Cops gone wild! Punk rocker jailed over soap!

[Joanne98]

If this guy can get his charges dropped he needs to SUE the Hell out of someone!
http://stopthedrugwar.org/home
"Germ" Wrongly Jailed Over Soap
Absurd GHB Drug Charges for Don Bolles, Drummer of the "The Germs", Stem From a Bottle of Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap Found in Van During Police Stop

ESCONDIDO, CA – The Bronner family, makers of the popular organic Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps are shocked and disturbed by musician Don Bolles' April 4th arrest for felony drug possession after police alleged an 8oz bottle of peppermint Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap tested positive for the illicit drug GHB (Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate). The notion that anyone would put GHB in a rinse-off liquid soap product is beyond belief, and the police field test used must have been flawed or tampered with. GHB, which produces euphoria and is an alleged aphrodisiac when ingested, of course has absolutely no effect in a soap product that is rinsed off the hands and body.

Mr. Bolles, drummer of the legendary punk band The Germs, was arrested following a police traffic stop and spent three and half days in various jails in Orange County before being released early Easter morning. During a consented search of Mr. Bolles vintage 1968 A-108 van, Newport Beach police found a bottle of peppermint Dr. Bronner's soap which is made with organic coconut, olive, hemp, peppermint and jojoba oils. Felony drug possession could mean 20 years in prison if convicted. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Friday, April 13, 2007 at the Harbor Justice Center, 4601 Jamboree Road Newport Beach, CA at 8:30am.

"I've used only Dr. Bronner's soap for 35 years," says Mr. Bolles. "I use it for everything - bathing, washing my hair, washing my clothes - it goes everywhere I go. I'm scheduled to go to Europe to tour with The Germs this summer, but these felony charges could keep me from traveling out of the country. This whole thing could be really devastating to a 50 year old guy just trying to make a living. I told the officer 'its soap, it smells like peppermint soap,' but he seemed intent on arresting me."

"It is totally outrageous that the police could be this malicious and idiotic," says Michael Bronner, Vice-President of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps. "This clearly is a case of profiling by the Newport Beach police of a person who doesn't look like the people who live in that town. We are paying the cost of Mr. Bolle's lawyer, and we demand the charges be dropped or proof from the police forensics lab of GHB contamination be immediately provided to us," said Bronner. Adds brother David Bronner, President: "We cannot imagine anyone putting GHB, or any other drug for that matter, into a rinse-off soap product that is lathered and rinsed off the body immediately. The Newport Beach police should see how much of a buzz putting beer in their shampoo gives them, and get a grip and apologize on their hands and knees to Mr. Bolles."

At the time of the arrest Mr. Bowles was driving his girlfriend, and fellow musician Cat Scandal to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Newport Beach. "I had heard of GHB but the police had to tell me what it was," said Bolles. "I'm going to fight these charges."
http://stopthedrugwar.org/home
To arrange an interview with Don Bolles, Michael Bronner or David Bronner please contact Adam Eidinger at [e-mail].

[Warpy]

1. JC on a crutch!

"You look weird, so we're going to find something to arrest you on if it takes us six months!!!!!!!"

The right wing mindset always starts off with a guilty party and then searches for the crime.

These cops need to be fired. This is not how our country works.

[slampoet]

21. This has been happening to Freaks of all types for decades......

....It is only now that some people are remaining FREAKY into their 50's that we are finding a pattern.

Society takes that side of the cop when the punk arrested is 19 years old but when the punk is 50+ all of a sudden we tend to notice.


Youth was illegalized in the 80's and 90's and now youthful behavior is next.

[sakabatou]

2. Cops hate cleanly people

Wow. Did the drummer conset at the stop? Or are they regarding the soap as "drugs."

[mark414]

3. that is pretty awesome that the Dr. Bronner's people are paying for his lawyer

this is ridiculous

[kimmylavin]

7. I agree...

with both of your statements. :)

That IS really cool that they're paying for his lawyer.
And this IS ridiculous. During a "consented search" (consented because he KNEW there was nothing bad in his car) they find soap. Then they decide to test the soap because they suspect it has drugs in it? Wha...??? Where the heck does deductive reasoning like that come from?

[joneschick]

11. not surprising at all.

I've met Michael and he was amazing. Big hearted people and kind as can be. I happened to be seated next to him at a theatre and he just started chatting, then during intermission he went out to his car and came back with brochures, a bumpersticker and a bottle of soap! :hi: He's a Wisconsin guy.

[unblock]

4. they tested the soap for ghb during the traffic stop?

or they confiscated it and tested it later? if so, what did they arrest him for?

[mcg]

18. that's what articles are saying, lab test pending

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-soap11apr11,0,3300886.story?coll=la-home-headlines

I hope the cop didn't slip some GHB into the soap.

I don't believe for a second that Bolles put GHB into it, why would he?
It's not exactly easy to slip some GHB into a woman's drink using soap!

[porphyrian]

5. Dilute! Dilute! OK!

Christ, some cops are stupid.

[uppityperson]

25. That made me laugh. Too many yrs reading the bottle. All-One!

Dr Bronners quote generator:
http://iconocla.st/dr.bronner/
"Dash in Hot Water, Towel Massage body always toward your heart!"

