Infamous PS3 Hacker, Geohot, Arrested (For Marijuana)

[CapitalistPig]

hes lucky he didnt get hit with distribution charges. Let the flame war begin.

 

[CapitalistPig]

I'm not a huge Geohot fan, and I am very anti-drugs (even pot) but it seems like this is pretty ridiculous.

Whether you agree with Medical Marijuana or not, the bottom line is the guy had the paperwork for it, even from out of state. He was travelling through Texas, as opposed to taking up residence or spending a prolonged amount of time there. Believe it or not there are laws to protect people from things like this, given that even outside of MJ there are all kinds of laws that vary from state to state about medication, which limit what the law enforcement can do to someone who is just "passing through", mostly oriented at painkillers though given that they are an abused substance and states have greatly varied laws dealing with them, but nobody thinks it's a good idea that someon in extreme pain should be arrested or have their pills confiscated for just passing through somewhere with differant laws (even if this can be abused by dealers).

My first thoughts here are that Geohotz is BSing about the legitimacy of his Medical Marijuana liscence and that's part of the story that isn't making it out yet, basically the cops checked it, and he is going down for lying about it. My second thought is that if he got it approved and wasn't hanging out in the area for a prolonged period when he was stopped, is that a Sheriff is about to lose his job, and that town is probably going to wind up having some major budget issues very quickly when they get the crap sued out of them.

It's not an area of law I know a lot about, but I do remember reading about some similar seeming cases with people being arrested for possession of prescription painkillers like Oxycotin, in states that tried to pass policies saying that they wouldn't accept prescriptions written from doctors out of state (due to the requirements they put on their doctors to prevent quacks from selling prescriptions for them to junkies) as justifying possession... and that didn't hold up when properly challenged. As I remember it, you can only challenge a prescription and presumably a liscence like that, if it's being used by someone who is a resident of the state in question. Basically you couldn't get your prescription for Oxy from a quack in California and use it in Texas (for example) or use it to justify possession, but someone playing tourist in Texas who brings their drugs with them can't be arrested for having them. As I understand things if Geohotz bought his MJ in Texas using the out of state liscence that would be a problem... but that would reflect more on the dealer/vendor if they accepted the liscence than on him. In the case of prescription drugs (ie not MJ) I believe medical professionals have ways around the laws as well, though they have to register what they are doing, so basically if some guy from California legitimatly loses a much needed medication like Painkillers for an obvious condition (burn damage or something), a doctor or pharmacy can oftentimes find ways to overrule the law as a medical emergency.

I'm rambling, but I think this is going to be a giant face off between two jerks ... a Jerk Off! (lol, sorry, I couldn't resist). A jerky texan sheriff, against a jerky west coast hacker. Personally I'll be very surprised if when the smoke clears Geohotz doesn't win, and probably even benefit from this.... assuming there isn't more to the story like a false liscence, him hanging out in the town for three weeks (or whatever the requirement is) or scoring his weed there in Texas.

It doesn't work that way for a class C-D felonies. The federal government doesn't actually sanction the state laws that allow for medical marijuana. If you read on how california has been dealing with it, they haven't. In many cases distribution centers have been shut down on the west coast for essentially "doing too well." Meaning at any time that you are running such a store the DEA can come in and run through your stuff. This happens pretty much daily in the U.S. Therefore, an out of state person caught with felony class drugs has no rights in regard to how they are trialed out of state. Now he may be extradited to california where they will laugh shake hands with the judge and be sent on his merry way but down south and out east they don't really play that kind of ball game.
On the pain killer note. Unless you may die without the substance generally police forces will make you go cold turkey on the drug regardless of withdrawal symptoms. Obviously this policy is more oriented toward opiates but it applies to many non narcotic drugs as well such as Xanax and Ambien. Believe it or not, they aren't going to let you take drugs in jail.

I seriously doubt he will get off for this unless he gets extradited.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

I officially love this thread. Come to the Escapist for the neutral articles, the fun videos, and the supportive community--stay for the terribly wonderful and wonderfully terrible puns.

Also, to hear that that annoying pest was busted for pot is hilarious. Gotta watch those small towns here, man, those dogs are precise. Though, sucks that he's missing out on SXSW. That's some crazy awesome that he's missing out on, for sure. Though, really, why the hell would he stop in Sierra Blanca? And why was he stopped? The only reason to stop there is Gas, but, and trust me on this one, that's a terrible idea. Get it before or after, if you can, and just plow through Sierra Blanca.

 

[darksakul]

My comments for the idiot Geohot in video format

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX7wtNOkuHo

 

[esperandote]

Counting the weight of the chocolate as weed weight is a dick move. I'm more interested in knowing why he left Facebook.

 

[Texas Joker 52]

The man famous for his crack just became a felon for his pot.

That's putting it rather bluntly don't you think?

You think so? I thought it was rather doobieous.

Seems like a rather toaken pun to me.

Despite how backwards some people think Texan laws to be, if this were in ancient times, he would have been stoned. Oh, wait, he already was, wasn't he? My bad.

[EDIT]: Damn, ninja'd. I should've known such an obvious pun would already have been used. Still, I love pun chains like this!

 

[Strain42]

I find this hilarious, and I am smiling about it. He totally deserved it.

