Pubdate: Tue, 2 Feb 2010
Source: News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)
Copyright: 2010 The News and Observer Publishing Company
Contact: http://www.newsobserver.com/about/newsroom/editor/
Website: http://www.newsobserver.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/304
Author: Anne Blythe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Willie+Nelson

PRE-CONCERT ALE BUST GETS REVIEW

The Duplin County district attorney has asked state Alcohol Law 
Enforcement agents to provide him with detailed reports on the 
alcohol and moonshine bust last week that netted six members of the 
Willie Nelson entourage. District Attorney Dewey Hudson said Monday 
that he had heard many complaints since Thursday, when the entourage 
members were cited outside the Duplin County Events Center for 
possession of a half-ounce or less of marijuana and three-fourths of 
a quart of moonshine.

Some have questioned why 14 ALE agents were sent to work the Willie 
Nelson concert with Duplin County sheriff's deputies and Kenansville police.

Others have complained that such raids will keep other bands and 
musicians from booking the $13 million events center in the small 
town of Kenansville. "A lot of these events centers are in the red to 
begin with," said Hudson, a prosecutor for three decades. "There's a 
lot of people wondering, 'Why did you do this to begin with?' I'm 
trying to make sure everything has been done appropriately."

Nelson, the maverick country music star with the reputation of being 
a longtime pot smoker, was scheduled to play Thursday night before a 
crowd of 3,000. But an hour before the show, ALE agents and local law 
enforcement officers fanned out across the events center grounds and 
ended up citing 14 people with 25 violations. Nelson's bass player, 
Dan Edward "Bee" Spears, 60, of Franklin, Tenn., was cited on a tour 
bus where many of the citations were issued. Five production crew 
members were also cited. John Duane Vogt, the general manager of the 
events center, and Donald Farrior, an assistant from Kenansville, 
were cited by ALE agents for interfering with the investigation.

Hudson said four ALE agents are expected to turn over written reports 
by midweek. "You've got a lot of people upset that ALE did what it 
did," Hudson said. "I just want to make sure all the charges are warranted." 
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