Source: NORML.org
Under the cover of darkness, a team of militarized SWAT agents enter a
family home and immediately engage in gunfire — killing one of two family
dogs (wounding the other), and likely inflicting lifelong trauma to the
family’s seven-year-old son. The end result of SWAT team’s action? Police
seized a small amount of marijuana (a few grams), and associated
paraphernalia (a grinder). The man in the video ultimately pled guilty to
misdemeanor drug charges and paid a $300 fine.
Columbia police officials are now reviewing the conduct in the video,
which has sparked local and national outrage. It should. In 2004, 60
percent of Columbia voters approved The Columbia Smart Sentencing
Initiative (Proposition 2), which amends the city criminal code to
depenalize the possession of marijuana and associated paraphernalia to a
fine-only offense. Nevertheless, police in Columbia are continuing to
terrorize families over an activity that its citizens have deemed to be a
minor offense punishable by a small fine.
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