A gun is totally legal, but if you get caught trying to bring it through airport security, your ass is going to get arrested. The same principle applies here. Don't bring crap someplace you aren't supposed to have it. If he hadn't brought it with him, he wouldn't have been arrested. Simple as that.

Homer: But isn't marijuana or "dope" illegal?
Dr. Hibbert: Only for people who enjoy it.

 

[rapidoud]

YOU FOOL! YOU FOOLISH FOOL OF A FOOLISH TOOK! YOU FOOL OF A FOOLISH FOOL OF A FOOLISH TOOK! Pot in texas? WE EXECUTE FOR THAT HERE! Or we want to... I realize its boring as fuck here but get a gameboy or something. You won't get shot for that... Well you might but not by the cops. Well a gameboy could be mistaken for a gun in this state... Just stay out of this state. It is safer that way.

Wait... America has the death sentence?

I just died a little inside.

 

[ThunderCavalier]

No offense, but the guy, from what I remember of him, seems like a sniveling little ***** who apparently think he's big because he can win over Internet support because he's good with electronics, but the minute he realizes that the big companies are serious about suing his ass for ILLEGALLY VIOLATING STATED COPYRIGHT LAWS, he fkees even after people are willing to help fight his (tbh, futile) case in court.

The fact that he went down like this is just hilariously sad, but he gets no sympathies from me. I respect the guy for managing to crack the security on the PS3 and the iPhone, but that doesn't mean I'm lining up to join the blind bandwagon here; he's definitely let the fame get to his head.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

I hope he goes to jail my cousin overdosed on marijuana

Read this [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_cannabis#Toxicity]. Please.

Truth > Anecdotes/Hearsay

Okay, I'm on your side, but Truth > Anectodes/Hearsay > Wikipedia

 

[Alar]

Yeah, this is ridiculous. Marijuana is on the level of beer, or perhaps even less harmful, and yet it's a criminal offense that can send you to prison? If that's the case, why doesn't getting drunk send you to prison to? Why can't people get their heads out of their asses and change the way the legal system works? Yes, I know that prisons are a booming industry and that THEY want marijuana to be illegal so they can keep growing, but that's wrong. Is it moral to send people to prison over something equivalent to alcohol? I don't think so.

I hope he goes to jail my cousin overdosed on marijuana

Read this [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_cannabis#Toxicity]. Please.

Truth > Anecdotes/Hearsay

Okay, I'm on your side, but Truth > Anectodes/Hearsay > Wikipedia

Also, why? Because Wikipedia can be edited by people? That's idiotic. Wikipedia is a global encyclopedia with most of its facts backed by SOURCES. Wikipedia is above Hearsay and Anecdotes.

 

[wintercoat]

I thought less than an ounce was considered a misdemeanor. Why is he being charged with a felony? Also, the cop weighing the whole amount of chocolate and labeling that as the weight of the pot in the chocolate is ludicrous.

 

[ImmortalDrifter]

I hope he goes to jail my cousin overdosed on marijuana

Read this [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_cannabis#Toxicity]. Please.

Truth > Anecdotes/Hearsay

Okay, I'm on your side, but Truth > Anectodes/Hearsay > Wikipedia

Wikipedia has gotten better. Just check the citations.

 

[Sampsa]

Wow, just learned many new names for marijuana.

 

[Grey Day for Elcia]

The man famous for his crack just became a felon for his pot.

[...]

While the outcome of that debate is still hazy, we do know Geohot was placed in jail on felony charges, then subsequently released on a $1,500 bail.

So he hasn't been convicted of any crime and you label him a felon in your opening line?

Stay classy, land of freedom.

 

[Soxafloppin]

"The man famous for his crack just became a felon for his pot." oh Escapist.

This is kind of funny, whats next for this guy.

 

[Strazdas]

Alright, raise your hand if you're surprised this guy did weed? Don't be shy we know you're out there.

/me raises hand
i assumed a person smart enough to crach palystations and iphones were... well... smart. i was wrong.

 

[Strazdas]

I hope he goes to jail my cousin overdosed on marijuana

Plenty of people kill themselves or others a year simply driving, should we arrest anyone who gets behind a wheel?

yes, and while were at it we should also ban knives because people may stab others.

Tl;DR IT sucks that local laws are so vastly different at times, one thing that is a very minor offense can be a huge deal in the town nextdoor.

I know that, and also that bit because it's the same law that's over here and it's just something that you get used to. It's not completely fair, but it's better to assume that other states have strict laws towards DUI than loose ones when visiting.[/quote]
Or, its better to, for example, not driver around with a beer can?

 

[CapitalistPig]

Counting the weight of the chocolate as weed weight is a dick move. I'm more interested in knowing why he left Facebook.

If you get busted by the DEA with plants they weigh the plant with the surrounding dirt that the roots were located in. And the whole plant itself instead of just the buds. So one plant can make it seem like you were stockpiling 30lbs of weed in your house, in the newspaper.

 

[Wintermoot]

The man famous for his crack just became a felon for his pot.

That's putting it rather bluntly don't you think?

You think so? I thought it was rather doobieous.

This chain is rather spliffy? I know it was terrible but you guys are awesome.

I'm glad we could all come together for some joint observations on this matter.

ganja please stop it with the pot jokes?
OT
kinda stupid he got caught for pot. You would think he would be smart enough to hide his pot when he crossed the state line.