalize so his coordination skills are so slowed down that he crashes the plane.
Yeah, and I'm sure all the senators that are known to smoke the chronic want to meet with you and make headway in that aspect.

There is nobody here, whether for 5 minutes or 50 years who doesn't want the crime to stop. Many of us have done everything we can in this regard to the best of our abilities but some of your posts, Linda, (and I'm sure you don't mean it to be so) come across as if you're the first one to ever get in a dither about crime & the rest of us are sitting in gated communities with guards, tsk-tsking over what the "natives" are doing. It comes across as preaching & unless people voluntarily go to church lots of people don't like it.

I commend your passion but you're not talking to the criminals here nor are you talking to people who don't care. Acting like or implying that the people you're trying to get to help you are lazy, complacent or just not as smart or community-oriented as you just gets hackles up & that's not good for any cause.

Before anyone attacks me, read what I said carefully.

sharkhunter what part of the prohibition don't you get?
If pot were legal - and inexpensive home grown even - there would be no need to bust heads for pot money.
Prohibition didn't work and neither does the "war on drugs". Just made mobsters rich.
I don't partake but I would rather those who choose to do so have ready access rather than out terrorizing people for chump change.

I have been told that suspects in Peter Des Jardins murder have been identified, and that there has been a warrant issued for the suspects. Problem is the warrants are sitting in the AG's office, and may 4-7 days to be executed. Seems our police have done their job, but there is no priority set by the AG's office. This is a broken system, and energy needs to be focused on the lack of initiative from AG's office. I feel that if these suspects are out and about now, and possibly commit another death crime, then we the people need to personally hold responsible each and every person who works at the AG's office responsible.

How does the breakdown get fixed?

Virtually every jurisdiction under the United States flag (states, territories, etc.,) pursuant to both state and federal rules of criminal procedure, gives law enforcement officers the authority to make warrantless arrests in felony cases where they believe there is probable cause that a felony crime was committed and that a particular person or persons committed the crime. IF the police in this case really do have PC to make an arrest, I suspect they may do so without the necessity of a warrant. It is much more likely that the police, if they have developed information concerning this case, have brought that info to the attention of the prosecutors for review as to whether there is "enough" to justify making an arrest. Not at all unusual in a high profile murder case. Again, in virtually every jurisdiction the prosecutor has absolute discretion and authority as to whether or not to prosecute a particular case. In a case like this the last thing you want to have happen is a "rush to judgment" without making sure (as best you can) that you actually have a good case to go forward with.

Steve

Let's begin with this revelation. I don't smoke marijuana. I don't use drugs. I don't even drink alcohol. Test me. I'm clean.

You speak of smoking Chronic. I don't really know what that is except a term used for high end marijuana. Here's what I found when I googled "Chronic marijuana".
1.) One of the stronger strains of marijuana. It is actually NOT used to describe just any sort of good weed, there is a certain type, usually indica, that is labeled chronic. It won 3rd place at the 1994 High Times Cannabis Cup.

Actually, Indica is one of the types of marijuana that has very good medicinal qualities and Chronic is an Indica strain. You can look here to see the various strains and what conditions they are used for - http://ripatients.org/medical/strainguide/

USVI NORML does advocate and is working to bring reform to our laws that will allow for the compassionate alternative treatment that medical marijuana offers to people with severe medical conditions. And yes, there are over 300,000 registered medical marijuana patients in the 13 United States that have legalized medical marijuana. Not all states offer or require registration. With 11 more states having legislation pending, why would we - America's Paradise - want to ignore potentially 400,000 + tourists? They deserve a place as beautiful and peaceful as the USVI to vacation as much as anyone else. Currently there are only 3 states that offer reciprocation. Those are Michigan, Montana, and Rhode Island. So should we ignore 400,000 potential tourists by not writing into our law the ability for reciprocation just because their medicine isn't purchased from a Pharmacy?

We are very much anti-crime. I see no conflict (rather just the opposite) in proposing reform to the laws regarding marijuana use and working within the community (and the AG's office) to reduce crime in the Territory. We are looking to remove the black market for marijuana by allowing registered medical and religious users the ability to cultivate their own, have a caregiver grow it for them, or acquire it from a Territorial licensed facility. Not only would this remove the black market, it would generate jobs and business taxes that would then remain in the Territory. We plan to include decriminalization of small quantities of marijuana punishable with a civil fine. At the same time we are working to include wording that will severely punish with stiff mandatory sentences those - regardless of registration - who possess marijuana during the commission of a crime or possess marijuana and an illegal firearm. We advocate the fines from offenders be used to offset the costs of the mandatory drug use/abuse counseling that all underage offenders will undergo as their sentence. This is some of what we are working toward.

