1972-03-24; Central Michigan Life

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''Weekender'* edition
More features, columns
and entertainment1.1
i_S»!_*f
Mount Pleasant, Michigan, 48858
Friday, March 24,1972.
Computer Registration Schedule!
See Page 16!
Which part still exists?
arijuana law confuses agencies
By JIMMIE LYNCH
L|FE Community Affairs Editor
and
By JACK MILLER
UFE Community Affairs WriMr
-    ib. Michigan Supreme Court reversed
*»*■ " of John sLlair_ior ^session
i marijuana two J8"**   have been con-
-ttS*tKa_y.ot estate
am la* suu <»«"»• M,1S(H_ by the
c^sion is apparency »*«W»
Sji'iaw still exists
-j?SS__;s=K-
SsfeaS? .«*.
^two called for re-sentencing.
.'• The current state law, which ^Kf*™"-
as a hard narcotic, was ^W.h^l
of eaual protection clauses of thestate
S5ralinstitutions.   A new sta^ law to
Kect April 1, r^?ltl«-."«*^
Jking it out of the hard narcotics category
and softening penalties for possession.
locally courts and enforcement agencies
Dlaying it by ear until the new law takes
J"'sW-sixth  District  Court J^ge
Hondas A. Dehn, said he was told by the state
de5v court administrator in Lansing, that
iTpUienV of whether or not to. prosecute
lor possession of marijuana is up to the local
court.   .
"We don't really know what the Supreme
Court said," explained Judge Dehn. The judge
said he contacted several state judicial, officials, none of whom could give him a definite
answer on the ramifications of the Supreme
Court's decision.
Judge Dehn said  the decision is difficult
to interpret since the justices* opinion varied
so widely    He said he believes the decision
does not u.ean that persons n  iot.be arrested
and convicted under Michigan law.
Judge Dehn's opinion appears to be in conflict with that of Michigan  Supreme Court
Chief Justice  Thomas M. Kavanagh.   Justice
Kavanagh said, in a story'reported two weeks
ago by the Lansing State Journal, there would
be no way to prosecute persons for possession
of marijuana until the new law takes- effect
April 1.
W Isabella County Prosecuting Attorney James
Fox said he has' also contacted state judicial officers on the decision and has gotten
no definite answers. He was told that local
courts are to form their own opinion.
Fox theorized that since the decision reversing Sinclair's conviction dealt with entrapment, it may still be possible to make an
arrest and obtain conviction under state laws.
He said local law enforcement officials may
seek warrants under federal, law but arrest
may not be possible.
Fox said he issued an arrest warrant on
possession but the defendant was arrested
on other charges. In general, before issuing another warrant for possession, Fox said
he would have to look at the circumstances
surrounding the case-before deciding. "I
couldn't say if I would issue another warrant
or not," he said.
Mt, Pleasant Police Chief Thomas Martin
said, "Arrests would depend on the circumstances.. I'm not going Jto say we're not going
to arrest anyone on possesssion."
John McAuliffe, director of CMU Department
of Public' Safety, said he wasn't really sure
what they would do until confronted with the
situation. "If they--the legislature-meant
to legalize marijuana, there wouldn't be a
law in April," he said.
The director said police agencies are being
cautious about arrests for fear of being sued.
He added that his department will continue
to act in the spirit of the old law. To date
no, arrests have been made for possession in
the area since the Court's decision.
Although there is no local ordinance concerning possession pi marijuana, the student
code .of conduct makes a general reference
to drugs. Section 3.2.11 of Student Rights
and Responsibilities states, '-A stucient shall
not possess, iise, or distribute, or aid in the use
or distribution of, any of the narcotic or "legal drugs except as expressly permitted by
law."
McAuliffe said although arrest is not possible under'the. code, a student caught witn
the drug may be spelled or suspended.
CM LIFE posed the following question to
several -dents "Do you smoke more marijuana since the John Sinclair decision?"
Some of the responses were: "No more
than I use to." "At parties and concerts
it appears to be more in the open. About
the same."   "I haven't noticed anyone smoking
grass in public."
