Madison NORML

It seems that University police officer Mike Mansavage* had arrested an individual reportedly seen passing a hand-rolled cigarette to a friend.

So, as around 1500 marchers joyfully paraded up State St., two were left behind, arrested on pot charges, handcuffed and jailed for allegations of having a little pot in the year 2007 in Madison.

According to case law, possession of a hand-rolled cigarette is not probable cause for arrest. The fact that two arrests were made is a complete waste of University Police resources.

But it gets worse! While the legality of the search has not yet been settled, Dane County Assistant District Attorney Karie Cattanach will be seeking to re-file felony distribution charges, after the defendant refused to plead to a misdemeanor for the allegation of passing a single joint, at a hearing this Wednesday.

Why is the ex-UW girl’s basketball hoopster Cattanach wasting our tax dollars prosecuting someone for a joint? Isn’t there enough real crime to keep her occupied? Does Cattanach, who also moonlights as the Badger Women's Basketball color analyst for Wisconsin Public Television. click here, really feel she is wisely using the overburdened Dane County courts by seeking to wreck someone’s life for a single joint in the year 2007 in Madison?

This arrest and prosecution are a slap in the face to this city’s longstanding community standard of cannabis tolerance. In an advisory referendum in Nov. 1976, Madison voters signaled they supported the legalization of cannabis.

Then, on April 5, 1977, 30 years ago this year, Madison voters passed Madison General Ordinance 23.20 which decriminalized public possession. Ordinance 23.20 begins with this statement:

1) Purpose. The people of Madison specifically determine that the regulations herein contained concerning marijuana and cannabis are necessary to serve the ethical purpose of providing just and equitable legal treatment of the citizens of this community and to preserve the respect of such citizens for law, its process, and its administration.

ADA Cattanach’s mean-spirited prosecution flies in the face of the will of the people, and we cannot let this stand.

THIS WEDNEDAY, Valentines Day, we need as many people as possible to make it to the new Dane County Courthouse located in downtown Madison at 215 S Hamilton St Madison WI 53703 click here.

The hearing in the case, State v Chris Lankford, will be held at 11:30 AM before Judge Patrick Fiedler 11:30 AM, Branch 8, 8th Floor.

Visitors to the courthouse must pass through a metal detector, so please arrive a few minutes early to have time to pass through before the hearing begins.

Better yet, please come out Wednesday at 11 and join a picket in front of the Courthouse, and for the hearing at 11:30, and stick up for Chris Lankford and Madison’s tradition of cannabis tolerance and against this wasteful and cruel prosecution!

*Officer Mansavage is the same cop who pepper-sprayed Ben Masel for collecting signatures for his U.S. Senate challenge to Herb Kohl last June on the Union Terrace.