35 years for pot possession

[SandEagle]

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/03/tyler_pot_sentence.php

Smith County (East Texas) judges and juries have long had a reputation of meting out severe, some might say ridiculous, punishment for drug convictions. And Henry Wooten's case is no exception: the 54-year-old Tyler man was sentenced Thursday to 35 years in prison for possessing slightly more than four ounces of pot.



anyone else live around the area that can confirm that this place really is a shithole?

 

[JulesMaximus]

That's fucking crazy.

 

[ahenkel]

Yea I wouldn't want to get caught with pot in OK or TX. I've read some pretty fucked stories of people busted there.

 

[Tristicus]

GOOD! That damn hooligan got what he deserved!

 

[Pliablemoose]

While I think pot should be legal, he had 2 previous felony convictions, and he was stupid enough to be selling pot in East Texas, within 1,000 feet of a day care, violating a "drug free zone" law, think uptight Baptists that watch Law & Order every night...

 

[Matthiasa]

So pot is worse in Texas then murder is in almost every other state... interesting.

 

[Pliablemoose]

So pot is worse in Texas then murder is in almost every other state... interesting.

He's lucky he didn't get a death sentence...

 

[AnonymouseUser]

... he had 2 previous felony convictions, and he was stupid enough to be selling pot in East Texas, within 1,000 feet of a day care, violating a "drug free zone" law, think uptight Baptists that watch Law & Order every night...

Per the title of this thread, 35 years is a little extreme. Considering all of the facts of the case, 35 years sounds about right for this career criminal.

 

[venkman]

He's lucky he didn't get a death sentence...

He is 54 and got a 35 year sentence. Might as well be an execution.


oh, and from the article...

Wooten actually got off easy -- the prosecutor asked the jury to give him 99 years. (We just hope TDCJ can free up room for this menace to society; maybe the state can release a child molester or serial arsonist to find a cell for Wooten.)

😱

 

[Lonyo]

4oz and scales isn't just possession, it's possession with intent to distribute.
Maybe 35 years is a bit harsh if he's only small time, but it doesn't really sound like he played nice, and he already had two convictions.

Tapes played in court showed Wooten removing a number of individual plastic bags loaded with the drug from his pockets.
"Wooten pulled bag after bag from his pockets like one of those clowns you see -- and in the driver's seat of his car was a big bag and digital scales," Vance said.

35 years for possession is excessive, 35 years for this guy? Maybe not so much.

 

[BUTCH1]

Per the title of this thread, 35 years is a little extreme. Considering all of the facts of the case, 35 years sounds about right for this career criminal.

But what where the other felony convictions for?, if it's for violent crimes than he shouldn't even be free to begin with IMO, if they were for possession then he's a dumbass but not really a threat to the public. Remember, if you lock someone up for that long expect to pay $35-60K/year for that inmate. I'd rather have my tax dollars spent keeping violent offenders locked up for LOTS longer rather than someone selling a few 1/4's of weed..

 

[FelixDeCat]

Dont do the crime if you cant do the time.

 

[Via]

Assuming he is a non-violent offender this is indefensible.

35 years? And the judge asked for 99?

It's pot, for christ sakes. Even as a dealer he shouldn't be put away for more that a year tops.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

But what where the other felony convictions for?, if it's for violent crimes than he shouldn't even be free to begin with IMO, if they were for possession then he's a dumbass but not really a threat to the public. Remember, if you lock someone up for that long expect to pay $35-60K/year for that inmate. I'd rather have my tax dollars spent keeping violent offenders locked up for LOTS longer rather than someone selling a few 1/4's of weed..

If he's a career drug dealer then he deserves death. As for violent offenders, I believe that the most violent or demented deserve death also (a much higher percentage than at present).

 

[LikeLinus]

Dont do the crime if you cant do the time.

Agreed. This is his third offense. He's a convicted felon and obviously isn't going to stop doing what he's doing. He knew the laws (regardless if you agree with them or not). If you don't like it, go somewhere where drugs are legal and live there. He played with fire and it burnt him.

 

[sandorski]

4oz and scales isn't just possession, it's possession with intent to distribute.
Maybe 35 years is a bit harsh if he's only small time, but it doesn't really sound like he played nice, and he already had two convictions.



35 years for possession is excessive, 35 years for this guy? Maybe not so much.

35 years for 4 oz, is excessive.

 

[frostedflakes]

4oz and scales isn't just possession, it's possession with intent to distribute.
Maybe 35 years is a bit harsh if he's only small time, but it doesn't really sound like he played nice, and he already had two convictions.



35 years for possession is excessive, 35 years for this guy? Maybe not so much.

Yup title is misleading, this is more than just simple possession. Most states go down on sellers pretty hard, and it seems like that's what this guy was doing (and had done in the past, wouldn't be surprised if the previous felonies were for distribution).

35 is still ridiculous for any victimless crime IMO, though.

 

[cliftonite]

He will probably have a better life in prison.

 

[Gothgar]

fuuuuu 35 years?

 

[BUTCH1]

If he's a career drug dealer then he deserves death. As for violent offenders, I believe that the most violent or demented deserve death also (a much higher percentage than at present).

Death penalty for selling weed?, nice. Remember, there would no drug dealers of any kind if people weren't ready and willing to pay for them..

 

[TheVrolok]

Yup title is misleading, this is more than just simple possession. Most states go down on sellers pretty hard, and it seems like that's what this guy was doing (and had done in the past, wouldn't be surprised if the previous felonies were for distribution).

This. Either way, I wouldn't dare break a law in Texas. 😛 Any law. Thems crazy folk down there.

 

[CKent]

Agreed. This is his third offense. He's a convicted felon and obviously isn't going to stop doing what he's doing. He knew the laws (regardless if you agree with them or not). If you don't like it, go somewhere where drugs are legal and live there. He played with fire and it burnt him.

What a copout. Typical thought pattern of someone who doesn't care because it doesn't personally affect them. What if posting on AT was illegal? (we'd all be far more productive I know, but besides that)

 

[K1052]

If he's a career drug dealer then he deserves death. As for violent offenders, I believe that the most violent or demented deserve death also (a much higher percentage than at present).

Or we could legalize drugs and slash violent crime to a fraction of what it is today including the inevitable collapse of organized crime while stabilizing a host of troubled supplier countries across the world. Not to mention creating a revenue source to boot.

But by all means fire up the gas chambers and crematoriums instead 🙄

 

[LikeLinus]

What a copout. Typical thought pattern of someone who doesn't care because it doesn't personally affect them. What if posting on AT was illegal? (we'd all be far more productive I know, but besides that)

Uh, then I wouldn't post here? That's right, it doesn't affect me. He knew full well what the consequense were. Hell, he already was a convicted felon. How many times are we going to let people just slide by without taking responsibility for their actions. It was illegal and that is that. We may not like all of the laws and they may not always be right, but we're told about them and if we don't like them we can move. We're still free to come and go as we please. Move to Canada or Amsterdamn if you're that hard up that you have to smoke pot and don't want to get caught doing it.

 

[Freshgeardude]

Has the court never heard of The Eighth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution ?