SORRY, GEORGE - Case Gives State Black Eye

Thank goodness a Craig County judge had the good sense to dismiss the DUI
charge against the Vermont man who got busted in Oklahoma after a trooper
found funny-looking herbs in his car.

Now if only the Craig County District Attorney's Office would have the same
outbreak of common sense, perhaps we could recover from this national black
eye.

George Singleton, of Montpelier, was driving from California to Vermont
when he was stopped by a state trooper in Craig County last February.

Singleton, who runs an organic-gardening program involving inner-city
gangs, says the trooper told him he was speeding and weaving. The trooper
found a bag of what he deemed to be a suspicious-looking plant and
Singleton ended up in jail on suspicion of possession of a controlled
substance.

Blood tests indicated Singleton was not under the influence of marijuana or
any other intoxicants, and the "marijuana" turned out to be herbs Singleton
uses to treat his tuberculosis.

Singleton wasn't charged with any speeding or drug offenses after the
February stop, which left him in jail for 25 days because he didn't have
enough money to make bail. Yet prosecutors stuck with a driving under the
influence charge because they felt the trooper had reason to believe
Singleton was a danger on the highway.

Singleton's attorney had another theory. Singleton's appearance, dominated
by waist-length dreadlocks, and his race were the biggest factors in his
ordeal, James H. Hadley said. "Their own blood test proves my client was
drug-free, but that's not good enough. They think he had to be loaded on
something because of the way he looks," Hadley reasoned.

At the trial Thursday, a jailer testified that Singleton did not appear
intoxicated, and a doctor said it was "absolutely ridiculous to think"
Singleton was impaired by ingesting the herbs.

After District Judge Harry Wyatt dismissed the DUI charge, Singleton
pleaded no contest to a charge of failing to display a current tag.

Making a bad situation worse, prosecutors say they will appeal the judge's
ruling and pursue charges against Singleton.

About all the rest of us can do is apologize to Singleton for the ordeal he
is enduring in Craig County, and hope the rest of the nation will realize
that not all Oklahomans hold the view that citizens should be prosecuted on
such flimsy grounds.

Checked-by: Richard Lake