Don't Bogart That Joint, My Friend

[Jim Finnel]

A California man with a doctor's prescription for marijuana demands punitive damages for Berkeley police officers' "gratuitous mayhem," saying they ran him over with a bicycle, knocked him down and stomped him because he was smoking a joint during a Mardi Gras parade. J. Hadley Louden says he was marching down Telegraph Avenue during the 2009 Mardi Gras parade, "wearing a large set of drums and cymbals on a harness around his upper body and strapped over his shoulders and around his waist; and he was smoking a hand-rolled marijuana cigarette, for which he had a doctor's prescription." He was leader of the band, Louden says. He claims a Berkeley cop, "Kelley," "approached him and demanded the cigarette. Plaintiff bridled, explaining that his possession was legal and turned away," according to the complaint in Alameda County Court. Then another cop, "Cummings," rammed him with a bicycle, "injuring him and damaging his instruments," he says. Louden says he "turned back to defendant Kelley and handed her the cigarette," whereupon he was set upon by other cops. Louden claims Berkeley's Finest "kneeled and stood on top of him, kicking, stomping and pressing his face and body into the pavement, while handcuffing him." He says the officers "stomped him in the back with boots, twisted his arms and handcuffed him improperly and painfully, and threatened him with a large knife which they ten used to needlessly and roughly cut his drum harness straps." Louden claims this was "gratuitous mayhem, clearly carried out 'maliciously and sadistically for the very purpose of causing harm.'" In addition to his injuries, he says, he was "gratuitously shamed" and suffered "financial and other loss." He demands punitive damages for civil rights violations. He is represented by Dennis Cunningham of San Francisco.


NewsHawk: User: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: Courthouse News Service
Author: ROBERT KAHN
Copyright: 2010 Courthouse News Service
Contact: Courthouse News | About CNS
Website: Courthouse News Service

 

[Steve McStoferson]

its such a shame that these things happen. It makes me wonder why anybody has respect for police officers

 

[HUMANCHIMNEY]

its such a shame that these things happen. It makes me wonder why anybody has respect for police officers

Agree 100%

 

[PitViper]

typical

 

[Irish]

its such a shame that these things happen. It makes me wonder why anybody has respect for police officers

Agree 100%

Ditto.

 

[Steve McStoferson]

Even if this guy didn't have a medical card and was smoking illegally, it doesn't justify the officers use of brutal force on somebody who wasn't resisting or being violent or destructive in any way.

 

[ChicagoJoe]

agreed, this would have much more support if there was a video.

For example: a biker in a critical mass ride in 2008 got tackled by a cop. The cop said the cyclist was disrupting the flow of traffic and that when asked to stop, the cop said the cyclist rammed him. The video proved it all wrong. I swear I want to get one of those recycling digital cameras that keep recording over the same 10 minutes until a button is pressed, then the last 10 minutes are saved and the recording loop starts up again.

 

[smokin442200]

they should have issued a ticket and then the court could handle it,,in california even with medical card u cant smoke in public ...but cops are fucked up in the head...weed does nothing bad so WTF

 

[Mtlawnfan]

It makes me wonder why anybody has respect for police officers

I wasn't aware that anybody did.

More accurate would be ...."this is why NOBODY has respect for police officers."

 

[falcore]

the only people worse than the cops are the ones that issue their orders.

 

[Raekwon]

typical

 

[jigga2jones]

i hope he takes em to the bank then donates to help our country that awarded him .

 

[nassos]

i hope he takes em to the bank then donates to help our country that awarded him .

yeah that's right.

 

[michaelkaer]

I am sure the person has many witnesses. I am a Drummer. If someone(anyone, even a cop) cut my property and ruined It I would sue their asses sky high. They do not have the right to ruin your property and do bodily harm, no matter what. They have to follow the laws too. The only time a Cop has any special powers is when there is an emergency, otherwise they are supposed to be held to the same laws we are. Sue sue sue...

 

[flank]

This is terrible, and its sad to know that Louden will never get any justice from these cops... I hope he does though, I hope he gets all of it.