Back Ground Story: Kingfisher County, OK: Dec. 31, 2009, Patricia Spottedcrow and her mother, Delita Starr, 50, sold a dime bag of marijuana for $11 to a police informant at Starr's home in Kingfisher, OK. A home shared by Patricia, her husband, her four children and her mother, Delita. About a month later the same informant returned and bought "two dime bags", for $20. According to several news sources, it was Patricia's mother, Delita, who made the sales. At one point it is alleged that Delita Starr "asked one of the boys to run and get change."
Let me confess, there is so much to this story that has not been told. However, taking on this story is a Herculean feat I fear, as it's not just the untold story and any covert activities which make this difficult, it's what happened after; much of which is also not published. It seems apparent that not only was the rule of law not followed, but child welfare laws included. In order to "avoid breaking-up the family", according to news reports, the judicial system/powers to be, in this case chose to punish the children's mother, Patricia, rather than the grandmother, Delita; that way "the children's Grandmother would still be there for the children while growing up."
Whoa! First, since when did the state, any state give a damn about who they put away, except for CEO's on Main Street? Second, there is a husband... I think, I'm sure I read about him... but with dial-up internet I'm rather crippled when it comes to getting this information quickly. I have to rely on memory many times, and I'm sure a husband was mentioned.
Third, the "state" apparently felt Delita, the Grandmother was the "better parent". How did they do that? Especially if Delita made the sales, and asked one of the children for change? Why was the book "thrown at Patricia"??? Compassion on the part of the state? I have my doubts.
Fourth, who was this "informant"? Generally there are two types of operatives, called "NARCS" that handle drug sale violations. Undercover police, or snitches. The media is quick to point out when undercover police solve a case. So was this informant a snitch? If so, perhaps a guy she shunned in HS? A client who felt "ripped off"? Who?
The judge in this case, retired, indicated the Starr's had a "significant operation going for the sale of drugs. The evidence: none that I have heard of, and no priors, the only evidence presented, other than the judge's opinion; sale of "three dime bags", a small bag of marijuana in Patricia's pocket, and that's it.
Where are the pounds of marijuana, the hundred's of thousands of dollars, the guns??? No seized computers? No seizure of her house? No exhaustive searches of the house tearing it apart looking for more drugs and maybe a few dead bodies??? What the f***?
In "Part One" I described the history of what a "dime bag" is, how it is equivalent to 3 marijuana cigarettes, or joints. What I failed to mention was that Patricia Spottedcrow didn't have a marijuana tax stamp issued by the state of Oklahoma. See, to sell cannabis, you need to purchase a tax stamp:
That's correct... for about $15 in tax stamps Patricia and her children could have had a much different future, and we're not talking about tax stamps from the 1930's... these tax stamps are currently available in certain states. My favorite is the stamp issued in Nebraska:
For more on Marijuana Tax Stamps visit this link at NORML.ORG:
Marijuana tax stamps: This state has a marijuana tax stamp law enacted. This law mandates that those who possess marijuana are legally required to purchase and affix state-issued stamps onto his or her contraband. Failure to do so may result in a fine and/or criminal sanction. For more information, see NORML's report Marijuana Tax Stamp Laws And Penalties.
According to additional research, especially at Tulsa World News, available here: , "Oklahoma has ranked No. 1 in the nation in the number of women in prison. The state incarcerates 134 women per capita, compared to the national average of 69, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. While the number of women entering Oklahoma’s prisons each year has remained somewhat stable in recent years – 1,284 in 2009 – the number of women in the system has grown to a high for the decade as tougher sentencing laws have passed."
Two graphs from Tulsa World News say it all:
If True, Patricia is the "tip of the iceberg". As most are "non-violent offenders. Drugs, bad checks, forgeries..."
The judge imposed a severe penalty on Patricia Spottedcrow, given the "non-violent" nature of the offense, however, Oklahoma law is clear:
SALE: Less than 25 lbs - felony; Sentence: 2 years - life, Fine up to: $20,000
Source: NORML-Oklahoma
Draconian and excessive, sure. But within the rule of the law, and that's what makes this so tragic. And it's really not that different in other states. Just browse the current laws for possession, cultivation, sale of cannabis and I hope you can see how wrong laws against cannabis are in this country. I mean, maybe it's just me, but God put this plant with many virtues on this planet, and no chemical processing need take place for it to grow and bring much benefit to society.
Patricia Spottedcrow is currently in a luxury prison, The Dr. Eddie Warrior Correctional Center. Here she is carrying her prison mattress from a storage unit to her prison cell:
Patricia Spottedcrow; her first day of incarceration at the Dr. Eddie Warrior Correctional Center listening intently to the Drill Sargent:
I was raised believing in "right and wrong", fairness, and common-sense. I didn't always get it, to be honest, except to say I'm extremely fortunate to have had a very good family to grow up with.
All that broke down in the early 70's, around age 19, when I realized, much that I believed to be true, wasn't true, wasn't real. Some were myths. Prejudice and propaganda. Lies!
Reefer Madness is one such myth. Rationally there is no reason/justification to harass/prosecute persons involved with marijuana/cannabis. Reefer Madness is done. There is NO PROOF that this plant is the "dangerous drug" propagated by a series of movies from the 1930's.
Please voice your support for Patricia Spottedcrow at CHANGE.ORG:
Directed by Louis Gasnier
"Co-Directed by":
Harry Jacob Anslinger; Wikipedia-Link; And William Randolph Hearst
Produced by Dwain Esper
Written by Paul Franklin
Starring Dorothy Short
Kenneth Craig
Lillian Miles
Dave O'Brien
Thelma White
Warren McCollum
Carleton Young
JUST A MOVIE - FICTION - NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY!!!
PLEASE - STOP THE HURT!!!
This is a real tragedy weed should be legalized and this would create jobs and can be taxed.Then people wouldn't have to go sneaking around trying to buy it. The government would win and the people would win.As far as I'm concerned this woman was entrapped.
ReplyDelete"Sneaking around"... I like that. Reminds me my gov't treats me like a child, albeit protected by my Constitutional Rights as an American citizen, I, and millions of other Americans, must "sneak around" to exercise our rights, for a Good Life, Liberty, And Pursuit of Happiness, to discover the truth about Nature and God, In Whom, "We Trust."
ReplyDeleteIt is a tragedy Mary, knowing what I know, and what I expect you know, that marijuana is a "kind drug", and what's been done to Patricia Spottedcrow and millions of other people is not - KIND!
I'm a lonesome blogger... but the "Truth Is Out There", right under our nose.
Time long past to end the "war on drugs", and put our intelligence as a nation into more purposeful/meaningful pursuits.
I admit, there is a gray area between what is a recreational drug, and a drug meant to be and best made to be controlled for medical and safety reasons.
To draw a sharp, irrational line in the sand and punish people who cross that line is not right.
Patricia Spottedcrow is an example of the good Americans we make into victims. She broke a law, but so do millions of Americans who speed and text on highways in this country, with potentially much more devastating consequences.
I don't know what else to do, mary, to wake up America and it's lawmakers to the truth - that current drug laws hurt people more than the drugs, and in the case of marijuana, it's a friggin' plant... God gave it to us. Who are our lawmakers that make them mightier than God?
Stop The Hurt!!!