Busted ::

Looks like the Huntsville Times' Lee Roop finds himself in deep doo-doo after having been busted last Friday evening:

Times columnist Lee Roop was arrested Friday night and charged with driving under the influence of drugs, possession of cocaine and speeding.

According to Huntsville Police spokesman Wendell Johnson, Roop was pulled over at 10:30 p.m. in front of the Shell Food Mart at U.S. 72 East and Old Gurley Road, for driving 65 mph in a 40 mph zone. Johnson said that, according to the police report, the officer saw a clear plastic bag with a white powder substance in Roop's car and tests on the scene verified the substance was cocaine.

I have no sympathy for anyone who is stupid enough to drive down the highway on a Friday night with a bag of cocaine openly visible on the front seat inviting a traffic stop by speeding, but I do have a problem with our drug laws and I wonder if, and when, there might be some movement to legalization for personal use.

I don't know how well connected Roop is but I imagine that he can afford some competent legal representation as opposed to most people busted on drug charges. He has a murky future, but I doubt that he will face more than a few months in prison if convicted. Here is this from yesterdays The State in Columbia, S.C. regarding the sentencing of fromer S.C. state treasurer Tom Ravenel:

Ravenel claimed his habit died down in the six months after he was elected treasurer. But the law caught up with him in June, and Friday he learned his fate:

• Ten months in federal prison

• A $221,323 fine

• $28,676 restitution to reimburse the state for the cost of a special legislative session to name his successor

U.S. District Judge Joe Anderson said the public would have perceived a miscarriage of justice if Ravenel had been let off, given his position and his repeatedly using and giving away powder cocaine.

“A sentence of incarceration is necessary in this case to promote respect for the law,” Anderson said at the end of the hearing in Columbia. “To not impose a custodial sentence would not promote respect for the law.”

Ravenel could have received 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the recommended punishment was 10 to 16 months in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The State goes on to state that Ravenel is cooperating in the investigation and that there is the possibility that his sentence will be reduced by rolling over other drug users/pushers. That's what happens when you're politically connected and from one of the most prominent families in the state. Poor schmucks off the street get the 20 years while the Ravenels of the world get 10 months with the promise of less, if any, time served.

Such is our justice system these days which is seriously broken. I have been following the tale of The Legal Schnauzer for some time and I highly recommend that you do the same!