Cops Go Undercover At High School To Bust Special-Needs Kid For Pot

[1lluminated1]

Cops Go Undercover at High School to Bust Special-Needs Kid for Pot: Why Are Police So Desperate to Throw Kids in Jail?

The school-to-prison pipeline strikes again.

 

May 22, 2013  |  

AlterNet / By Kristen Gwynne

 

Californians Doug and Catherine Snodgrass are suing their son’s high school for allowing undercover police officers to set up the 17-year-old special-needs student for a drug arrest.

 

In a video segment on ABC News, they say they were "thrilled" when their son -- who has Asperger's and other disabilities and struggled to make friends -- appeared to have instantly made a friend named Daniel.

 

“He suddenly had this friend who was texting him around the clock,” Doug Snodgrass told ABC News. His son had just recently enrolled at Chaparral High School.

 

"Daniel," however, was an undercover cop with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department who "hounded" the teenager to sell him his prescription medication. When he refused, the undercover cop gave him $20 to buy him weed, and he complied -- not realizing the guy he wanted to befriend wanted him behind bars.

 

In December, the unnamed senior was arrested along with 21 other students from three schools, all charged with crimes related to the two officers' undercover drug operation at two public schools in Temecula, California (Chaparral and Temecula Valley High School). This March, Judge Marian H. Tully ruled that Temecula Valley Unified School District could not expel the student, and had in fact failed to provide him with proper services.

 

 “Within three days of the officer’s requests, [the] student burned himself due to his anxiety,” Tully said. “Ultimately, the student was persuaded to buy marijuana for someone he thought was a friend who desperately needed this drug and brought it to school for him.”

 

In January, a juvenile court judge decided that extenuating circumstances applied to the student's case, and ruled that he serve informal probation and 20 hours of community service, which would translate into “no finding of guilt.” 

 

Since being allowed back to school, Snodgrass says his son has been "bullied" via suspensions and threat of expulsion. “Our son was cleared of the criminal charge, but the school continued to try and expel him,” Snodgrass said.

 

The Snodgrasses are now suing the school for unspecified damages. District administrators, they told ABC, should have protected their son, but instead “participated with local authorities in an undercover drug sting that intentionally targeted and discriminated against [him]."

 

“Sending police and informants to entrap high-school students is sick,” says Tony Newman, director of media relations at the Drug Policy Alliance. “We see cops seducing 18-year-olds to fall in love with them or befriending lonely kids and then tricking them into getting them small amounts of marijuana so they can stick them with felonies. We often hear that we need to fight the drug war to protect the kids. As these despicable examples show, more often the drug war is ruining young people's lives and doing way more harm than good.”

 

 

Read More: http://www.alternet.org/cops-go-undercover-high-school-bust-special-needs-kid-pot-why-are-police-so-desperate-throw-kids?paging=off

[williams2311]

How pathetic for the cops not have better things to do I mean really a 20 dollar bag of weed while 200 kilos of coke and heroine just got brought into the state good job cops way to spend hour money wisely and potentially ruin them kids for ever

[solabeirtan]

Extremely predatory behavior, practiced on helpless people for economic and political gain. Moralistically depraved ...  

[cristinew]

You would think they would try to solve murders and rapes,,, but no,,,,,,,,,

[ilynnboy]

This behavior Is Despicable!!!!

I hope these Pigs Rot in Hell...

Satan has a place alongside himself for these Morally Corrupt Pigs.

Ya I said it Pigs... These are Not Peace Officers...

Special Needs Kids??? What ArseHoles!!!!

 

.....Outraged.....

[Celliach]

Nothing like messing up someone's entire life for a little mistake they made as a kid.

[1lluminated1]

It is time that we citizens recognize the police for what they truly are.... A predatory force that uses deadly weapons to enforce draconion laws that are only meant to take advantage of the weak!  Since when have you heard of the Police actually doing something respectable? 

 

Everyday in MI and the US they throw MMJ patients in federal and state prison for growing a plant!?  It's outrageous!  Do Americans not have the freedom to treat their cancer?  Must we be forced to take the deadly chemotherapy and radiation the phony MD's push on us? 

 

This memorial day let us remember those who fought for freedom but more importantly remember it is up to US to keep our freedom!!

[Kingdiamond]

Law enforcement will stoop to all levels to keep their gravy train rolling even busting a child who doesn't know any better frankly its quite sickening how do these lowlifes even  look at themselves in the mirror?

[solabeirtan]

I read the story the kid would not sell them his own Meds. That kid should get an award, gd.

 

 Then the guy pleads for a bag of herb, instead.  The kid comes through like a compassionate, considerate, friend .

 

Unfortunatley his friend turned out to be a Big Bad PIG in disguise!

 

[GregS]

Fukn schitbags.

[Celliach]

So we should start telling our elected officials that we want less money spent on law enforcement.  It will take about 5 to 10 years.

[motorcitymeds]

I read the story the kid would not sell them his own Meds. That kid should get an award, gd.

 

 Then the guy pleads for a bag of herb, instead.  The kid comes through like a compassionate, considerate, friend .

 

Unfortunatley his friend turned out to be a Big Bad PIG in disguise!

 

The money is the motive...only Legalization will stop this madness.  when taxation and TRUE legalization occurs then and only then will this BS end.

 

Legalize it, tax it, regulate it.  But do not stop small grow ops from privfate citizens.

[ozzrokk]

Wow.......... Will it ever stop?????????

[ozzrokk]

Heres a fukking thought.......... How bout they stop wasting their time on cannabis........... and start working on real crime and danger........... They can start with processing all the rape kits that they say they just didnt have time for..............