We are also talking about the possibility of including the agricultural growth of cannabis hemp for industrial use, as well as businesses that would make cannabis preparations to sell to medical patients. Again, bringing jobs and business taxes to the Territory.

We are working on an educational program that will be targeted to families and school age children discussing medical marijuana, marijuana's use as a religious sacrament, discussion of what the law is, how people may use marijuana for medical or religious reasons within the law, and what the consequences are if someone breaks the law.

We also have begun preparing our educational forums that we will have around the islands to bring the truth about medical cannabis use to the people of the VI and set aside misconceptions. We have additional information that speaks specifically to the medical professionals, educating them to the use of cannabis as adjunct therapy. We are just beginning our work with the Legislature and Law Enforcement - having discussions with them, educating them, and working with them to reduce the amount of gun violence and gang related crime. The public forums will be open to all and will educate and encourage questions from the people so that complete understanding can be achieved.

I truly believe that what I do, what USVI NORML does, is very much in line with reducing violence and crime against the citizens and visitors of the USVI.

Thank you for this opportunity, sharkhunter, to share our plans with this board.

Trade, I apologize if that is how I have come across. I believe that many have tried before me- many are currently trying to make change happen. I am not the first, and far from the best. I am determined and want to join forces with other like-minded people to stop the crime that plagues our islands. I do have time - which is sometimes lacking with those who must work.

I am not trying to be a saviour here. Just an activist who might help bring awareness to enough people that real change can happen.

Please take no offense. I am far from arrogant and look to those who've been there, done that to give your voice, but with explanation as to why something won't work - what happened when it was tried - and what the pitfalls lay in the way.

I love this island Territory and will do whatever is in my power to bring people together to make it a better place.

Michaelds9

I understand and know what is prohibition. Prohibition started with alcohol and what was the end result? An increase of violent crime in the US. Now that alcohol is legal what has been the end result of that? A very high number of Drunk Drivers on our roads and majority of those drunk driver come out unscathed with innocent bystanders are either getting maimed or dead.

The concept of the use of illegal narcotics is that they will get the ultimate high the first time the individual uses it and they continue looking for that same feeling, unfortunately they can't find it and that is how they get HOOKED. Then they look for the next illegal drug that will give them a higher high. Do we really want to legalize marijuana? So when those few individuals get immune to it what is next? Legalizing Cocaine, Crack, Heroin or Crank since someone will come up with the BS story of it's medicinal powers? I am going to tell you the end result of that and that is a bunch of strung out addicts and more violence. I know you probably have "programmed" responses to this.

Linda from Michigan

Regarding your last post, I have only one thing to say. This is sticking the camels nose underneath the tent... People are smart enough to see what you are doing and that is to ease something in under the pretext of being a medical help. This is same as having someone start with soft core porn then gradually move up to hard core porn and then being in the movie themselves. I don't want to make this your soapbox. That's what you guys are trying to do on the call-in radio shows: change every topic to talking about this issue. I don't want to go to the gas station and see the NORML business cards with the typed out speech to say on the back of the card to police officers when a person is stopped --that you are refusing to talk and want your attorney, etc. PLEASE. This is what a "medicinal legal user" needs???Stop canvassing this island.

Illegal enterprises are lucrative businesses for no other reason than because they are illegal. If there were no such thing as illicit drugs, drugs would be reasonably priced and taxed. Some people would use drugs for recreation, some people would abuse drugs, but the vast majority of people wouldn't spend their hard earned money on drugs. Any good or service that is illegal is big business for criminals, so if you want to eliminate criminals, you must legalize those lucrative endeavors.

For example, I think it's foolish to spend law enforcement resources on apprehending and prosecuting adults who exchange money for sex. If adults want to sell sexual services, and adults want to buy sexual services, then it should be legal for those adults to transact business. Some may hold religious views that make the exchange of sex for money immoral, but we should not legislate morality, because requiring you to abide by my moral view is as wrong as requiring me to abide by your moral view.

