| Photo: Post-Tribune |
| Jeremy Erskine Jamal Miller, 18, thought he’d just bring along his weed when he had to show up in court on a robbery charge. |
A Lynnwood, Illinois man was arrested for marijuana when he pulled out a bag of pot while emptying his pockets in front of Porter County Courthouse security on the way to his Tuesday hearing.
Jeremy Erskine Jamal Miller, 18, ended up pleading guilty to felony theft in handcuffs that morning, then was taken away by Valparaiso, Indiana police officers afterward on a marijuana possession charge, reports James D. Wolf, Jr., of the Merrillville Post-Tribune.
Court Security Officer Doug Crandall said when Miller came into the courthouse, he emptied his pockets onto the table — including a small baggie of cannabis.
Miller then knocked the baggie to the floor, as sneakily as possible under the circumstances, and bent over.
Officers then found the sack of pot in his sock.
Judge Mary Harper had to ask an officer to remove the handcuffs so Miller could sign his plea agreement in court.
Miller, who originally faced up to eight years in prison for felony robbery after holding up two Valparaiso, Indiana men who had given him a ride on September 3.
If Judge Harper accepts the plea deal on August 17, Miller will be sentenced to 29 days served in Porter County Jail and 12 days of community service.
Miller first met the two men he robbed at a gas station in Valparaiso. They gave him a ride, and as they neared the destination, Miller told them he had a gun and took $12 and their credit cards.
He became upset when neither of the men had iPods or cell phones, and he argued with them about that before leaving.
Court documents reveal Miller also has a juvenile adjudication in Cook County, Ill., for possession of marijuana.
Because he has a prior pot possession charge, he will likely be charged with a felony this time, instead of a simple misdemeanor charge.
Crandall, who has been a security officer at the courthouse since February, said he had expected to eventually see someone enter the courthouse with drugs.
“When I first started here, I thought it was only a matter of time with so many people (coming through),” he said. “Today was the day.”
