Cornell Hood II got off with probation after three marijuana convictions in New Orleans. He didn’t fare too well after moving to St. Tammany Parish, however. A single such conviction on the north shore landed the 35-year-old in prison for the rest of his life.
State Judge Raymond S. Childress punished Hood under Louisiana’s repeat-offender law in his courtroom in Covington on Thursday. A jury on Feb. 15 found the defendant guilty of attempting to possess and distribute marijuana at his Slidell home, court records show.
Hood moved from eastern New Orleans to the Slidell area after he admitted to separate charges of distribution of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute marijuana on Dec. 18, 2009, in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. He received a suspended five-year prison sentence and five years’ of probation for each — which was precisely the same penalty he got in that court after pleading guilty to possessing and intending to distribute marijuana on Feb. 22, 2005.
When Hood switched homes, he also requested a new probation officer based in St. Tammany. Authorities granted the wish, and the officer, Dustin Munlin, drove to Hood’s place for a routine visit on Sept. 27, 2010. Munlin found nearly two pounds of pot throughout the house, according to court records. He alerted Sheriff’s Office deputies. They arrested Hood, who apparently shared the King’s Point house with his mother and young son.
Prosecutors later charged him with one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. At Hood’s one-day trial, the evidence presented by the prosecution included a digital scale and about a dozen bags that had contained marijuana before being seized from the house, testimony showed. Deputies also found $1,600 in cash and a student-loan application with Hood’s name on it inside of a night stand. Where in hell are our priorities?
So who do you think has ruined more lives, the Wall Street crooks who rob old ladies out of their pensions…and handsomely rewarded for it, or this guy? And how much will it cost the taxpayers to imprison the man for the next 40 years? Maybe we should just go ahead and execute the guy.
Marijuana politics aside…
What kind of moran keeps 2 pounds of green around when he knows a probation officer will be visiting?
Bary it in the garden FFS.
errr bury.
America’s War on Drugs coupled with conservative policy of lengthening of sentences has increased the US prison population by 400% since 1980. Crime rates have remained fairly stable for the last 20% years.
It’s no surprise that companies owning and managing private prisons contribute so heavily to Republican candidates.
I feel safer now. There is nothing worse than going to the 7-11 and watching a stoner stare at the Twinkies for 20 minutes.
MMMMM Twinkies….more dangerous than MJ.
Its amazing how Americans allowed it to get to this point
Priorities and yet and yet with Worldcom and worse we send Martha Stewart to jail
Go figure
A war on drugs ?
Its sure been a long a costly war to no avail except to the arms manufacturers
Look at the success in Afghanistan where the Taliban are now the major opium producers / distributors all subsidized with high tech American taxpayer subsidized modern communication , air field control and modern / efficient transportation system
Wonder if Fedex gives tracking numbers and id for the drug / opium / heroin shipments
This will all end in crying
Police state.
I’m anti-drugs and certainly do not support the legalization of heroin, for example.
But I think a singular case can be made for marijuana.
Yes, usage will go way up if legalized. (despite what pro-pot crowd claims.)
Yes, underage use will go way up if legalized. (despite claims)
And, no, it’s not going to solve our budget problems. (despite claims)
And, yes, it’s going to cause health problems. (despite claims)
But, I think we long ago hit a threshold where the downsides of criminalizing it are worse than the downsides of legalizing it. Even considering all of the above.
Americans get the politicians they tolerate.
>> # 4 Special Ed said, on May 9th, 2011 at 7:03 pm
>> I feel safer now. There is nothing worse than going to the 7-11 and watching a stoner stare at the Twinkies for 20 minutes.
Did you feel safe knowing that stoner was driving high to get to the 7-11?
Let’s not kid ourselves — legalizing marijuana is going to cause other kinds of social problems.
And let’s learn from our lessons with tobacco. We should tax pot AHEAD OF TIME for the health costs associated with inhaling flaming matter.
Let’s not make the mistake of holding the producers unaccountable for decades until the law suits finally catch up with the problem.
More dogma from Greg Allan huh? On legalization, in some places the number of users/addicts has gone up, and in others it has gone down. I’ve always figured in the GOUSA, it would first go up, and then go down. But I’m just guessing.
But Greg, if you will, explain this nugget: “Let’s not make the mistake of holding the producers unaccountable for decades until the law suits finally catch up with the problem.”/// What you talkin’ about Willis?
