Feb 4 2009Michael Phelps looking at charges for bong photo

Why do hillbilly sheriffs have to suck so bad? Why can't they be cool, like abusive city cops?

Why do hillbilly sheriffs have to suck so bad? Why can't they be cool, like abusive city cops?

So he took a hit on a bong. Big Deal. I'm a professional in my 60's and still smoke weed - as do many of my family and friends. Its about time weed is legalized in this country. Its far less damaging than alcohol. I'd rather be stoned or be with a person who is stoned than be with a person who is drunk anytime.

what I find so offensive about this photo is that someone, possibly partying with Phelps, took this picture and sold him out for some big bucks.

what I find so offensive about this photo is that someone, possibly partying with Phelps, took this picture and sold him out for some big bucks.

Um, I'd like to know what they plan on charging him for? Certainly not possession off of a picture. And the paraphernalia wasn't even his so it couldn't be that. Maybe this backwoods sheriff should learn the law.

MARIJUANA SHOULD BE LEGAL!!! STOP PUTTING OTHERWISE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS IN OUR ALREADY OVERCROWDED AND FUCKED UP PRISON SYSTEM!

Um, I'd like to know what they plan on charging him for? Certainly not possession off of a picture. And the paraphernalia wasn't even his so it couldn't be that. Maybe this backwoods sheriff should learn the law.

MARIJUANA SHOULD BE LEGAL!!! STOP PUTTING OTHERWISE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS IN OUR ALREADY OVERCROWDED AND FUCKED UP PRISON SYSTEM!

Maybe cash for scrap gold will endorse now that no one else will.

"I got 10,000 for my scrap gold!!!!!!"

On a side note, dope is for dopes, just say no to drugs.

On another side note, How much you wanna bet there is not one post about all the TAX EVADING CRIMINALS obama has tried to appoint. Just sayin'

Cops are so stupid. Obviously they have nothing better to do...

Smoke it up Phelps!

ffs what are they going to charge him on holding a bong cause a pix of u smoking pot isn't illegal

@11

So pictures of you committing a crime shouldn't be usable as evidence in court?

LOLWUT

wow, retarded. Leave the guy alone

It's not like anyone couldn't tell he's a stoner,...I mean look at the guy, the only reason he swims so fast is because they keep a nice fattie at either end of the pool.

I can picture it now: The fat, sweaty sheriff, beaming with joy because he can finally now perhaps be famous for something. Like figuring out whether Michael Phelps smoked weed or not.

Fucking idiots. Sometimes the world makes me so angry...

I guarantee this sheriff is a hardcore Republican that molests boys on the side.

The more tight assed they are, the harder theyre trying to keep a skeleton in the closet.

@12

Pictures of someone committing a crime can be used in court -- if they definitively show that a crime is being committed. In this case, a picture can't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it's really weed in there or something else (even though we all know what it was). The case is actually hinging on Phelps apology, which the sheriff is taking as a tacit confession of guilt. Nothing a decent lawyer shouldn't be able to dance around though.

Hey Fish, what a lame analysis. The statement says the Sheriff files charges against law violators in general. If some guy is caught on picture or tape murdering someone, and he subesequently admits to be the person on tape, the sheriff will act on the matter no less.

@6: he can be charged of illegal use of dangerous drugs. And actually, considering that he admitted to be the guy in the pic smoking bong, he may be prosecuted for possession also, which no doubt carries a graver penalty.

Marijuana is at present an illegal drug. Even if it is subesequently legalized, i doubt it would retroact to untangle Phelps from a prosecution of the act he ALREADY committed. this guy's in deep shit.

Oh and #14: lol, good one.

Yes, he smoked pot. Not a good decision considering millions of kids look up to this guy, but he is a young and you have to have a little fun. He apologized to the public showing he is owning up to it. So why can't we put this behind.
If the cops were sent pictures of normal people doing bongs would they be wasting there time running around to press charges on these people? I think not!

I've never smoked pot myself but can bongs be used for tobacco? (sorry if that's a dumb question)

20-

yeah you can use bongs for tobacco, in fact you usually mix a little tobacco into the weed to help it burn better.

i've never seen anyone use a bong to smoke tobacco though, not counting those times we've been so low on weed every cone has been like a 80:20 tobacco:weed ratio ;)

Phelps will never see a courtroom. His attorneys will take care of it and he will probably get a slap and a fine, but that's about it. Poor guy. Lets his hair down and parties it up with some normal folk and this is what he gets. There is a reason that celebrities travel in their own circles. He just had to learn the hard way.

@18 You're an idiot. There's no way to prove what's in the pipe. #17 is correct.

