Is this fellow one of our members??

(From: http://www.examiner.com/a-1448704~Bel_Air_...ing_drugs.html)

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - A former Bel Air town commissioner, author, environmentalist and Bigfoot tracker has been indicted in Harford County on charges of possessing marijuana with intent to distribute.

Robert Chance, a Darlington tree farmer and nature columnist for The Aegis and The Record newspapers, was indicted recently on charges of possessing marijuana; possession with intent to distribute; manufacturing or distributing a controlled, dangerous substance; possessing a controlled, dangerous substance other than marijuana, and being a common nuisance by distributing drugs, according to court documents.

Police had received a tip that Chance, 62, was growing marijuana on his property, said State’s Attorney Joseph Cassilly. A subsequent search of the property found marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms, he said.

In Maryland, intent to distribute is legally determined by a combination of the quantity of drugs and the presence of other factors, such as money or packaging materials, Cassilly said, and in Chance’s case there was a large enough quantity to qualify.

“As far as I know, he was just growing it there,” Cassilly said.

A Harford grand jury indicted Chance on May 20, and he was taken into custody June 6. He posted a $25,000 bond the same day and was released.

Chance served on the Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners from 1975 to 1979, after helping to establish the county’s first recycling center. He also taught science at Bel Air and C. Milton Wright high schools before taking over the Harford Glen Environmental Education Center in 1991 and retiring in 1999.

His efforts to scientifically track Harford sightings of Bigfoot were chronicled in the 2006 book “Weird Maryland,” and Chance had just published a collection of his Earthline columns spanning 30 years.

“He was a great schoolteacher and remains a really great, community-minded guy,” said Bel Air Commissioner Terry Hanley, who said he has bought several trees from Chance’s farm. “I’m a little surprised.”

Chance is scheduled for arraignment July 8

sounds like a George Carlin bit, "smoke 4 joints, take 6 mushrooms and goooooo look for bigfoot! "




dav

hey researchers omg this is definetly a very sad article about a fellow researcher indeed, i hope the charges are dropped etc i will be wishing him well & praying for him i hope you all do the same if you all want too. thanks bill

Definitely with you on this, Bill. It is a sad happening. Sounds like a good man.

Hi


Police had received a tip that Chance, 62, was growing marijuana on his property, said State’s Attorney Joseph Cassilly. A subsequent search of the property found marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms, he said.

Woopie !!! Mr 62 yrs old was possibly growing some pot and magic mushrooms, My guess is not much will happen to the guy, Looks like someone don't like him or his Trees

Peace
Tim

What's so merry about Maryland if there's no Maryjane?
Maryland? How about Fantasyland!

Why is everyone praying for him? He broke the law! Pretty cut and dry in my book....

Hi


"Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law"

Now this gets me to thinking ( Yes i do that once in a While ) If i go out the door this morning knowing that i am going to get on the highway and punch it up to 85 or 90 miles per, To blend into traffic and pass a few Cadillac's with Florida license plates and drivers wearing blue scally caps doing 50 mph, Am i breaking the law before i get in the car because of the premeditated thing, Or is it only the moment i pass 60 MPH ?

For the record RedRatSnake is against the endorsement for the coalition of the 420 club to Pray for such persons that are awaiting a hearing on charges of growing Pot like plants and schroons, Thank you And Have A Nice Day





Peace
Tim

Anything that grows in the dirt should not be illegal. Broke the law...yes - crime of the century...NO. Besides one needs to "take the edge off" when your looking for something in the middle of the woods that will tear your arms off.

I should lessen my tone a bit I think... Prayer is not a bad thing, I do not mean to undermine its power or value. I guess I just don't think guy should get any special treatment from us folks here on the board because he is interested in Bigfoot like we are.

Freakin non-toxic plants...what a waste of tax money and time.

As for breaking the law...the laws themselves are broken.

tirademan

"If it can't kill you in one dose, it should only be taxed."

Did you ever stop to think that he was framed ? Maybe this is the big guy's way of keeping him off of his turf. He must have been getting close.



Hey ... Redratsnake ... could you help me with an avatar. You always have the coolest and I've never had one. I need a peace sign and a BF track. How do I do it ?

Bigfootie

Funny how everyone is OK with the illegal drug possession. I'm sure it would continue to be fine too, right up until the point your kids got drugs from the guy.

I agree with Eldonkeys original assessment. He knew it was illegal and he got caught. Screw him, he gets what he gets and has no one to blame but himself.

I pretty much agree with those that find it objectionable that the government goes after pot growers. I have yet to hear of a dangerous pothead. There may be dangerous growers in bigfoot country but I have never actually heard specifically about them. Many of my former friends were the sort that might grow wild cannabis but they were the least objectionable sorts of people. They would never wish harm on anybody.

Hi

Yup ! ! Your right on that, If that was the guy selling the stuff to your kids, Mr Drug man would be on the hit list for sure, Talk about this subject always gets folks thinking differently, Growing up in Boston i had pot dealers living above and below me, I guess you get used to the smoke being around all the time, It is the Coke and Crack stuff that really changes the atmosphere real fast, I don't look at it as us against them when it comes to the law, Law is the Law....... The guy if found guilty, Can only blame himself, Yup, I'll go with that

Peace
Tim

But, put pot in perspective.
Aspirin will kill 100 Americans this year, it's available in every medicine cabinet. Even a correct dose can leave one with a bleeding intestine or a failed kidney, thousands find this out each year with a visit to the emergency room.
Who knows how many die from alcohol poisoning, each year.
Noone has ever overdosed on pot, ever, there simply isn't enough toxicity to induce death. That is a fact.
Sure, kids shouldn't smoke pot, but neither should adults be hypocritical about what is illegal.....kids figure out that pretty quick! (where's that gonna leave us?)


