THIS COULD BE THE REASON WE'RE LOSING THE DRUG WAR

Dear Editor,

We are constantly reading theat this country is losing the war on
drugs. No wonder when we read about Judge Dennis Schwartz suppressing
evidence in a drug case because the officer detained the suspects for 15
minutes.

This judge had to be riding Ben Franklin's kite when lightening hit it. We
have all stood in supermarket lines longer than that. Can you imagine how
frustrating that is for the policeman? He has caught two guys with 741
pounds if marijuana in a truck and some judge decides that because it takes
him 15 minutes to get a dog there to confirm it, he is in violation of the
Constitution.

The Constitution doesn't say detaining someone for a mere 15 minutes is a
violation. Since this is the second time that major marijuana evidence has
been suppressed by Judge Schwartz, maybe there are other reasons for the
judges decision. (The other instance was 30 pounds). If the judge feels
that possession of marijuana with the intent to sell it and make a bunch of
money is not a crime, he should run for the legislature so he can change
the law.

Let the voters determine if his way is best. The judge certainly violated
the spirit and intent of the present law. He shouldn't be stretching the
Constitution to cover his feelings on the subject.

Melvin L. Lester
Springfield