So, there’s more good news on the marijuana legalization front, and this time, it’s coming to us straight from the Lone Star state.
This week, Texas State Representative Joe Moody introduced a bill that could potentially reduce the current state penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Which, frankly, is needed. Marijuana laws in Texas are pretty darn ridiculous in their current state.
In Texas, it’s okay to give a person life in prison for marijuana charges.
Remember Jacob Lavoro, the 19-year-old from Round Rock? His case made national headlines after police caught him with about a pound and a half of marijuana edibles, a container of THC, $1,600 in cash and an apparent client list.
There’s also the case of Tyrone Brown, who in 1990 was put on probation for robbing a man of $2. Tyrone even gave the dude’s wallet back, and no one was hurt in the robbery, but the kid — he was indeed a kid at the time — screwed up and tested positive for THC while still on probation. He was then sentenced to a life term in a Texas maximum security prison. Luckily, the press renewed their interest in Tyrone’s case around 2006, which ultimately led to Rick Perry granting him a conditional pardon. Tyrone was released March 16, 2007 after serving 17 years in prison.
Angelica Leicht at the Houston Press has two more Texas pot laws that need to go.