A couple weeks ago police raided the house of a man in Chesapeake, Va., on the suspicion that the home contained a hydroponic marijuana growing operation. A single officer forcibly entered the house, unannounced, in plainclothes - and was shot and killed by the frightened owner, who had reported a robbery the previous week. The hydroponic marijuana plants turned out to be Japanese Maples. The police entered only on the word of a single informant and did not try to get a confirmation before raiding the house. Nevertheless, the man sits in jail charged with first-degree murder. [continues 486 words]