This is absolutely retarded. Yeah, good luck proving there was marijuana in that bong. Basically, in order to nail Mikey for a basic possession charge, Sheriff Beuford T. Justice, a/k/a the dipshit who actually spoke to the media, would have to go and find all of the people were there, get them to agree to testify, and then get that testimony to hold up in court. All for about a one hundred fifty dollar fine. Yeah. That's going to happen. Long story short: Even Historic Olympians get baked...and are dumb enough to be photghraphed doing so.

@18

I guarantee you're a resentful housewife.

Correct????

Cops let people off for smoking ALL THE TIME. any music event the cops pretty much ignore all the weed smoking going on.

they need to just legalize it, this is stupid to prosecute people for this, it's a waste of our tax money.

I don't smoke weed, don't want to...but I know A hell of a lot of PROFESSIONALS that do! Want to fix the deficit? Legalize, manage and tax pot - like smokes and booze. Done...fixed. People are happy, government is happy, and obviously the tolkers are happy. Bad of Phelps to get caught on camera making a bad decision. Kick the shit out of the person ignorant enough to have snapped the shot and "leak" it...and then leave the kid alone Officer Kletus, and tell Boss Hog to quite eating raw liver...that's just not right!! ha-ha! BFD!

And yes, poster #18 is an idiot...Mikey didn't admit to anything other than being stupid. And as another poster already noted, good luck proving there was marijuana in that pipe. All of your witnesses would be KILLED on cross over their credibility.

legalize it.

my god.

@15 He's not a fat sweaty guy at all and is in fact a good sheriff here. He's been responsible for reducing gang activity here by a large margin.

I live here in Columbia, SC (originally from Atlanta) and Lott has a good reputation as sheriff for being fair. Those comments he made were like prompted by someone pushing this other than Lott. It's small potatoes really and with USC here pot smoking isnt that rare of an occurrence.

Im guessing the state AG is behind it. Not everyone in the south is an ignorant moron. But im in agreement with the thought that if you break the law (regardless of whether you think the law is right or not) you'll have to face the music for it. Certainly some laws deserve civil disobedience (making black people sit in the back of a bus for example) but even then those who changed the law's by breaking them ended up being penalized for it to some extent. I dont think Phelps was taking a stand on the legalization issue though. I think he was just having a good time with people he probably didnt know well and got sold out. Sleep with dogs and all that.

I think legally Phelps has little to worry about but career/endorsement wise he's done far more damage there.

Fish, you need to fix your setup. There are more double and triple posts on your site than kids in Angelina's house. Love the site, but maybe needs an upgrade somewhere.

I dunno, I liked Scarlett's boobs better.

"MARIJUANA SHOULD BE LEGAL!!! STOP PUTTING OTHERWISE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS IN OUR ALREADY OVERCROWDED AND FUCKED UP PRISON SYSTEM!"

While we're at it, why not make murder legal? 'Cause those criminals are "otherwise law-abiding citizens," right? The only law they broke was to kill someone! Sorry, but the "lots of people do it" defense just doesn't fly.

Whether or not pot SHOULD be legal is irrelevant. As of right now, it is an ILLEGAL substance. Michael Phelps, America's wierd-looking, fast-swimming, gold-medal-winning sweetheart, broke the law. End of story.

Now, will he get any punishment other than a slap on the wrist and maybe a few lost endorsement deals? Probably not. THAT'S the true crime here -- as we've learned from The One and even Bush, the same rules don't apply to everyone. Bush had a DUI, still became president. Barry snorted coke, still became president. Geithner cheated on his taxes, still was appointed to the cabinet. Only poor schmoes like us have to actually worry about CONSEQUENCES.

Shit, I would just say its tobacco. Prove it isnt. Also how can they prove it was taken in SC? He may have fucked himself by apologizing and saying the photo was him. So basically they are saying that holding a bong is illegal, I dont see smoke and I dont see him lighting it.

I never quite understood why someone who is as badass as Michael Phelps just doesn't say:

"Oh, have you won a gold medal?...oh....what?! No! that's what I thought Porky- shut the fuck up! I'm superfly TNT! I'm an atom bomb laying mother fucker, mother fucker!"

I think Phelps should just say "eat a dick" and risk the medals seeing as how he won the shit anyways..instead of this gee-whiz my high was terrible along with the slight buzz from the alcohol, weed is bad for kids bullcrap.

It obviously goes on at that school, yeah? Maybe the local swine can do a once through the fraternity culdasack?

