Pubdate: Sat, 16 Sep 2000
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2000, Canoe Limited Partnership.
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Author: Tony Blais

EX-RAVESAFE PREZ GUILTY OF DRUG CHARGES

Former RaveSafe Edmonton president Nigel Lawrence Fish is guilty of
possessing two tabs of ecstasy and one gram of marijuana, but he's
certainly no drug dealer.

The 21-year-old was handed a nine-month conditional discharge
yesterday in an Edmonton provincial court after pleading guilty to two
counts of drug possession.

Fish and Thomas Noah Carchrae, a fellow RaveSafe member, had been
charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking after city cops
busted them for allegedly having 12 ecstasy tabs while in a car
outside a May 22 rave at the Sportex.

However, court heard yesterday that a news release issued by city
police detailing the bust was actually incorrect and 10 of the 12 tabs
were a nutritional supplement.

Crown prosecutor Dan Misutka reduced the trafficking charge to
possession and withdrew a charge of possession of the proceeds of
crime. All charges against Carchrae were withdrawn. Defence lawyer
Marshall Hopkins argued that Fish should get an absolute discharge
because he was stigmatized in the media as a result of the police news
release.

"The group RaveSafe got a black eye in the press as well and Fish was
forced to resign as president," he said.

Police spokesman Wes Bellmore said the arresting officers felt the
charges were appropriate given who the men are and the organization
they belonged to.

Besides, given the scrutiny raves have come under and the position the
men held with RaveSafe - an international organization that claims to
educate ravers about the risks of dance-party drug use - cops felt the
charges were warranted.

Hopkins compared the case to a recent one in Calgary where veteran
Hollywood actor Dennis Hopper got an absolute discharge after being
busted for carrying 12 grams of marijuana on a flight from L.A. to
Calgary.

Judge Ben Casson conceded there was notoriety in both cases, but he
noted the difference was that Hopper, the star of the classic film
Easy Rider, wasn't at a rave.

Casson said he couldn't accept handing Fish an absolute discharge
because he did not want to condone people going to raves with ecstasy
in their possession.

Fish was ordered to perform 50 hours of community service and was
fined $100. If he successfully completes his nine-month conditional
sentence, he will not have a criminal record. 
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