ENJOY?- State laws regarding the possession of
Suana are presently being «g**g£
throughout the state -- except ** ™Utfhere
time-aged traditions and regulations remain veiy
anti-marijuana.
did
lies  aqainst fax policy
V_f _       . ., _„__„4-QH in_nme tax
, William Joyner, Mt. Pleasant senior
yJB Democratic candidate for the State
;We of Representatives from what now
ls the 100th District, has accused   the
nepubhean Party of failure to reform
Ws which would  reduce  the burden
%m    °n the shoulders of the working
The working man and the low income family should not carry the burden."
Joyner spoke to the Montcalm Democratic Party in an- attempt to carry out
a, vow made when originally announcing
his candidacy. That vow was to speak
to as many groups and individuals as
possible in order that levels of consciousness might be rai _ed on the various
with sug-   rich.
criticize without coming up _
gestions or solutions. I eewmtet
take all the possible meaning uLefforts
to institute an era of tax equity through
I support the graduated income tax
as a means to attain this goal. If we
collected the taxes on a national level that
the rich are avoiding paying as a result of
the loopholes in the structure, this country
. . .     _/•  i •_•    ..___ r>_   a   T"_    .lilt
(__ st?;'ement made to the Montcalm' •"-'—-;•— —- .andidate said.
'£__ ■*_«*   WH» S—"* '«_____L_*_J_______51_-SS Wed-
":Jw. stated, "I am greatlfupset that
I. c_i?Vei0Ur confidence-to elected offi-
I bfeJ. to have them turn around and
^   enn!h?ffidence that we have *uSt
ecenuy bestowed upon them."     -
.te^ky * announced my candidacy for
m th     HoUse iust over one- n*011*11
;J» we ^employment rate was at 7.1%;
******, at 8.5%.   I ask the people
-much i      ict and ©Four state, bow
*ithtS_ are we eojng to *p# up
vote ! Tore we combine forces and   ~  —'     .. in iq7n
5^. of office those Mt-bring us   f «« sal* Ik of
weWicies that have created this sit^   «»**■ ** a Part of
Quotations from Joyner's speech Wed
hesday include: ._.*„„
"The incumbent from this district rah
on a platform of a tax ^atonnm in
1670. The income tax n f * f * £*
since lumped from 1.3 to 2.6 to 3.9 per
^iU?and should the ^SJZ
his  way with the Pr^^/Stmp
reform package, we may see that jump
to I or 9 percent.
, would not be so politically, naive as
that there would not
*JX^%^«~   ^S^mon aVear as a result
Women's honor board hosts
'Academic Walk-In
realize what classes are available to them
until their upper level college years.
"This is why we're inviting all students
convenient >».  * __     ,    ..„„    to attend - -perhaps questions andj.ro-
toe Senior Women's Honor Board sppnsors    to atten        P^^     ^     ^
a„ "Academic Walk-In,';.from 2.15^ to    ^  t made later> and sothebestpossible
.   ___ TT __v renter Ball     a ^ ^ ^ ., she _dds
Students' questions about ^ and
minors can be answered in one quick,
..£__- stop Tuesday afternoon when
to say
be taxes,
ii_ -— ~ .
I realize also that
taxes are a part oi our We    What *e
.mUstdoisseeWthema„«h^abWy
to pay does pay and that Uf "*»    tax
closed.    We must
^^commeiits, Joyner added it Would
outcftm-    Slt back and criticize Twith-
tions■    t Up with suggestions or «olu-
,  '   » support a graduated income   aged, the young
*e °i!!___if lo°Pholes are non-existent,   do not carry th
ll.se2f0Ve int0 an «ra whereby   schools.
ros^ohavethemeanstop^shom    --It  is  indeed  easy to
that are in etsten^e in the tederaHa,      , ^ ^-J^yj*
advice about careers^^ep^      stu_ent_
these    q^ements^and^omake^
structure are cio^u     ^. - the
the poor
aged, tne youug, r°*r»^ financing our
do not carry the burden oi n»
sit back and
4-15 p.m. in the University Center Ball
room   All students are welcomed.
^prntt^wm^SnC;
r^transwe's to quesions.on your
to provide ^!£rV^slie Friedemann,
„iind," according to Leslie rn«u
Honor Board representative
j  idea of the day ia/" ^r":
advice about careers^^^^^^^
Classes people would like to see initiated in future years can also be discussed,
she says.
There is no charge for the Tuesday
event and no appointments are required.
"We would urge, however, that students
come early to make full use of teachers'
time and talents," Miss Friedemann says.
"We hope this can become a yearly event
in the future, as well as a very helpful
event now for CMU students."
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