Who the f*ck cares if the guy took a few hits off the bong...one look at the guy and his accomplishments tells me he has spent his life in a stoner stupor stuffin Doritos in his face and looking for the next kegger...get over it already......your not gonna kick the world's collective asses in the pool stoned...so cut the guy some slack...well he prolly could kick the worlds asses stoned out of his mind, but thats not really the point now is it?...

Um, my brother was robbed at gunpoint in Columbia, SC, one evening this past December, as he was walking home. He was able to track down the man who robbed him (supported by hard evidence), and provided this information to the police. In addition to the armed robbery charges, there is potential for a charge along the lines of trading child pornography, thanks to a topless photo sent by a minor to my brother's phone, which was in the robber's possession at the time (presumably it's a pic of his underage girlfriend). To date, no arrests have been made. It amazes me that the Columbia police department is unable to arrest the gunman, but is totally willing to waste its time on an alleged celebrity bong hit. Good job guys.

Well at least his endorsements are still all going just swimmingly...

What? Fuck you... you were thinking the same thing...

#3 - Uhhh... in your 60's? This isn't the theshuffleboard.com...

in the words of Gary Oldman in True Romance.....We got ourselves a muthafuckin Charlie Bronson....a croooooo-saduh!

Fuck that fucking sheriff. He's just trying to make an example out of him.

Michael, don't be so fucking stupid next time....do that shit in a bathroom with the door locked....JUST YOU! DUMB ASS!!!

HAHA!! Seems like old times, Rich! Look what we did!!!

@ 12 I WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS SITUATION DUH

If this sheriff is going to try and prosecute Phelps, he's going to have to prosecute 90% of the college students at that party. The apology implied that the bong didnt belong to Phelps. Does the sheriff really think he was the only one doing it? Any judge worth their salt would laugh at this and bitch slap the sheriff for wasting his time. This cocksucker is trying to make an example out of Phelps. Theres one big problem there, actually two, it happened like 4 months ago and your only evidence is a fucking picture, and theres no way to prove what was in the bong. It could have been hookah for all we know.

Smoking weed is the most heinous of crimes, according to U.S. and Brit governments, therefore Phelps should be stripped of his medals and banned for life from swimming. I'm being ironic of course, our fuckwit, non-elected leader has just pushed cannabis up to a class B drug, therefore possesion can lead to jail time. All this even though they spent a fortune on an independant researcher who told them that cannabis wasn't as harmfull as all thought, they chose to ignore this advice anyway... Was it George Washington who proclaimed that everyone in the U.S. should grow cannabis/hemp for the better of the country? Then you've got that other fucking retard George Porgy Bush telling people cannabis is the fruit of the devil. I know who i'd rather believe.

Fuck this, how about the phelps comercial for pot. Seeing the most decorated athleet blowing bongs dosent quite jive with what the sysetem tries to make us believe about pot. Fuck the kids... how about showing them that you can smoke pot and not end up like a complete looser living in your parents basement.... ya know .. the truth

Hey @12, no, a picture does not is not acceptable evidence in court. You are not smart. How are they going to prove that bong has weed in it? You do know there are dorks out there who smoke tobacco out of a pipe. Wow, you are stupid.

The D.C. City Council simply does not care for these "youths," on the street, smoking their marijuanas.

Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander wants to ban the sale of cheap, small cigars, usually filled with flavored tobacco, that you always see at 7-Elevens and gas stations. They are called "blunts." And according to Alexander, the tobacco within this is all taken out and filled with "cannabis." The youths smoke these monster sticks to get high, which makes them go crazy, grab their automatic weapons, and kill all humans and animals within a 500-yard radius.

All of America's children are doing this.

(Because of the Internet.)

According to the Washington Post, "Alexander said 'it's no secret' that the honey, apple and cherry-flavored cigars are bought and then stuffed with marijuana, often by young people." Indeed, this is not a secret. Another non-secret is that sometimes apples themselves are converted into marijauna-smoking devices. As of the writing of this article, apples remain legal.

The Washington Times, however, offers Alexander's full -- and much more severe -- quote:

"It's no secret that these products are used for the sole purpose of smoking marijuana," said Miss Alexander, Ward 7 Democrat, who proposed the legislation. "If we are serious about fighting drugs in our communities, we must sponsor this measure."
And with this one bill under consideration, the council could very well get rid of Washington's entire marijuana supply, forever.

I guess i was redundant, after reading all posts, but @23 and @19 are right, @18 is an idiot. It is amazing to me how some people in this country think. "Illegal use of dangerous drugs"--hahahaha. That totally sounds like the official charge--hahahaha. And then they are also gonna get him for possession, WTF? You realize that possession inherently requires being in, oh I don't know, POSSESSION! Because i touched cocaine once 5 years ago does not mean that dumbfuck, USA sheriff can arrest me for possession now. Seriously, stop talking to people about stuff, they think you are stupid, trust me.

p.s. Oh Shit! i just admitted to illegally touching dangerous drugs. I am outta here...

