PROMISE OF ADVICE ON SKIRTING THE LAW DRAWS CROWD TO MARIJUANA SESSION

"I smell marijuana," Jennifer Speas said as she walked into the packed
classroom on Ackerman Hall's third floor Monday night.

She was right. And other suspicious signs abounded.

Participants in the meeting that was about to begin were showing up
inordinately late. And on a table at the side of the room stood an
impressive spread of powdered doughnuts, soft-baked cookies and sodas
all of which were soon to be ravaged.

But these things were to be expected, for the 90 or so participants
who showed up for the meeting had come for one purpose: to learn how
to avoid getting busted for smoking pot.

Speas and Thomas Gallagher, both Minneapolis defense lawyers who
routinely deal with narcotics and DWI cases, had been recruited by the
University chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws to give a speech on Fourth Amendment rights.

Though advertised as "How to smoke pot without getting busted,"
organizers explained it was a "know your rights workshop." It wound up
being a little bit of both.

"I know we've been advertising this event as a tutorial for skirting
the law, but ... there's more to it than that," said Gregory Scott, a
NORML activist. "I don't want this to turn into Cheech and Chong ... we
want this to be a political teach-in.

"Given the current political climate in the nation, it's more
important now than ever for citizens to have a firm grasp on their
civil liberties," he said.

Speas gave a brief explanation of the Fourth Amendment which
prohibits law enforcement officers from conducting unreasonable
searches and seizures and then discussed some scenarios.

"An officer must have probable cause to search you," Speas said. "If
the officer asks (to search you or your car), it probably means he or
she can't."

"Never give consent," Gallagher said. "If they ask, don't give
it."

After a short segment in which students were invited to talk about
their personal experiences, Gallagher, Scott and an audience member
attempted to coach the audience on how to deal with police stops by
acting out a series of skits and inserting commentary at crucial moments.

The question-and-answer session that followed lasted well past the
scheduled time limit as enthusiastic and inquisitive students grilled
the lawyers on many possible scenarios including traffic stops and
protests.

The discussion gradually moved from the subject of legality to
finessing the cops.