Pubdate: Fri, 14 Jun 2002
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Section: The Reliable Source, Style, Page C03
Copyright: 2002 The Washington Post Company
Contact:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491
Author: Lloyd Grove

WHAT WOULD J.R. THINK?

Liver transplant recipient and recovering alcoholic Larry Hagman, a 
featured speaker tomorrow at the National Association of Drug Court 
Professionals conference, plans an impassioned message for the judges and 
law enforcement types gathered at the Marriott Wardman Park.

"I think it's ridiculous to put young people or any people in jail for 
nonviolent crimes - say, a first offense with marijuana - and have them 
marked forever," the 70-year-old actor told us. "It costs a lot of money, 
maybe $65,000, to keep them in jail for two years, but to get them into 
rehabilitation, and actually help them, costs a helluva lot less."

Hagman, who has financed a video to advocate drug courts that stress 
rehabilitation over punishment, added: "I think they should decriminalize 
drugs like marijuana and make alcohol illegal." He said he also favors 
legalized medicinal marijuana.

Best known for playing J.R., the charming villain in the hit series 
"Dallas," Hagman said he has been doing "swell" in the seven years since 
his cancerous liver was removed and replaced. "I got a great Puerto Rican 
liver!" he crowed, referring to 1995 tabloid reports that identified his 
donor, a car-accident victim. "You're not supposed to know who the donor 
is. That's the policy. But about six months after the operation, I heard 
from the mother of the victim asking for $10,000 to start a bumper sticker 
company to advertise organ donations. I felt I couldn't respond, because 
that might seem like I was paying for the organ. It's rather sad."
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