Um...how exactly would getting rid of blunts eliminate DC's marijuana supply forever?!

i meant @23 and @24, not @18. hey @18, that was not a good one, it was quite stupid actually. yeah, he swims fast because they keep a 'fattie' at either end. wow, that is some seriously un-clever/you are actually retarded shit.

As a medical marijuana patient out here in lovely California, I'd just like to say GODDAMN THIS SHIT IS FUCKING RETARDED. The rest of the country really needs to get with it and legalize it.

That maroon sheriff must be taking his hits off the crack pipe (in between the moonshine and donuts, of course) if he thinks he can get charges to stick, and even if he could, for what? So his name can be in the news? Attention whore piggy piggy! When I get home from work today, I'm lighting up just for you, Leon re-re Lott pigfucker Jr.

PS, @18, "dangerous drugs"?!? Really?!? You cunty troll.

One of Yahoo’s Avatar’s is brought to life with Beema technology to humorously pontificate on this very subject. To see the video go here, http://beema.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/beemanews-3feb09/.

i am now totally convinced smoking weed is evil since it limited Phelps to winning only 8 gold medals in last year's Olympics

On a related and somewhat anonymous note, I attended a class last fall where a 15-year DEA agent spoke. He made it very clear that 'off the record' marijuana is no longer a priority for them as far as expenditure of real resources and that they actually are pretty sure the stuff will be looking at a schedule change within the next five years, so all you smokers get yer bongs ready for a mighty big 420 party in the not-too-distant future...

#33 needs to STFU and DIAF.

Has anyone considered him for a cabinet position in the Most Ethical Administration since Castro? If he's a law-breaker he sounds like a perfect fit...

pot is very dangerous, people! every time someone gets stoned, my chee-tos are in serious danger of being eaten!

gasp! you might even have the sudden urge to... PLAY VIDEO GAMES!!! AAAAARRRGG!!! DANGER!!!!

or maybe...

LISTEN TO MUSIC or WATCH CARTOONS!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

#33 How do you suppose that smoking pot is on par with committing a murder? I think you need to take your medication...the whole bottle.

"Weed" is illegal, fags. Whatever you wanna think or wish is fantasy. The guy committed a crime and should be punished. In a fair and reasonable manner. He is no longer a role model, not that some genetic freak swimmer is anybody anyway. Fuck look at the likes of Brock Lesnar. There is a real athlete! How about the Klitschko brothers? Vitali is the baddest ass heavyweight boxer in all history and would knock out that little dwarf Mike Tyson or li'l Ali as well. Why aren't these guys with higher educations being touted as role models? Are they too intelligent? Too decent? Too WHITE? I would imagine that would be it. They aren't cool enough for "the system".

Phelps is mildly retarded looking anyway and it';s good that he is um related well otherwise he would be completely forgotten by now. As well he should be.

Don't worry idiots, I am sure some of his relatives are lawyers and he will get off scott free.

I love this news! Hopefully this means they'll be yanking that Michael Phelps "Rosetta Stone" commercial and just keep running the other RS commercial starring the woman with the spectacular rack! Thank you, God!

I really don't give a crap about people smoking marijuana, but the fact is it's illegal and when you have thousands--if not millions--of dollars in endorsement deals coming your way, you're a moron for taking such stupid chances like this. Remember the "Dude, you're getting a Dell!" idiot who did the same thing and torpedoed his own career? Some people just never learn.

This whole thing is ridiculous.

To the guy who took the picture and sold it. I'd like to split his nuts from the head to the back of his ass. Put that in a pipe and smoke it.

Big bunch of BS.

Hey @58, do you really think Brock Lesnar has never used steroids? Steroids are a felony controlled substance, weed is a petty misdemeanor. And what makes you think he or the klitschko brothers have 'higher education'? I really wish people like you did not live in this country, i could have a little more pride.

@55, Grandpappy McCain and Brainless MILF Palin lost in a landslide. Get over it and wait your turn like a good little shit-for-brains vote-against-your-own-self-interest republican twit. The bushies have only been out of office for a few weeks and already you're whining. I understand that your pussy hurts, but you should keep that to yourself.

Thanks! :)

He forgot the first rule of liberalism: Deny

He forgot the second rule of liberalism: Deny

He forgot the third rule of liberalism: Deny

This guy is clearly a conservative.

