The Green Vote

During yesterday's historic election of Barack Obama as President of the United States of America a couple of states passed laws pertaining to medical marijuana and marijuana decriminalization.

In Mass. voters passed a a decrim bill.

Voters yesterday overwhelmingly approved a ballot initiative to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, making getting caught with less than an ounce of pot punishable by a civil fine of $100. The change in the law means someone found carrying dozens of joints will no longer be reported to the state's criminal history board.

With about 90 percent of the state's precincts reporting last night, voters favored the Question 2 proposition 65 percent to 35 percent.

In Michigan voters approved a medical marijuana bill that will allow patients to grow their own medical marijuana for certain medical conditions.

Michigan voters favored sanctioning the use of medical marijuana to treat debilitating illness Tuesday, apparently rejecting arguments that doing so would increase crime and juvenile drug use.
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The marijuana measure, Proposal 1, led 63% to 37%, with 87% precincts tallied early this morning. The vote was 2,566,783 in favor to 1,526,477 against.

When it goes into effect -- 10 days after the vote is certified later this month -- patients suffering from cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS and other conditions can be authorized to cultivate, possess and use marijuana without fear of prosecution under state law.

Michigan becomes the 13th state to approve medical marijuana, meaning that one in four Americans will live in a place where the use of the herb for medical purposes will be legal, according to advocates for legalization.

I also want to mention that Rep. Barney Frank introduced Federal decrim legislation earlier this year and I expect it to come up again after the newly elected Congress and Senate take office in January.

And on another really bright note Shanta Owens DEFEATS Davis Lawley for Jefferson County drug court judge. I've been working my folks behind the scenes for weeks to get out the vote for Mrs. Owens and she and I have been communicating directly. She has great potential to do this thing right. I am THRILLED that she kicked the shit out of Davis Lawley.

BHAM News Endorses Shanta Owens for Drug Court Judge

YAY!! They got at least one endorsement right. From today's opinion section....

District Court, Place 2:

This is the Jefferson County Drug Court, and it needs a judge with passion for this specialized job. The current judge, Republican Davis Lawley, was appointed in 2007 by Riley after longtime judge O.L. "Pete" Johnson retired.

Democrat Shanta Owens, a former Jefferson County assistant district attorney, is a better fit.

Much of Lawley's practice before being appointed to the bench was at Family Court. Lawley was defeated in a run for the Family Court bench in 2000. Neither candidate is well-known to the Birmingham Bar: After more than a year on the bench, Lawley still is listed as "unknown" by 62 percent of the bar poll respondents. Owens is unknown by 73 percent.

But we believe Owens has the better skills for this court. Her time in the district attorney's office was spent dealing with criminal prosecutions, and she was a senior trial attorney when she resigned to campaign. Her felony trial experience should help her determine which defendants are likely to thrive in Drug Court and which would better be served by incarceration. Owens wants to build on Drug Court's success by making sure defendants have at least a GED, become involved in their communities and find permanent jobs.

Owens is the right person.

As I said in an earlier post I disagree with drug court altogether. Drug use and addiction are health and social issues and not criminal ones. However, I have to work with what I have and Shanta Owens is a much better pick for drug court judge than Judge Davis Lawley who prefers the approach of his hero Chairman Mao when it comes to dealing with drug use and addiction. We don't need that on the bench or anywhere in our judicial system.

If you live in the Jefferson County Place 2 area VOTE SHANTA OWENS on November 4th. Tell all your friends and family to do the same.

Jefferson Co. Drug Court Judge Race

Just read in the BHAM News this morning that the Jefferson Co. Drug Court Judge race is happening in November. This is a Place 2 race if you are in Jefferson County. The candidates are Judge Davis Lawley, who is currently the drug court Judge in Jeff. Co., was appointed by Gov. Riley because Riley and his mama were friends and is a former door-kicker-inner for a drug task force as well as a former prosecutor for a drug task force ( and who I had a run-in with earlier this year) and Shanta Owens a former prosecutor with the Jefferson Co. District Attorneys office.

From the article...

Davis Lawley:

Lawley, 46, said Drug Court needs an experienced judge versed in the latest methods to break addiction.

"You have to have specialized knowledge of what an addict is and what is needed to help them recover," he said. "You have to be patient and do it correctly, and not just be there processing cases. I care about the court, know how it's put together and know what it needs to keep going."

So, Judge Lawley, what are the newest methods to break addiction? I work with addicts nearly every day. I just lost a brother a few weeks ago to alcohol and opiate addiction and I have another one who shits blood every day because he is more addicted to alcohol than anyone else I have ever come across. If you are so 'versed' in what it takes to break addiction then do tell what you know so that I may save my remaining brother's life. If you know how to break addiction will you tell us now or will you pull a John McCain and not tell us unless we elect you?

As for being patient and doing it correctly....I recall that when I questioned you at the Federalist Society meeting earlier this year you said, "Everyone in the room here is educated so I can say this....Chairman Mao in China cut off the heads of drug addicts and pushers...we can't do that here of course so we have drug court."

Is that your definition of being patient and doing it right? Would you lop off the heads of addicts and dealers, like your hero Chairman Mao if you could? If I recall correctly the MAO also targeted intellectuals, which you might possibly be considered if you had lived in China during that time. But, judging from what I saw that day when you and I came toe to toe you might escape with your head because your intellect is certainly questionable.

"I care about the court" translates to "I want to keep my job". "I know how its put together"....Well, so does nearly everyone else. "I know what it takes to keep it going" and so do we. Keeping it going translates to the continued rounding up on non-violent drug offenders (pot smokers especially) and extorting them of all their money and when they run out of money putting them in one of your nifty government cages.

Shanta Owens:

While prosecuting felony cases in Jefferson County Circuit Court, Owens has learned that punishment isn't the only tool for dealing with drug issues, she said.

"I know how to appropriately punish the drug offenders who deserve it, the sellers and traffickers, but also be compassionate to those who have an addiction," she said.

"I have been tough on violent crime," she said. "But I also have advocated drug treatment and rehabilitation for several defendants."

Owens, 31, resigned from the prosecutor's office earlier this year to run for the judgeship. She said she prosecuted more than 100 jury trials during her tenure.

I do not know a lot about Ms. Owens. I do know that some of my friends at TASC in BHAM support her as individuals (not as an organization) and I know the person who handles her credit card donations. I have heard from them that she is more focused on helping people as opposed to punishing them. Her statements to the newspaper somewhat reflect that. I also hear that she has a pretty good understanding of what the drug war has done to the African-American community. I will be talking to some others today about what else she thinks about the drug war over all.

It is hard for me to endorse a candidate for drug court. Drug court should not exist. The drug war should not exist. People who want to use drugs should be allowed to use all the drugs they want and not be accosted by law enforcement unless they endanger others or deny someone else life, liberty or property. If they become addicted then it should be their or their family's decision to get them treatment. Drug court ISN'T TREATMENT. Drug court is a money scam and government sanctioned harassment of people who are sick and need medical care. Addiction should not be a law enforcement issue. It is a health and social issue.

Having said that, if I lived in Birmingham and the election was held today I'd cast my vote for Shanta Owens. At least she has never lovingly referred to a Communist Tyrant and his penchant for lopping off the heads of people with a medical condition.