Drug Law Reform Activist Arrested Over Stopping Cops' Pot Arrests

A drug law reform activist was arrested in the West Village on Thursday night for trying to stop police officers from arresting two teens who were smoking pot outside his house. The Post reports that Randy Credico, who heads the William Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice, allegedly yelled, "You guys are really solving murders out here? Why don't you guys get a life! F--- you all! You can't tell me what to do!"

The plot thickens, because it seems Credico had a similar altercation with one of the cops when, per the Huffington Post's Anthony Papa, "Credico documented the arrest of some other young adults accused of simple marijuana possession." Recently, the NY Civil Liberties Union released a study showing arrests for small amounts of marijuana possession have increased tenfold. Credico, who was charged with disorderly conduct, told the Post, "I'm constantly warning kids not to smoke pot on that street. These cops are making Mickey Mouse pot arrests - what a waste of time and money."

Credico was very busy and also called the Daily News' Elizabeth Benjamin. He told her that it probably didn't help things when he "counted down the 50 shots that killed Sean Bell" after his arrest. He added he is going to file a civil lawsuit against the police.

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By Jen Chung in News on June 14, 2008 9:16 AM

Comments [rss]

thejasonist

dont judges just throw these cases out anyway? whats the point?

jsknow

How many more lives have to be devastated or lost before we wise up? Prohibition has never worked and never will. Because of prohibition, from the place of origin to the point of sale there can be up to a 17000% markup in the illegal drug trade. All major authorities agree that the vast majority of drug-related violent crime is caused by the prohibition against drugs, rather than the drugs themselves. We're building 900 new prison beds and hiring 150 more correction officers every two weeks in the USA. We arrest someone on a drug charge every 17 seconds. The "land of the free" now incarcerates more people than any other nation on earth, even more than far more populous communist China. More than 1 of every 100 adult Americans is now behind bars. We spend $69 billion per year on the drug war. In 1914 when all drugs were LEGAL 1.3% of the American population was addicted to drugs. Despite prohibition, TODAY 1.3% of our population is STILL addicted to drugs. Over 100,000 Americans have lost their lives as a result of the war on drugs, which is really a war on our own citizens. Enough is Enough. We were smart enough to end alcohol prohibition after 13 years, the drug war has been going on almost 4 decades and drug prohibition to some degree for over 9 decades. The ONLY way to control drugs is to regulate them like alcohol and tobacco. That will END the profits available to criminals just like ending alcohol prohibition did. The year alcohol prohibition ended violent crime FELL 65%. There has only been one drug success story in history, tobacco, which is hands down the most deadly and one of the most addictive of all drugs. Almost half of all users quit because of regulation, accurate information and medical treatment, not a war on tobacco users. No one went to jail and no one got killed. Contact your elected representatives and tell them to end the drug war. The right; to freedom of religion, free speech, a free press, to keep and bear arms, to be secure in your person, house, papers and effects against unreasonable search and seizure, to life, liberty and property, to be protected from having your property taken by the government without due process of law and without just compensation, to confront the witnesses against you, to be protected from excessive bail, excessive fines, cruel and unusual punishment, to vote and many others have been denied to millions of Americans in the name of the drug war. Not one of the ridiculous arguments justify devastating society with prohibition. Join the Email List. Watch the videos:

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Nick S

Yeah, stoner guy, some kids getting a ticket for smoking a joint really CAN be related to a man getting shot 50 times the night before his wedding.

Fucking idiot.

emilydickinson

This why we'll never actually do the sensible things and decriminalize drugs. It's sad that what should essentially be an economic and medical issue always descends into stoner buffonery whenever it gets any pickup at all.

Police Tip #10: Whenever you're on the verge of being arrested, insulting the police usually causes them to see your point of view and unlock the handcuffs.