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Grand Jury Report: Couple accused of growing pot without a license

By Billie Owens

The Genesee County Grand Jury today issued these indictments:

Robert E. Knoefler is indicted on one count of driving while intoxicated, a Class D felony, after he was stopped May 15 in Darien driving his 1995 Dodge pickup on Route 238. He is also charged with one count of aggrevated driving while intoxicated, a Class D felony, for having a BAC or .08 or greater. In addition, he is charged with aggrevated unlicensed operation in the first degree. (Knoefler's driving privileges had been revoked or suspended following his conviction in Attica Village Court for driving while intoxicated, a Class E felony, on May 9.)

Nicholas A. Pleace and Susan M. Fincher are indicted on a charge of criminal possession of marijuana in the second degree, a Class D felony. On Aug. 8, 2010, they are alleged to have knowingly and unlawfully possessed marijuana with an aggregate weight of more than 16 ozs. at 2622 Pratt Road in the Town of Batavia. They are also indicted on one count of growing cannabis by an unlicensed person, a Class A misdemeanor, and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 7th degree.

The Grand Jury issued a "No Bill" in the matter of Greg A. Thomas after considering the evidence about incidents in the City of Batavia on April 23. He was accused of unlawful imprisonment, 1st, menacing, 2nd, strangulation, 2nd, and coercion, 1st. The charges were dismissed.

Jeremiah Pedro

You can thank William Randolph Hearst, Dupont Chemical, and Harry J Anslinger. They got the ball rolling on it. Billionaires who had interest in oil and lumber didn't want to have to compete against industrial hemp. So they were able to convince the Government to make it illegal. And the rest as we say is history.

Jul 28, 2011, 1:45pm Permalink
Ed Gentner

It's much the same as getting a license to own or sell machine guns, fill in the blanks, pay the fees, wait for the background check, if background is cleared license with tax stamp is issued.

Jul 28, 2011, 2:46pm Permalink
Billie Owens

The couple in the indictment are alleged to have grown marijuana without being licensed to do so, a violation of NY Public Health Law 3382. Further, they are alleged to knowingly have allowed the plant to grow and did not destroy it, a violation of NY Public Health Law Article 33.

That's what the Grand Jury documents say.

Jul 28, 2011, 3:08pm Permalink
Chris Charvella

I have a sudden urge to go find some marijuana plants and stare at them for a while without destroying them. I'll be sure to call the cops so they can come arrest me afterward.

Jul 28, 2011, 3:38pm Permalink
Gabor Deutsch

I had to call my sponsor because I feel like I am going to relapse. This substance will eat your brains out. Happy 420 !

Edit: Took off video because I don't smoke anymore and I don't want to encourage others to break the law.

Jul 29, 2011, 8:03am Permalink
Chris Charvella

One of the biggest problems with marijuana laws is that no one seems capable of having an adult conversation about the subject. Instead we make jokes about the munchies etc..

Jeremiah was absolutely correct about why marijuana was made illegal to begin with. Doing favors for millionaires and billionaires who don't need them is a mistake America never fails to make.

What upsets me is that I can walk to a bar tonight, drink 20 beers, piss all over myself and pass out on the sidewalk and the worst thing that would happen to me is an arrest, a fine and maybe a few days in Andy Griffith's holding cell.

Meanwhile, a person can be sent to prison for YEARS to keep company with murderers and rapists JUST FOR HAVING SOME POT.

I hate the way we enforce the law in this country. I hate the way we treat every 'crime' as a one size fits all scenario and I hate that our law enforcement officers are trained in such a manner that they think this is the way it should be.

Jul 28, 2011, 4:37pm Permalink
Chris Charvella

@Gabor, that reminds me, check out my new Facebook photo. It's an Ewok holding something related to the Ian Murphy episode from Sunday. NSFW.

Jul 28, 2011, 5:10pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Racism played a big role in making marijuana illegal.

Harry J Anslinger:

“There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the U.S., and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others.”

Harry J Anslinger:

“Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men."

Source, which also goes into some of the financial considerations:

http://www.chieftain.com/news/local/article_ba21ef7e-3563-11df-9d83-001…

Jul 28, 2011, 5:36pm Permalink
Chris Charvella

The first Anslinger quote you used always makes me laugh.

I think every member of Congress should be made to watch Reefer Madness in all of it's absurdity then proceed to an up or down vote on whether or not marijuana should be legal.

Jul 28, 2011, 5:39pm Permalink
Jeremiah Pedro

I enjoy reading the standard form responses I get back from our elected officials when I write them letters asking them for more information on the bill introduced by Rob Paul to amend the definition of Industrial Hemp.

Jul 28, 2011, 7:04pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

I think the issue of legalizing marijuana is one where non-voting really has an impact.

Many people don't vote because they think their vote doesn't matter, and in many elections there is at least a sliver of truth to the line of thinking.

But here's a case where most people under a certain age either want marijuana decriminalized or don't really care, but would either A) support such a measure or B) certainly wouldn't vote against any congressional member who supported it.

But because the only people who vote every election are from an older generation that still thinks of marijuana as the evil weed, no politician DARE go near a vote to decriminalize it.

The majority of Americans know that anti-marijuana laws are wrong headed, and most of the people they elect to office, if asked privately, agree, but nothing will change because it would be political suicide to support legalization.

Jul 28, 2011, 7:25pm Permalink
Irene Will

I don't get it. You can get a license to GROW it - but it's illegal to possess it, and/or to sell it. So what exactly does the license do for you ?? - other than notify the authorities that you intend to grow it, so they can what - then come and arrest you and confiscate it ???? This makes no sense to me.

Jul 28, 2011, 11:56pm Permalink
Brandon Burger

Another absurd element of the Marijuana prohibition laws is that they do not differentiate between the varieties of Cannabis sativa; hemp and recreational/medical marijuana are treated as equally illegal to grow. That is a strange position for our country, which is the largest user of hemp in the world. We have to import all the hemp we use because of our ridiculous laws.

You would think that legalizing the cultivation of hemp would be something that an agricultural region like ours would support. I wonder if Assemblyman Hawley would support a bill to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp.

Jul 29, 2011, 2:36am Permalink
Gabor Deutsch

@Chris: I saw it and that's where I got the idea. I actually saw an E Wok holding a bong on someones FB page.

Industrial Hemp makes too much sense for our country to go back to producing.

I am not even going to go into the benefits of medicinal marijuana and co-ops on our economy and quality of life.

Jul 29, 2011, 8:19am Permalink

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