Paradigm Shift: State Courts Rule Police Raids Over Cannabis Were Illegal and Uncalled For

We have all heard about SWAT and no knock raids...some good some bad but of course the bad get the attention.. Anyway it appears the courts in two states have decided SWAT screwed up and their procedures were uncalled for.

By Rachel Blevins

Courts in both Florida and Michigan have admitted that the dangerous early-morning raids conducted by SWAT teams searching for cannabis were completely unwarranted, and the overeager actions of the officers involved made their searches illegal.

In one case in Florida, Collier County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived at the home of Juan Falcon before 7 a.m. and within 20 seconds of knocking on the front door and announcing themselves, they broke down the door with a battering ram and threw two flash bang grenades inside the house. As a report from Reason noted, the purpose of the raid was to gain access to two dozen cannabis plants that were reportedly growing in Falcon’s backyard.

Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal ruled that the methods the officers used to obtain those cannabis plants violated the state’s law on “knock-and-announce” searches. In a unanimous decision from the three-judge panel, Judge Susan Rothstein-Youakim noted that when the deputies conducted the raid, they were aware that Falcon lived in the home with his family, which included his two children.

Rothstein-Youakim also pointed to the fact that the six deputies involved used extreme methods, even though Falcon had no record of a violent criminal history, and police had no reason to believe he was armed and dangerous.

The other case (s) was in Michigan where SWAT busted down a door at 4 am on one house and at 05:30 am at another without warrants at the homes of two men who were suspected of possessing cannabis-infused butter... Wow I never knew cannabis-infused butter was deemed a time to call out SWAT ?

www.activistpost.com...

a reply to: 727Sky

#1 I am shocked that Florida is one of the two states. They’ve recently pulled the Hawaii 5-0 gun grab for people that signed up for medical.

#2 Everybody knows that the police are on the take from the biggest local growers whether recreationally legal or not, and therefore the people they actually bust are the ones that didn’t pay for protection.

a reply to: 727Sky

Mean while real crims' like Harvey were banging away without consent 'til the cows come home.

Yep, a friend of mine is currently in a coma and has been since February after being beaten in jail just for the herb. He did not carry a gun ever and was very gentle. They practically signed a guy like that's death warrant putting him among animals like that who are violent brutes.

What a waste of public money. They should be so ashamed. They are not fit to run these public SERVICES. FFS, hiring a SWAT team for cannabis butter. They used to be the same in the UK until they realized how insane they were and how karma kept biting them on the ass.

I wonder how much it costs to send in a SWAT team? How much does it cost for Uncle Al's badly needed surgery and how much does it cost for the homeless girl running from abuse to get a place in a refuge?

Civilization, eh! Shame we missed the target...by a very long shot indeed.

originally posted by: ColdWisdom
a reply to: 727Sky

#1 I am shocked that Florida is one of the two states. They’ve recently pulled the Hawaii 5-0 gun grab for people that signed up for medical.

#2 Everybody knows that the police are on the take from the biggest local growers whether recreationally legal or not, and therefore the people they actually bust are the ones that didn’t pay for protection.

That's why its "a profit type business" for govt. employees on the "payroll" of crime families.

originally posted by: ColdWisdom
a reply to: 727Sky

#2 Everybody knows that the police are on the take from the biggest local growers whether recreationally legal or not, and therefore the people they actually bust are the ones that didn’t pay for protection.

Do you really think this?
Added:

Weed growers get popped for being stupid.
-Domestic disturbances, high electricity, nosy neighbors, too much traffic etc......

a reply to: Mandroid7

You tell me if a swat team is necessary to take out somebody with 12 plants in their backyard.

Does it sound a little more believable now? That guy didn’t pay his protection dues.

originally posted by: ColdWisdom
a reply to: Mandroid7

You tell me if a swat team is necessary to take out somebody with 12 plants in their backyard.

Does it sound a little more believable now? That guy didn’t pay his protection dues.

Police are on the take for larger growers, Get real pal.


This is what happens when you give a bunch of boys military assault gear, and they want to live out there " we're navy Seals, elite commando guys."

What we need is removal of war toys, and removal of crusty old boomers making laws because they were born into the weed propaganda era.

They are destroying lives with their BS and don't care, they're too busy getting drunk at their lake houses.

We need sweeping reform of the majority of laws in this country, or start paying a "un-lawmaker."

a reply to: Mandroid7

. . . born into the weed propaganda era.

Gnaaarh!

I've been dealing with that bullcrap for the last five months. I'm officially triggered. Rant imminent.


We had police here last night questioning an institutionalised man we found hiding, injured, in our garden. It was awkward when he reminded me I knew him slightly, after I'd threatened to stab him if he attempted to enter the house.

We let him in and made him comfortable while waiting for police to arrive. Because we're in Britain I told the police they're welcome any time and there was no rush to leave.

If you're sick of your US cops move to Britain where the best police in the world do their stuff.

a reply to: 727Sky

I bet most cops drink, too.

But thats 'legal'.

So is knocking down doors in the new Bohemia.

a reply to: Mandroid7

Dude- I'm a baby boomer. And yes, i and my friends all vote religiously. We're a big part of why these draconian laws are changing. I know a lot of people that are daily smokers, and they're laying in the gutter on skid row as the fear mongers would have you believe.

a reply to: intrptr

They smoke grass too.
Your grass they stole when they broke down your door

a reply to: Kester

Sounds like fun, no cops aren't all bad here if they enforcing crap laws.
This sounds like a bad decision to use swat, like wait for a bank robbery or something.

I don't smoke anymore, but it needs to be legalized asap.

A law allowing arrest for a plant is insane.

Allowing forced entry into a a private property with firearms for a plant, or even report of a plant is insane.

You are allowed to brew poisonous, violence inducing alcohol in your garage.

Guess it's more domestics for firearm right removal that way.

a reply to: acackohfcc

I was talking more towards the upper range of boomers, like 70's.

I thank you for your service

Some good responses there 👍

a reply to: 727Sky

After seizing a coupla dozen plants you'd have though those SWAT dudes could have made their own butter. Lazy bastards.

originally posted by: visitedbythem
a reply to: intrptr

They smoke grass too.
Your grass they stole when they broke down your door

Thats more difficult they have to pass drug screens.

The whole corrupt war on drugs is another topic...