WP: D.C. Jail Stay Ends in Death For Quadriplegic Md. Man

[Laughing Mirror]

Care Provided by Hospital, Corrections Dept. in Question

By Henri E. Cauvin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 1, 2004; Page B01

Jonathan Magbie, a 27-year-old Mitchellville man, was sent to jail in the District last week for 10 days for marijuana possession.

He never made it home.
...

"I'm not saying that he shouldn't have been punished, because he did smoke the marijuana," his mother, Mary Scott, said yesterday, a day after burying her son. "I just don't think it should have cost him his life."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63478-2004Sep30.html

[petronius]

1. What was this judge thinking?

Setting aside the insanity of sending anyone to prison for smoking pot (especially a first-timer who probably has a reasonable medical excuse), this is a bizarre story.

"Mr. Magbie, I'm not giving you straight probation," the judge said, according to a transcript of the Sept. 20 proceedings. "Although you did not plead guilty to having this gun, it is just unacceptable to be riding around in a car with a loaded gun in this city."

Paralyzed from the neck down, what exactly did she think he was he going to do with the gun or the cocaine? And since there must have been someone else in the car, why does she get to sentence him based on things that weren't necessarily his?

Either there is more to the story, or this judge is a nut...

[Laughing Mirror]

3. Yes, Judge Retchin (great name, isn't it) must be intent on sending

a stern message to all those legions of criminals paralyzed from the neck down who enjoy the occasional whiff of marijuana as a way of feeling better. And who are ready to admit it, as this brave young man did, before the Judge Judith Retchin sent him to his death.

[JeebusB]

7. DING DING DING DING

"... this judge is a nut..."

We have a winner!

[goju]

2. Ah, yet another casualty of the drug war

Now if we could all just muster the sympathy for the thousands that are killed every year because of it.

Not surprising this happened, and I dont blame the judge necessarily. Following the law is what judges do. But hell, when are we going to see the futility in this "war on drugs"?

[el_gato]

4. Justice? There is no justice in this country

[goju]

5. Really?

Are you exaggerating or do you really believe that justice is a rarity? I know you arent making an absolute blanket statement but, overall, do you think justice is the exception rather than the rule so to speak?

[7th_Sephiroth]

6. can somebody post the full article

i fucking hate the washington post

[mongo]

8. Here's the article on another site

http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread19578.shtml

This judge is a murderer! I would hope she would resign over this.