Like Tirademan said, just tax it, let the adult potheads get our gov't out of debt in no time, with a smile while doing it.

I agree with Jim. He broke the law, he gets what he gets.

I was somewhat astonished with some of the comments here and over at crypro.

The laws of this land are just that- LAWS. For those who dont like or agree with them, there is a vehicle in place to change them. Until then, they are the law and its the duty of LE and the courts to enforce those laws. ( even when its not "popular" or goes against the grain of individual personal beliefs)

Now on the other hand, regarding the numerous flaws,errors,abuse of the Justice system- as one of many personally involved in establishing innocence of 3 falsely accused innocent men in the now famous "Duke Rape Case", no one here needs to give me a class on abuse of power/position/framing/politics and miscarraige of justice. ( when the truth comes out in open court in the civil suits- it will make the American Citizen rethink how coorrupt the government machine really is, make our Founding Fathers turn in their graves and make Lady Justice bow her head in shame)

That said, the law is still the law and its the sworn duty of those involved to enforce it and prosecute it.

Now, a true bill and indictment from a GJ is NOT an indication of guilt. ( it merely means there is enough evidence to establish probable cause and proceed to trial)

A citizen obtaining counsel and preparing a vigorous and effective defense also is NOT an indicator of guilt. ( Contrary to what Mike Nifong says about wondering why "innocent people need lawyers"- lawyers protect citizens from "rogue prosecutors" and false charges[ such as himself])

Lets sit back and let the system work and see what the States case really is before people start taking sides. This man may be innocent- he may not be.

Seems pretty open and shut to me, and looks like guilt is fairly evident if the above is true.

With regard to the comments about marijuana laws, here in Alaska marijuana possession is somewhat decriminalized. Small amount possession in your own home is not a crime. Manufacture and possession with the intent of distribution is a felony.

I can live with that.



He's indicted, but not convicted yet (at least not in the court system).

Maybe not

After the other "fiasco" that is Duke, its even more important to stress that its of extreme importance to not form opinions( pro or con) based on media reports but to wait for the facts/case in chief.

For example- because plants were found is NOT "proof" that the suspect grew them, was aware of their presence or had any knowledge of their existence.

In the South here, large farms are the norm. ( large being a matter of individual interpretation) and most of them have areas no one goes to on a regular basis ( bordering on swamps, not farmable and a host of other reasons) and its common for people ( without the landowners knowledge) to sneak in and plant illegal crops, set up stills, meth labs etc)

( We have had that happen on our family property and imagine how that looked when several members were in law enforcement)

I dont know this gentleman nor do I have access to the States evidence- I dont believe anyone else here does either.

I am neither impuging guilt by circumstantial evidence or proclaiming innocence because he is a "good guy"

If the state can show the plants were present either by his hand or with his knowledge, there is a case here under Md law. ( thats their burden of proof to establish)

I wish this gentleman a vigorous defense by qualified counsel so the tryer of fact can make the proper decision based on the facts as proven in court and the law administered fairly and equitably regardless of the outcome.

I may seem a bit too libertarian on this but I lived for three years on the North Shore of Hawaii. There may have been a federal law but it wasn't enforced. Many if not most of locals grew pot but not commercially though many did that too. A few years latter doing the same thing that most of the people there did could get them many years in prison. The state can take your freedom and your home for a plant growing on your property. I imagine most of them still grow it so if they are unlucky or selected by the cops, they go to prison.

A few years later I helped the Coast Guard board ships and yachts. If a cook brought something aboard they could take yachts for as little as a seed being found by dogs. That really disgusted me that I had to take part in that. I have heard they changed the standards but it left a bitter taste in my mouth. The seizing of property really put me off and I don't trust them not to abuse their power.

You say no one has overdosed from pot, which to my knowledge is true, but you make this blanket statement and ignore the more obvious problems it brings. 1. Pot in many cases is the first drug many users take, which opens the doors and leads to coke, heroin, meth, etc...

2. How many folks have gotten into car accidents that could have been avoided if not high on pot? Hell, screw car accidents, how many horrible decisions have been made while high on pot? How many people have been hurt?

The dude committed a felony... plain and simple... Of course, he is innocent until proven guilty, but if all is as advertised, he will get fair punishment....

It was a bait station.

Zero Tolerance.

It was bullspit.



I agree.

Seemed to me that the more organized criminals were the organized criminals in command.




This is a BS argument.



This is a very valid argument.

Hi

You can't be serious That sounds just like every Cop i have heard on the Radio trying to sway the voters to change the local laws so smoke shops have to close there doors or cant' sell pipes and rolling papers etc, It is simply not true, That is basically the same as saying drinking alcohol leads to taking drugs for a better and faster buzz


Peace
Tim

I don't know where I stand on the pot issue, and Mr. Chance is presumed innocent until proven guilty. I think this topic has gone as far as it can and all that's left is an argument over the laws, misuse of power, and politics so let's hope Mr. Chance gets a fair trial, exonerated if innocent or prosecuted justly if guilty and leave it at that.