I think adults should be free -- to use drugs, to buy and sell sexual services, to buy and sell body parts -- but society should hold adults accountable for their choices. This means you can drink/smoke/snort/inject whatever you want in whatever body part you fancy, be a whore or a john, sell a kidney, I don't care, but if you drive impaired you will lose your freedom, and if a customer or service provider gives you AIDS, or the kidney you have left is failing, you should not look to taxpayers to subsidize treatment for your health problems, because the clinic and ER will turn you away.

Edited to add that the censored word is how some spell relief: w-h-o-r-e.

sharkhunter I know all about the effects of alcohol.
I'm the child of an alcoholic.
I had a sixteen yr young cousin murdered by a drunk driver. A drunk driver already convicted of repeated drunk driving escapades.
Passing laws against drunk driving doesn't stop drunks from driving. Nor will passing laws against pot stop those who want to partake.
Prohibition only made thugs rich and anti-drug laws do the same for thugs today.
On the other hand I know people who use pot and others who use alcohol without causing harm to other persons.

I respectfully ask you to please explain this to me with logic and not emotion.
How is using pot to relieve the pain of chemotherapy any different from using prescribed narcotics for the same purpose?

Michaelds9 :
I respectfully ask you to please explain this to me with logic and not emotion.
How is using pot to relieve the pain of chemotherapy any different from using prescribed narcotics for the same purpose?

Um, not to speak for Sharkhunter, since he is an idiot, but maybe because pot is illegal???

Seems to take money away from the true medical researchers. As you said, the pain chemotherapy, may not be different from using prescribed narcotics for the same purpose Then my reasoning is, why not use prescribed narcotics???

Here's your chance, following is the ... all the (this is where all the "studies say this" and what the "hippies says that") can post a comment.

There are only a few of us answering RELOCATION questions & I think this is a relocation board. 😀

I have to get something straight........The Spanish job....I worked 2 weeks and quit that Spanish job...............2 weeks, i really thought they were giving me something I was qualified in "eventually" and they never even bothered to help me out....... so I QUIT!
It was my first teaching job right out of college, I was a bit clueless to say the least. I was offered a job at St. Mary's teaching reading and working in the library so I went there and worked instead. My point was that I could have just stayed and taught and no one would have cared.
To give the money back is stupid....... a substitute does that job and doesn't have to speak SPanish.....I was hired and worked everyday of those 2 weeks and did the very best I could with the little curriculum that was provided, which was nothing except tapes and books..... I don't see how that is "fraud"??
When I was hired all they gave me was a tape recorder and a cart. I also had Spanish books and Spanish tapes. I went around to the classrooms and passed out the books and played the tapes. All the kids had to do was follow along. I could NOT imagine doing that all year long!!! When I asked if there was anything else, no one knew anything. I tried to talk to the principal and she was never around. Being fresh out of college and my first teaching job I needed more assistance, especially in a subject that I knew nothing about.

Marijuana and THC ingestion causes cell abnormalities, alters normal cell division, and decreases cell immunity. So why give it to a cancer patient or someone with glaucoma when it is harming them more than helping? Marijuana is a gateway drug. I can't think of any medicine that you would smoke to help you, and it doesn't make sense. I wouldn't give it to a pregnant lady. There are plenty of studies out there. Here is a site. I'm not putting the whole argument on here: www.justthinktwice.com/factfiction/MarijuanaisMedicine.cfm.

It causes people to become paranoid and not think rationally. We all know people who have smoked it and how they acted. There are reasons why substances are controlled, and that it because of their propensity for harm and abuse. I get it that people don't want "big brother" telling them what to do, they want to do whatever they want and not be restricted-- sell body parts, pay for sex, whatever, but there has to be some safeguards in society. it has been shown that the THC in marijuana limits vomiting. Then for that purpose, IF you are seriously advocating for "medical THC use" advocate for making the THC synthetically in pill form, and limit its dosage, versus smoking it, knowing the risks of THC on the body. This has been done, it's on the site above. But there are other, legal drug options for treating nausea/vomiting.

I'm sure Michael Jackson wanted the proporal sedative to be sold over the counter or at a "medical dispensary" because it plain knocked him out at night and got rid of all his pain, but there was a reason why it was limited to pain control in surgery, to be administered by an anesthesiologist. This argument is really a side-track issue, my mind won't be changed, as others won't the other way. I'm not having anymore back and forth on it. I really don't care what Melissa Etheridge says about pot usage so not watching your video, just like I don't care what Tom Cruise says about Scientology or any of the other things he wants to be an expert about.

