Philly420: Why is marijuana used against victims like Sandra Bland?

[Uncle Joe]

(snip)

The leak of the tests performed during her autopsy is following a now familiar pattern. Police and prosecutors use marijuana as an attempt at postmortem character assassination before and during trials.

(snip)

Dr. Carl Hart, a neuropsychoparmacologist, wrote in the New York Times during the trial that Martin's tests actually proved that he was not impaired the night he was shot to death while walking unarmed.

(snip)

In other words, having marijuana metabolites in one's system is quite common. Indeed some of our society's most respected members could be found with THC in their systems at some point in their lives. Scientist Carl Sagan, musician Willie Nelson, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and President Obama to name a few.

Testing positive for marijuana points to a person who wants to consume a non-lethal substance that is for less dangerous or impairing than alcohol. It should not have any impact on proceedings into whether a person died, unjustly, at the hands of police or another individual.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Philly420_Why_is_marijuana_used_against_victims_like_Sandra_Bland.html#yRTHdepLCISRGfBx.99

There is much more on the link that I wanted to post, it's a good read.

I believe there are two dynamics at play here.

1. Postmortem character assassination as the author of the OP contends.

2. Propaganda push-back; against the growing awareness and societal realization of the longtime stupidity of outlawing cannabis.

[SolutionisSolidarity]

1. Cops still think it's 1985.

She didn't reefer herself to death.

[Uncle Joe]

5. Or more like the 1930s

[daleanime]

2. Huh? To provide cover for any actions the police may have taken....

have to have some reason for not being held accountable.

[Uncle Joe]

7. Yes. n/t

[rock]

3. Because it works

As does so many things that the government does that in fact make no sense.

[Uncle Joe]

8. Yes. n/t

[B Calm]

4. By pointing their finger at the evil weed they think they're free of responsibility.

[Uncle Joe]

9. And yes. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. cause weed is tied to out of control

black (and brown) people...

It is actually part of the structural racism. It is also character assassination 101

[Uncle Joe]

12. I agree, nadinbrzezinski, it used to be referred to as cannabis but the Mexicans called it Marijuana

and the 1930s propaganda took up that name in their propaganda war as a subliminal means of tying the outlawing of the plant to race.

Not to mention black and brown people are far more likely to be arrested and incarerated than whites despite close to equal usage.

[Solly Mack]

10. Dave Chappelle did a skit about sprinkling crack over a black victim of the police

because the police would not want to "leave a mystery" about why the black person died. You know, crack = bad person/"thug" = deserves to die.

It's the same racist dynamic with the character assassination post-mortem. Wouldn't matter the drug, in my opinion. If one was found, it would be used to justify the beat down or murder.


Chappelle on Police Brutality

[Uncle Joe]

13. I've seen that video, Solly Mack

its' both funny and sad.

[Travis_0004]

11. I am a bit suprised when people want info released, but get upset if its not positive info

The police released info. Some of that was a tox report, and that report said she had weed in her system. Would you rather they release nothing?

I would prefer all information they gather is released to be as transparent as possible.

[Uncle Joe]

15. Not upset but the information is irrelevant, distracting and dubious

Reuters reports that Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis texted the attorney for Bland's family saying, "Looking at the autopsy results and toxicology, it appears she swallowed a large quantity of marijuana or smoked it in the jail."

Bland's actual levels were not disclosed. Her family's attorney, Cannon Lambert, has called the autopsy "defective."

(snip)

The dashcam video of Bland's traffic stop shows that in a split-second she went from being issued a simple warning for not using a turn signal to being pulled from her car and being arrested.

It appears that the turning point for the officer was that Bland asked why he requested for her to put out her lit cigarette.


Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Philly420_Why_is_marijuana_used_against_victims_like_Sandra_Bland.html#dJOE1SWkhDezkpk5.99

Did they disclose what she had for lunch that day?

[Uncle Joe]

17. Here is more relevant information about a drug with the side effects of increasing

suicidal tendencies.

http://news.yahoo.com/latest-texas-authorities-deny-editing-video-arrest-144720711.html#

Documents say Sandra Bland told officials when she was being booked into a Southeast Texas jail that she suffered from epilepsy.

A suicide questionnaire that was among booking documents released Wednesday by Waller County shows that Bland also told them she was taking the anti-epileptic drug Keppra.

http://www.drugs.com/keppra.html

Do not stop using Keppra without first talking to your doctor, even if you feel fine. You may have increased seizures if you stop using Keppra suddenly. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely.

You may have thoughts about suicide while taking Keppra. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

[Baitball Blogger]

14. It dehumanizes the individual.

Makes it easier to take their rights away when you can get the public to feel like they deserve it.

Same concept behind blaming the woman for rape if she is dressed provocatively, IMO.

[Uncle Joe]

16. I couldn't agree more, Baitball Blogger. n/t