| Photo: Hollywire |
| Where there’s Willie, there’s weed. Let’s just all come to terms with it. |
Willie Nelson’s band members are facing marijuana and alcohol possession charges in North Carolina after their tour bus was raided in January. The prosecutor said Friday he plans to pursue charges “to prove that famous people are not above the law.”
In a Friday news conference, Duplin County District Attorney Dewey Hudson said the substances had been sent to Raleigh, N.C., for testing, reports RightJuris.com.
Hudson has come under pressure to drop the charges against Nelson’s band members, but he just won’t let go of the case. Hudson said the case is being handled “as any other case would be,” reports Mike Charbonneau at WRAL.com.
| Photo: wikiweed.net |
| Willie makes the big decision: Shall I smoke the OG Kush or the Trainwreck first? |
The search was conducted prior to a scheduled concert in Kenansville, N.C.
Nelson cancelled the concert after the citations, saying his hand was injured and he wouldn’t be able to play his guitar. Nelson was not on the bus at the time of the bust.
Six of Willie’s band members are charged with possession of either marijuana or “untaxed liquor” (moonshine whiskey). The specific citations are for possession of moonshine and misdemeanor amount of pot.
Hudson’s actions as DA have come under criticism from state Sen. Charlie Albertson (D-Duplin). Albertson has argued for the legalization of marijuana, and has said that alcohol is just as dangerous as pot yet is legal.
Sen. Albertson also recorded a country music song about the case, “Leave The Man Alone.” In the song, he criticizes Alcohol Law Enforcement agents and the charges against Nelson’s band members.
The politically ambitious District Attorney Hudson may be hot-dogging it for the press coverage (you think?), as he is currently running for the state Senate.
“Local yokel politicians pretty much blew their grandstand play by springing their trap before the ‘prize’ prey was in the trap (Willie’s bus),” wrote one local North Carolina commenter on Toke of the Town‘s January story about Nelson’s band getting busted.
“Most of the county taxpayers consider this an unfortunate and ill-conceived move, knowing that the only way to pay for the Events Center is to attract acts that will draw patrons who are willing to party with cash to local merchants,” the commenter wrote. “A few lawyers and the Duplin County court system seem to be the ONLY folks happy about ‘The Attempted Willie Bust’.”
Nelson’s publicist hasn’t commented on the case. The band members are scheduled to face the drug and alcohol possession charges in North Carolina on April 21.