Pubdate: Thu, 04 Jul 2002
Source: Royal Gazette, The (Bermuda)
Copyright: 2002 The Royal Gazette Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.theroyalgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2103
Author: Christine Mayor
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

MAN RECEIVES $750 FINE FOR DRUG POSSESSION - AFTER MUCH THOUGHT

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves pondered the appropriate 
punishment for a 21-year-old man he felt was a drug supplier after he 
admitted possessing cannabis during a session in Magistrates' Court earlier 
this week.

Duty counsel Veronica Daley asked Mr. Greaves to consider alternatives to 
incarceration for Freemont Swan, pointing out his "tender age" of 21.

However Mr. Greaves said that being young was not an excuse for his 
actions. Ms Daley also asked that a social inquiry be done on the Fentons 
Drive, Pembroke man to "get to the root of the problem".

But Mr. Greaves denied the request saying: "He's a supplier, come on."

"He's been convicted of possession. That's a bit of a jump from possession 
to supplying," Ms Daley contended.

Mr. Greaves then asked her what the sentence should be. "What can I do to 
him? I'm trying to think of something."

He laughed at the idea of giving Swan community service, saying: "That 
sounds dangerous to me, unless you're going to send him to the fields of 
Ecuador. What are we going to do - give him probation? He'll start laughing 
so hard if we use that word with him. You're only pretending if you think 
he just doesn't know what the evils of drugs are. Re-education isn't an 
option. He'll only learn more about the evils of drugs, and the secrets of 
the business - find a way to make more money."

Mr. Greaves continued: "You'll have to sentence him to church. Get him 
baptised or something else and wash his sins, as those Christians would say.

"Look, we just have to accept that there are some people we have to send to 
jail. Otherwise, we might as well shut them all down."

The Crown told Mr. Greaves they were not necessarily seeking incarceration 
for Swan, to which he replied: "Leave the sentencing to me."

Mr. Greaves finally decided to fine the man $750.

Crown counsel Juan Wolfe said Swan was arrested on March 20. At 3.20 p.m., 
Swan was standing at the junction of Court and Elliot Streets when a marked 
Police car stopped nearby.

Officers said Swan looked at the vehicle, put his hand in his pants pocket 
and ran away.

The defendant was followed and searched at the nearby Jamaican Grill. Found 
during the search was a hand-rolled cigarette containing plant-like 
material. Police analysts found the substance to be 0.18 grams of cannabis.
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