POLICE: EVIDENCE OF POT SMOKING GOES DOWN THE HATCH

SYRACUSE, NY -- While smoking a joint in public could land you an
appearance ticket, swallowing that joint in front of the officer that
would have written the ticket could get you arrested on felony
charges. [redacted], learned that
lesson first-hand Aug. 1, according to a Syracuse police arrest report.

Syracuse Police Officer Richard Cunningham was on patrol at 3:30 p.m.
when he said he saw [redacted] trying to light a marijuana cigarette at
Bellevue and Midland avenues. Cunningham was able to walk close enough
to [redacted] to notice the smell of marijuana burning, Cunningham wrote.

[redacted] noticed Cunningham approaching as [redacted] put the hand-rolled
cigarette to his lips, Cunningham wrote. [redacted] took one more puff,
popped the joint into his mouth and swallowed it, Cunningham wrote.

"When asked why he swallowed it, he said he didn't swallow anything,"
Cunningham wrote.

Cunningham informed [redacted] that he was under arrest for tampering
with physical evidence, a felony. [redacted] reacted to that news by
struggling with officers.

[redacted] was also charged with obstructing government administration
and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors. He pleaded innocent at his
arraignment and was released on his own recognizance.