ENJOY BODY RUB TO STIMULATE BODY-MIND-SOUL-SPIRIT AND TEACH THE ESSENE MORALABC UNITING ALL FREE IN THE SHEPHERD-ISRAEL'S GREAT ALL-ONE-GOD-FAITH

[porphyrian]

29. One bottle is hours of shower entertainment.

Cracks me up every time.

[givemebackmycountry]

6. OK - maybe I not clear on this -

What would possess the police to test a 8 oz bottle of soap?

Does it say that it contains "hemp" on the label?

Because, that would be the ONLY reason why they would test it and even then that would be a weak excuse.
But, it sounds like the cop was intent on arresting him at the scene, PRIOR to testing.
This is a very curious story and I'll be watching this one to see where it goes.

UN-FREAKING-REAL

What a country!

[Joanne98]

8. Because they're ORANGE COUNTY COPS!

Who, I happen to know from personal experience, are HUGE ASSHOLES!

[madrchsod]

9. there`s a prosecutor going ...

"what the fuck were these guys thinking?" these charges will be dropped and there`s a good chance for a lawsuit

[BlackVelvet04]

10. Like labs never get

things wrong.

[mcg]

12. "A date-rape drug is the last thing I need"

"A date-rape drug is the last thing I need," he said. "If anything, I need a way to keep the girls off of me. They make my girlfriend mad."
-- Bolles

Punk rocker caught in soap opera
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-soap11apr11,1,2075225.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

[FloridaJudy]

13. "consented" search?

My son was pulled over by the cops in a redneck town near here a few months ago. He had a broken tail light. He asked if he would "consent" to a search. He politely refused, adding "I do believe the Bill of Rights is still operational". Apparently it isn't: they stated his refusal constituted "reasonable" grounds for suspicion. They impounded the car, strip searched him and his passenger, and jailed them overnight when a drug-sniffing dog found "traces" of marijuana: not even a roach, just "traces".

His real crime? Having left-wing bumperstickers and long hair.

The whole thing was reduced to a misdemeanor (with time served and a token fine), but not until my son had been in jail, and spent money he really can't spare on a bail bondsman and retrieving his car from the impoundment lot.

Great country we live in.

[Warren Stupidity]

15. You should have contacted the FLA chapter of the ACLU.

Refusing to consent to a search is not probable cause for a search. On the other hand cutting your losses is less expensive.

[FloridaJudy]

19. I suggested that to my son

But he's a working college student. He figured it was cheaper to pay the $500 towing/bail bond fees and the $25 fine than to spend the next few decades in court, even with free representation.

He also said he got some cool ideas for when he realizes his dream of becoming an investigative reporter. No two ways about it. He really is dangerous: a potential investigative reporter who lists Noam Chomsky and Kurt Vonnegut as his two heroes on MySpace. Way to go, kid! You make your aging pinko Mama proud.

[Warren DeMontague]

23. So- wait. Not consenting to a search is probable cause to justify a search?

Wow, that's convenient.

[Richard Steele]

27. Not the first time I've heard that bullshit, sadly.

Kafkaesque, innit?

[progressoid]

14. Well, shit. I feel safer knowing this dangerous soap is off the streets

Next thing you know these "musicians" will be brushing their teeth and washing their underwear. This soap is obviously a gateway to using more and more hygiene products.

And they say the war on drugs isn't working.


edited for spelling (I can't spell so well since that episode with Denorex in the 80's)

[flying rabbit]

20. Fucking A right

Musicians with clean underwear= shitty music. ex. Donny Osmond

[Dervill Crow]

28. LOL

:rofl: " . . . can't spell so well since that episode with Denorex . . ." :rofl:

[Karenina]

16. Is it just me?

Confiscating a bottle of Bronner's then sending it off to a lab??? :shrug:

[mcg]

17. It's got organic hemp oil in it!!! Hippy shit stuff.

http://www.drbronner.com/drb_sai_liquids.html

Organic Hemp Oil

"See? Hemp is marajuana you know, that hippy is drinking that soap to get high,
gotta test it!"

[slampoet]

24. I think you have the police mindset exactly.

Once the false positive turned up for GHB they decided to flow with it.

[Warren DeMontague]

22. Boy, the cops are in trouble when the Bronner people make way more sense than they do.

Oy Vey. I use that stuff all the time. Who knew it was was a euphoria-producing aprhodesiac?

[Jcrowley]

26. This is evil

No not the arrest but the use of this soap. Dr. Bronners is a known subversive non-chemical agent that has infiltrated our society.

It's obvious these hippie-types are a threat to our country by not using Chemical cleansers upon their flesh. How else are we to contaminate their vital organs and our local water supplies? How then will we be able to profit from the accompanying illnesses? Are they attempting to adversely affect the American GDP? It's obvious they were. Therefore they must be taken off the streets for the safety of our nation.

Dontcha' see?

[devilgrrl]

30. Don Bolles: Guilty of "Driving While Looking Weird in Newport Beach"

That's really what this is all about.



http://www.myspace.com/kittensparkles