The point I was originally making about Linda from Michigan was that she wants this drug legalized, but she wants to bum rush the system when someone throws a post up there that perhaps a warrant on the Pickled Greek shooting is floating around the Atty General's Office. Don't you want a thorough investigation versus the "awful, oppressive" government running out there and making a fast arrest without getting all the facts and evidence? Hypocritical. Agitators are just agitators sometimes.

There are only a few of us answering RELOCATION questions & I think this is a relocation board. 😀

You are correct. (tu)

Mea culpa !

Oh, and one more thing. Linda from Michigan: you said this:

We are looking to remove the black market for marijuana by allowing registered medical and religious users the ability to cultivate their own, have a caregiver grow it for them, or acquire it from a Territorial licensed facility. Not only would this remove the black market, it would generate jobs and business taxes that would then remain in the Territory.

WHAT!? You want to start pot farms or grow labs on the island as a way of making JOBS???And have "caregivers" grow it for them. Nice way to try and word it. You don't think a THEFT problem or guard problem will occur, like, the usual way marijuana growers protect their product-with vicious dogs, booby traps and guns?? And also, people wouldn't try to grow it it themselves and then sell it for a better price to the "medical users"???This is giving the DEA more reason to do eradications. I guess this is what you want to be an entrepreneur in, since you say you have a lot of time on your hand with no job.

sharkhunter, you are the one who broached the subject of my connection with USVI NORML. I didn't mention it at all till you brought it up and persecuted me for being a concerned citizen and a medical MJ activist (apparently in your eyes one can't be both without a hidden agenda). This post was never about MJ - and I apologize for contributing to the morph.

I never suggested that I or anyone else should "bum rush" the system, but finding out what is really happening isn't a crime. I spent too much of my time on STX working 12 hour days - 6 days per week at times. I never had the time or energy to become actively involved in cleaning up the island and making it a better place to live. Now I do have the time and energy. I believe we all should know what is going on - and who is making decisions that affect us. And that any small part we can do to make this a better place will spark others to make small changes that will result in big change down the way. I also believe in concerned citizens banding together to effect big change.

I am the daughter of a retired cop. I worked for a lawyer who worked both state and federal cases. I even watch Law & Order - all of us should know by now that they have to review cases to ensure they will not be stricken down for lack of evidence or any other number of reasons prior to making the arrest. But we also know that there is corruption and mistakes that come from various government entities on these islands. So a bit of checking up on things doesn't hurt.

There are real problems that exist in departments and agencies in this Territory that need to be addressed and fixed. Don't hate me for wanting to make this a better, safer place for people to live.

Marijuana and THC ingestion causes cell abnormalities, alters normal cell division, and decreases cell immunity. So why give it to a cancer patient or someone with glaucoma when it is harming them more than helping? Marijuana is a gateway drug. I can't think of any medicine that you would smoke to help you, and it doesn't make sense. I wouldn't give it to a pregnant lady. There are plenty of studies out there. Here is a site. I'm not putting the whole argument on here: www.justthinktwice.com/factfiction/MarijuanaisMedicine.cfm.Agitators are just agitators sometimes.

sharky I assume you want to ban the following also?

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/smokehealth.htm
How do cigarettes damage health?

Cigarettes contain more than 4000 chemical compounds and at least 400 toxic substances.

When you inhale, a cigarette burns at 700°C at the tip and around 60°C in the core. This heat breaks down the tobacco to produce various toxins.

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/brain/Brain_Damage_and_Alcohol_Consumption.htm
Brain Damage and Alcohol Consumption
Brain damage is a common and potentially severe consequence of long-term, heavy alcohol consumption. Even mild-to-moderate drinking can adversely affect cognitive functioning.
http://digg.com/health/Big_Macs_Cause_Brain_Damage
Big Macs Cause Brain Damage

newstarget.com — "The Mental Health Foundation says scientific studies have clearly linked attention deficit disorder, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia to junk food and the absence of essential fats, vitamins and minerals in industrialised diets."

SOMEBODY PLEASE STOP ME BAWAHAHAHAHA I'VE HAD TOO MANY BIG MACS!

(sorry you may now return to your regularly scheduled entertainment)

Run From the Cure....The Rick Simpson Story

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7331006790306000271