Trouble in Tampa

You'll notice on my blog that I have a Cannabis Twitter Feed, which highlights "Tweets" that mention the plant. After double checking that my last post looked fine, I noticed this tweet by @JailedTampa:

Vanessa . 28F: Possession Of Cannabis Less Than 20 Grams, Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia, Child Neglect. http://tinyurl.com/lvoqcw

My curiosity peaked, I clicked on the link. There, for the whole world to see is the mugshot and arrest report of one Vanessa M. She was busted in her own home.

I understand that child neglect is a very serious offense, but I wonder, did using Cannabis bring about the child neglect charge? That charge carries a bond of $7500.00, the possession charges are $500.00 each. . So now she sits in jail, unable to post the $8500.00 bond, her kids are without their mom, and her employer was made public, naming their "criminal" employee.

She obviously doesn't have the money to post bond, and if she gets out - will she get her kids back? Be fired? How will she make money to not only support her kids but to pay her legal bills if she loses her job? Will anyone want to even hire her again because of her arrest?

Now I'd like to bring attention to another case as @TampaJail posts the info of everyone they arrest:

Jamorris S. 22M: Aggravated Battery On Pregnant Female. http://tinyurl.com/n7n68f

This man ASSAULTED a PREGNANT woman. He was arrested at 16:13, booked at 17:15 and was released, back into society, at 17:23 the next day. The whole thing from arrest, to booking, to release took 24 hours and ten minutes. Vanessa M. on the other hand, was not booked until 22:35, 6 hours and 10 minutes after her arrest at 16:45 and has been sitting in a cell ever since.

So, an unemployed guy beats a woman who is or was most likely his girlfriend or wife and carrying a baby, and gets the same bond amount as a pot smokers 2 possession charges? Does this make sense to you? Do you feel safer now Tampa? Safer with the law putting Cannabis users behind bars and quickly letting women beaters back out on the streets?

And we're supposed to believe the "War on Drugs" is not a war on people.....


An addition to this post: I visited Tampa Bay Online to send them a letter to the editor, when what article do I see? New law gives prisons sensible out

"At a time when state lawmakers are combating massive budget deficits, state Sen. Victor Crist, R-Tampa, found a way to squeeze savings and inmates out of Florida's rapidly expanding prison system.

The measure, approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Charlie Crist, gives corrections officials the option of sending prisoners to other states. The law takes effect July 1."

Wow. Florida would rather send people to other states and pay for inmate incarceration instead of being smart and helping many non-violent addicts get treatment. Once again I say "It's the Prohibition!"