#1 “What kind of moran keeps 2 pounds of green around when he knows a probation officer will be visiting?”
That’s not his only dumb act. He did it in St. Tammany parish. In Orleans Parish you get probation for multiple murder but don’t go north and try it.
I heard an interview with a former law enforcement official (I think it was a former police chief) where he pretty much stated at this point if they could come up with a way to reliably test for recent marijuana use (as in like right before they got into the car) then we would probably see it legalized in all 50 states.
#13 Perhaps you need a gas chamber?
Sounds like Louisiana gave up trying to keep this guy out of prison.
I don’t know where to light on this issue. On one hand I’m all for personal freedom, but on the other hand, I know what it’s like to work with, occasionally hang out with and have to deal with people who smoke pot. Being around these people is a hair-raising, unpleasant, hectic and destructive experience. Well, I’ve made up my mind! People who sell pot (or any other drugs) should be set on fire for the good of society. I’m only partway kidding. When I watched “The 25th Hour” I was rooting for the Edward Norton character’s destruction. These guys who sell death and madness by the baggie or the line or the shot are the real malevolent enemies- more than Osama bin Laden could ever be.
First off, I support the decriminalization of Marijuana, but come on seriously?
This guy had 2 pounds of the stuff. And he was on probation from having already been convicted of intent to sell? Really??
I don;t think he should have gotten life in prison but I do think maybe his momma shoulda smacked him upside the head a few times. I mean how stupid can you get?
I don’t care, because I am not a pothead.
“the evidence presented by the prosecution included a digital scale”
Don’t they sell those things at Walmart?
I have to ask, what kind of sentence would a person get for having a measuring cup, a death penalty?
Maybe he should have stuck to fried chicken, water mellon, and grape soda?
The really sad thing is that some people in the law enforcement community really believe they are making America safer by arresting pot users.
Meanwhile, BILLIONS of $ worth of Mexican Terrorist weed passes through Texas border. And nothing. No proposed legislation.
GregAllen FTW. Rich FTW.
I agree with both perspectives.
And come on, would he have had 2 pounds hanging around if he wasn’t using the stuff that was, evidently, destroying his brain???
The British used opium to enslave the Chinese.
Various pushers, whether social or corporate, are trying to enslave us with their alcohol and other drugs.
It is as if we are sitting at a poker game, and the ones that want to rob us are feeding us intoxicants to make their job easier.
2 pounds or not… Read the article: he was sent to jail for life as repeat offender, not for that singular offense. Society must have that safety switch. If you violate the law on and on and on and on… you cost society more free and offending than locked up.
Only thing that can work against drug trade is single-offense death penalty for any amount. Eliminates cost-benefit of criminal risk for dealing, eliminates user population. Yes, there will be few idiots still trying but as practical examples around the World show – drug trade will be as close to 100% gone as possible with random humans.
#8, if you’re going to spout BS about your “despite claims” then you damn well better have supporting information. Specifically, how in the hell can you claim “And, yes, it’s going to cause health problems. (despite claims)”???
Do you know ANYTHING about the benefits of THC? I’m no pot-head (makes my stomach upset actually) but I do know a lot about the medical benefits of THC and the hundreds of years of history of Marijuana in general.
So unless you have supporting information on your claims then STFU.
I see a lot of “Good Germans” are adding their “Treue zur Furher” ((Allegiance to the Furher)) mentality to the discussion.
Yes, a victimless crime that causes a complete disproportionate expense to society and personal damage to an ever expanding circle of otherwise innocent victims can be given a pass ONCE====but do the same thing three times, well then, thats a totally different question.
What a bunch of dolts. If you don’t believe in/support freedom ((FREEEEEEEDOM—other people doing things you would never do, don’t approve of, and think is idiotic)) you should at least be thinking of the economic cost? Think pragmatically? Solve a crime by making it a health issue? No?
What a bunch of dolts.
Did anyone actually read the story link, or were you just too high to bother? The guy didn’t get a life sentence for one conviction, he got a life sentence for being convicted 4-times for crimes in which had a 10-year or longer sentence. Sort of a 3-strikes law.
You guys can bitch, piss, moan and groan all you want, but the bottom line is, the guy was an idiot, had been warned, and got what he deserved.
Don’t do the crime, if you can’t afford the time!
Sieg Heil!!!!!!
Was this guy black ? Does anyone know ?