A circuit court judge in Virginia has ruled that it was not illegal for the police to use a helicopter to look for marijuana on a man’s 39-acre farm.
The police say they found two stalks in a patch of weeds. He will be prosecuted.
It’s a misdemeanor, not a felony. In short, it’s a minor crime.
Why do police have the right to do this without a search warrant?
What agency supplied the helicopter? Why?
What were the police not investigating while they were looking for weed among the weeds?
Here is what his lawyer said. (I have known his lawyer for 30 years.)
“Despite the fact that Philip had no knowledge about the presence of what officials claimed were marijuana plants growing on his property, the Commonwealth had no photographic evidence to back up their claims, and it took the Commonwealth more than a month to issue a citation in the case, Cobbs was still charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession, which carries maximum penalties of 30 days in jail and/or a $500 fine—the circuit court is allowing this case to move forward. This is not at all what I would consider justice.”
The defendant is not a menace to society.
Philip Cobbs, a 53-year-old former teacher who cares for his blind, deaf 90-year-old mother, lives on a 39-acre tract of land in eastern Albemarle County that has been in his family since the 1860s. On the morning of July 26, 2011, while spraying the blueberry bushes near his Virginia house, Cobbs noticed a black helicopter circling overhead. After watching the helicopter for several moments, Cobbs went inside to check on his mother. By the time he returned outside, several unmarked police SUVs had driven onto his property, and police in flak jackets, carrying rifles and shouting unintelligibly, had exited the vehicles and were moving toward him. The police officers claimed they had sighted marijuana plants growing on Cobbs’ property and ordered Cobbs to produce them. Distressed and intimidated by the show of force, Cobbs indicated his lack of knowledge about any marijuana plants on his property. In response, one of the police officers radioed up to the helicopter, which then directed the officers to an area in the yard where an oak tree had fallen. Within the limbs of the fallen tree and an adjoining bush were two plants protruding, which the officers claimed were the alleged marijuana plants. The police then asked to search Cobbs’ greenhouse, which turned up nothing more than used tomato seedling containers. Over a month later, Cobbs received a summons charging him with possession of marijuana under Va. Code § 18.2-250.1, which provides that “ownership or occupancy of the premises or vehicle upon or in which marijuana was found shall not create a presumption that such person either knowingly or intentionally possessed such marijuana.”
Yes, Virginia, there really are black helicopters . . . in Virginia.
Who’s next?
Continue reading here.
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Published Gary North on July 5, 2012. It is posted here.
A jury acquitted Mr. Cobbs two weeks after I posted this.
Helicopter surveillance is now low-tech. As drones get cheaper, and as video cameras get cheaper, lighter, and have higher resolution, the cost of police surveillance will fall. Remember this law of economics: "When the price falls, more is demanded."
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