In Georgia, eat Spaghetti-O's get felony meth charges

[Balog]

http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/6/article/104678/

Huff was arrested July 2 by the Gainesville Police Department, suspected of having meth residue on a spoon, van Rossem said.

“From what I understand, she was a passenger in a car and had a spoon on her, near her, and I guess the officer, for whatever reason, thought there was some residue,” he said.

Nothing like destroying a person's life cause a cop had some feels, for whatever reason. I'd love to read the initial arrest report, which conveniently can't be found anymore.

“I think what the unfortunate part about her case is that she was probably willing to take the felony to close out her case so that she get out of jail, even though she always maintained innocence,” van Rossem said.

I wonder how many innocent folks become felons via plea bargain just to avoid the destruction the system is wreaking on their lives?

ETA: for those who are wondering, yes this took place in the next county over from the one that flash banged the baby in his crib, lied about why, then refused to cover the family's medical expenses. Note to self: never go to Georgia.

[Balog]

To be fair to Georgia, in NY all you have to do to get arrested on meth charges is buy some Jolly Ranchers.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/city-settles-men-arrested-nypd-cops-confused-jolly-ranchers-crystal-meth-article-1.1927186

[zxcvbob]

The officer’s report states he received consent to search Huff’s 1994 Ford Explorer, and searched a bag with the name “Ashley” printed on it. The officer described Huff, a passenger, as “nervous,” noting sores on her face, arms and legs. Inside the bag was a spoon with a “clear, crystal-like substance,” according to the report.

Huff disputes the claim, saying it was orange SpaghettiOs spaghetti sauce, as she told the officer in the police report.

Why you never -- ever -- give consent to search your vehicle.

[Balog]

It should also be noted that the "open sores on her face" had magically disappeared by the time she had her mugshot taken. Obviously she's a witch.

[Tallpine]

It should also be noted that the "open sores on her face" had magically disappeared by the time she had her mugshot taken. Obviously she's a witch.

Spaghetti-O's is a pretty messy meal 

[Scout26]

I bet if she would have had an empty coffee can or three in the back seat, she would have been summarily executed.

[brimic]

Probably charged with drug possession because they didn't have enough cash on them worth seizing.

[Angel Eyes]

To be fair to Georgia, in NY all you have to do to get arrested on meth charges is buy some Jolly Ranchers.

Which reminded me of:  http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/sep/30/nm-grade-schoolers-suspended-for-breaking-bad-cand/

No arrests, but the kids were suspended.

[cordex]

Why you never -- ever -- give consent to search your vehicle.

This. So much this.

There may, however, be more to the story.

The officers said they asked if he could search the vehicle and everyone said yes. During the search, the officers came across a pink bag with the name Ashley painted on it. One of the officers asked Huff if the bag was hers and if they could search it. Huff told them it wasn’t hers.

The officers said they then found a glass smoking device inside the bag as well.

The officers tested the substance on the spoon which they said tested positive for methamphetamine

If the news report is accurate, and if the cops told the truth on their report it isn't quite so bizarre (except inasmuch as the whole war on drugs and arresting someone over residue is inherently bizarre).  The lady was ostensibly refusing ownership, had something else that in the context of drugs seemed suspicious and the spoon allegedly tested positive in a field test.

[zxcvbob]

I assume the report is false because there is no mention anywhere else of the crack pipe.  If there really was one, why wasn't it seized?

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

I think it's interesting how she gave a false name and entered a drug court program while seeking a plea bargain


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[cordex]

I assume the report is false because there is no mention anywhere else of the crack pipe.  If there really was one, why wasn't it seized?

Drug paraphernalia is often just repurposed household/commercial goods. Unless it was actually used it is often just an empty vial, a spoon, a piece of foil, a cotton ball, etc.  Often there is nothing to actually charge there (rightly!) unless they can prove residue, which they apparently had a false positive on with the spoon. Might be useful to establish probable cause, however. Whatever they took as a glass pipe may well have been a completely innocent bit of kit, but under the circumstances - and with a positive on the field test at that - I don't think this is as egregious as it first appears. At least as long as you stipulate that this particular law should be enforced in the first place.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Sore is on the left side (her right) under her chin barely visible here. And according to this she admits giving a false name
http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/m/section/6/article/104844/


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[cassandra and sara's daddy]

And some interesting stuff on field tests I never knew
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2009/mar/06/feature_citing_startling_researc

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/546993-Mephedrone-being-called-Methamphetamine-in-a-field-test-during-arrest


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[Perd Hapley]

.

[KD5NRH]

.

tl;dr

[zxcvbob]

And some interesting stuff on field tests I never knew
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2009/mar/06/feature_citing_startling_researc
http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/546993-Mephedrone-being-called-Methamphetamine-in-a-field-test-during-arrest

I can see where a field kit that tests positive in air would be really useful -- like a K9 that alerts every time.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

The forum posts made me struggle but I did find it fascinating that the testing chemicals actually turned a legal substance into ghb


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[Hawkmoon]

Sore is on the left side (her right) under her chin barely visible here. And according to this she admits giving a false name
http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/m/section/6/article/104844/

Crikey ... I have more sores on my face than that on a good day, and I've never done any kind of drugs. Not even marijuana (even if you include not inhaling). It's a chronic condition that the dermatologists at the VA can't get rid of. I guess I'd better take than can of Spaghetti-Os in the cabinet and toss it (after first cleaning it of all fingerprints and DNA).

[brimic]

And some interesting stuff on field tests I never knew
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2009/mar/06/feature_citing_startling_researc

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/546993-Mephedrone-being-called-Methamphetamine-in-a-field-test-during-arrest


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The tests used usually test for a functional group- they aren't very specific. A good analogy is that the police are like 6 year olds making cupcakes in an easy bake oven, thinking that they are on the same level as the head chef at the White House.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Wish I knew then what I know now


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[brimic]

Wish I knew then what I know now


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Don't we all?   

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

What I find interesting is flunking those kinda tests is sufficient for a probation or parole violation and go directly to jail. No bail. That seems an awful low burden of proof. Similarly I wonder how accurate the whiz quizz is. Some of the right here right now tests specifically.


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[brimic]

What I find interesting is flunking those kinda tests is sufficient for a probation or parole violation and go directly to jail. No bail. That seems an awful low burden of proof

Yeah, innocent until proven guilty and all of that....


Even the 'well established' field tests like the breathalyzer  can give false positives- someone who is diabetic, using inhalers, or recently spent time working with solvents/paints.

Urinalysis using a GC and LC versus known standards is a lot more accurate. GC-mass spec or LC-mass spec or very accurate, but the equipment costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the personnel to run them aren't cheap either.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

On parole you don't have the protection of innocent till proven. You have been found guilty and it's a conditional release. One that can be revoked at anytime and for any reason. Literally. I know a guy who got married to his 20 year common law wife and got violated.

In Charlottesville they switched to hair analysis once. It doubled the number of folks caught and violated


They also had to make using depilatory products to go hairless a violation.


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