Now that Richland County (S.C.) Sheriff Leon Lott’s fifteen minutes of fame are up, we can start implementing phase two of our clever plan … creating public “Bong Recreation Areas” in South Carolina.
Seriously … we’re looking for legislative sponsors right now. Anybody interested? We might even name one of them the “Sheriff Leon Lott Public Bong Recreation Area.”
In his honor, obviously.
Anyway, Lott made the decision yesterday to forego prosecuting Olympic hero Michael Phelps for taking a bong hit at a University of South Carolina party last November.
Wait, what? Yeah … believe it or not he was actually pursuing charges pretty hard core there for awhile.
“We had a photo and him saying he was sorry for inappropriate behavior,” Lott said at a news conference yesterday announcing his decision. “He never said, ‘I smoked marijuana.’ We didn’t have physical evidence.”
Funny … that makes Sheriff Lott not unlike every person in the Western World who saw the photo and heard Phelps apologize.
Amazing deduction there, Watson …
Lott had apparently begun taking some heat for his “investigation,” though, particularly after he sent at least a dozen law enforcment officers to arrest eight individuals on simple possession charges, reportedly with the sole intent of coercing evidence or testimony against Phelps.
Nobody ratted.
Prosecutors and defenders alike have been saying that Lott was out of line ever since the investigation began because he was using resources that he would otherwise not have employed because Phelps is a celebrity.
Lott argued back (much less successfully) that he was a modern-day Joe Friday just doing his job.
Of course, Lott still has a tank, so it’s not entirely clear he ended up on the losing end of this one.
By Toyota Kawaski February 17, 2009 at 9:34 am
Just like every Police department in SC Overzealous and under worked.
By Philip Branton February 17, 2009 at 11:45 am
Whew…..!
I’m just glad that SC Supreme Court Justice JEAN TOAL finally picked up her phone and MADE a call !!!??
Considering that everyone else in Columbia was hiding under their DESKS !
I believe the Flowertown festival is still going to have the Phelp’s Bltz Hunt with a Leon Lott Look a Like on the prowl !!!!
By PanamaRed February 17, 2009 at 3:35 pm
So, there wasn’t enough evidence that Phelps smoked pot out of that bong even after he said,
>Hey…I did a stupid thing…I smoked pot out of that bong<
This world is friggin’ crazy.
Solicitor’s message = ‘enforcing the stupid law isn’t REALLY expected.’
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I know what I’M putting in the ground Good Friday!!! Ummm Hmmm.
By The Law is the Law February 17, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Good for you Sheriff Lott- from what we have read this USC hippie house was already being watched by the police. If people don’t like how the Sheriff runs his side of the town, don’t break the law!