Pubdate: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 Source: Quesnel Cariboo Observer (CN BC) Copyright: 2001 Quesnel Cariboo Observer Contact: http://www.quesnelobserver.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1260 Author: Rolf Harrison POT PROMPTER SAYS HE'LL STALL POLICE IN PAPERWORK The feud between an incorrigible marijuana trafficker and the Quesnel RCMP continues to manifest itself in stacks of paperwork. In the latest twist, police charged Stephen Payne with causing a disturbance in a public place under a section of the criminal code that defines disturbance as fighting, screaming, swearing, singing or using insulting or obscene language. This comes a month after Payne pressed charges against a Mountie who tackled him as he protested the war on pot July 21, during a Billy Barker Days concert. The following week Payne charged the officer with assault and filed complaints with the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP and the B.C. Human Rights Commission. The Quesnel RCMP says it has received and is investigating the complaints. The police filed the public disturbance charge against Payne August 29. A self-proclaimed one-time drug dealer, Payne says he is driven to tie up the RCMP with so much paperwork that they will spend less time busting marijuana grow operations. If at all successful, he would also be slowing police as they perform other duties, effectively making life easier for criminals that may deal marijuana as well as those that conduct other criminal activities. He says he has exchanged lawsuits with the RCMP in Ontario on similar grounds of harassment, eventually fleeing to the U.S. before the cases concluded. Payne also vows to file a lawsuit against the Billy Barker Days Society, armed with a lawyer that represents the B.C. Marijuana Party. Recent entanglements with the Mounties go beyond the protesting incident in Lebourdais Park. He is apparently a terrible driver. He claims that in the past six months he has been slapped with five fines for driving infractions, including speeding, driving with a broken headlight, and driving without a license. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake