Willie Nelson's Bandmates Charged Over Marijuana And Moonshine

Willie Nelson band members face charges of drug & alcohol possession in North Carolina. The Duplin County prosecutor says that the illegal substances were seized in the band’s bus in January and that he plans to pursue charges to prove that famous people are not above the law.
Sometimes being famous can help get you out of trouble. Sometimes being famous gets you in deeper trouble. Maybe you can decide which is going on here with the Willie Nelson band members. The prosecutor just won’t let go of drug & alcohol possession charges against the band. He says he wants to prove that being famous doesn’t get you out of trouble.

On January 28, 2010, six members of Willie Nelson’s band were charged with possession of illegal drugs and alcohol. In a news conference on Friday, Duplin County district attorney Dewey Hudson said the substances have been sent to Raleigh for testing.

Hudson has been under pressure to drop the charges against the band members, but he has refused to do so. He has said that he has to show that famous people are not above the law.

Band members gave officers permission to search the bus after an officer smelled marijuana when he walked near the bus. The search was done prior to a concert in Kenansville. Nelson canceled the concert after the citations, claiming that his hand was injured and he wouldn’t be able to play his guitar. Willie Nelson was not on the bus at the time of the bust.

The six band members are charged with possession of either marijuana or untaxed liquor. The citations are specifically for possession of moonshine and a misdemeanor amount of marijuana.

District Attorney Hudson’s primary critic is state Senator Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin. Albertson has argued for marijuana to be made legal and uses the argument that alcohol is believed to be just as dangerous as pot and is legal. He also recorded a country music song about the case titled, ‘Leave the Man Alone’. In his song, he criticizes Alcohol Law Enforcement agents and the Nelson band members charges.

Hudson is currently running for the state Senate.

Nelson’s publicist has not commented on the case. The Nelson band members are scheduled to face charges of drug & alcohol possession in North Carolina on April 21, 2010.

Source: http://law.rightpundits.com/?p=1443