Pubdate: Thu, 28 Jul 2005
Source: Austin Chronicle (TX)
Copyright: 2005 Austin Chronicle Corp.
Contact:  http://www.auschron.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/33
Author: Julian Ward
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n1158.a04.html

SUSPICIOUS OF POLICE

Dear sirs,

Daniel Rocha's murder by Austin police can't be justified even if he
was high on cannabis (marijuana), which he wasn't! It's very strange
that the cameras were turned off in the police car at the time. (If
they really were?)

If the police murder someone who is not trying to kill them or someone
else, that is a homicide. They should be subject to the full extent of
the law even if that includes the death penalty.

Police are only not above the law, they are supposed to be setting an
example for the rest of the citizens. Therefore the penalty should be
more and not less than for other citizens.

As far as being high on cannabis, people that use cannabis are more
peaceful than people that are straight or on any other drug. I know
this for a fact because my brother was a violent alcoholic who only
acted normal under the influence of cannabis. He had many other mental
problems. When he was on alcohol he would try and kill me with a knife
or any other weapon he could get his hands on. Only the use of
cannabis would make him a normal, reasonable person. My mother would
ask me to get him cannabis to help keep him nonviolent and out of
mental institutions. If cannabis was legal, how many lives would the
use of this drug save?

Cannabis is a drug of peace, regardless of what the crooked police
say.

Julian Ward

Texas NORML
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