OOOH! Sheriff a big man...going after them scary 20-something stoners!

How's the sheriff gonna arrest him unless he's in S.C.? I mean, is he really gonna make the taxpayers pay the bill to extradite Phelps to SC in these economically-challenged times? What a flaming asshole. Issue the bench warrant and Phelps....stay the fuck away from SC. There. Problem solved.

As a retired cop, I can tell you the sheriff has nothing on Phelps for possession of marijuana, because he has no evidence. He cannot prove the content of the bong was marijuana. Phelps can even tell him he got completely baked, but the sheriff cannot prove possession because there's no way to tell from the photo that there's any marijuana present, and there's no way to test what was in the pipe. And it is ONLY by testing the marijuana in a criminalistics lab that you can remove reasonable doubt that it wasn't alfalfa.

On the other hand, possession of drug paraphernalia is a crime in many states, so just this photo alone, along with the manner in which it is used, COULD be enough to bring a charge. But again, the sheriff will have to show that this wasn't photoshopped, etc. I'm not sure what it costs nowadays to authenticate a photo, but I'm guessing that the "return on investment" for the manpower and resources, versus what the penalty is for the crime makes it cost-prohibitive.

The "confession" means nothing without evidence that a crime was actually committed. Really, to prove this crime, the sheriff would need to have the bong in custody and lift Phelps' fingerprints from it. That, and the photo, AND the "confession" MIGHT get the DA to consider a charge.

My guess? The Sheriff was asked a question about what he was going to do and he made an off-the-cuff statement which someone in the media took as meaning he would pursue this as a criminal act. That's the liberal media for you. Anything to sell a story. "Sheriff to Prosecute Olympic Hero" makes huge headlines (no pun intended).

#66 very good point.
I couldn't even tell that it was actually Phelps in the photo. He should have denied it.

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with smoking weed unless your an overweight pissed off housewife that has nothing better to do than to bust her husbands nuts for coming home smelling like the local dank.

If you have never smoked weed before, THAN STFU. You have no idea what the hell your even talking about. Weed doesnt make you go on a massive Charles Manson murdering spree, it doesnt make you shit your pants, it doesnt make you fail school. Look at Michael Phelps. He is a badass and he hit that shit. ALRIGHT! Its about damn time...

LEGALIZE!!!!!!!

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with smoking weed unless your an overweight pissed off housewife that has nothing better to do than to bust her husbands nuts for coming home smelling like the local dank.

If you have never smoked weed before, THAN STFU. You have no idea what the hell your even talking about. Weed doesnt make you go on a massive Charles Manson murdering spree, it doesnt make you shit your pants, it doesnt make you fail school. Look at Michael Phelps. He is a badass and he hit that shit. ALRIGHT! Its about damn time...

LEGALIZE!!!!!!!

i'm with everyone who says no charges will be brought/successfully prosecuted over a picture and a weak-ass admission, given to the world for publicity and not to a police officer for purposes of confession. if the prosecution's case is based on a photograph, an apology in a newspaper, and a few wasted college students' testimony long after the fact, with none of the actual marijuana, no police witnessses, no statements given at the time of the actual marijuana use, and no blood tests taken at or near the time of the use to prove the presence of thc, the county is wasting its time. and to those people who say "he'll get a slap on the wrist if prosecuted," yeah, he will. because that's what anyone would get for possession/use of marijuana, even if they weren't a fucking gold medalist. it's a minor crime.

@58--'fags'?! Seriously?! Am I the only one who can picture this D-Bag rocking out to Rage Against the Machine at the gym while wearing a mesh shirt and high-fiving his former high school wrestling coach as they enter the showers together?

One more thing @58, you seem to know as little about boxing as you do most everything else. The Klitschkos?! Are you fucking kidding me? They are the biggest JOKES of the heavyweight division and real fans know this. Yeah, Dr. Snoozeglove would almost stand a chance against a REAL CHAMPION. STFU and go back to slamming ass with your 'bros' you repressed assclown. And while you are at it, back slowly away from the Brock Lesnar poster and put the baby oil down...

58 called us fags.
FAEGS!

58 called us fags.
FAEGS!
*takes monster pull from bong......laughs ass off after exhaling*

Michael Phelps has proved that one can be a casual pot smoker and still be an incredible athlete. Too bad he was not in California when he took the bong hit because the marijuana law in California is very lenient when it comes to casual users. He is an awesome athlete and I think they should leave him alone because marijuana should be legalized.

OK, lets skip whether pot is legal or not....even in SC. A picture is not evidence. A simple confession is not evidence - it is the equivalent of hearsay (eg. I stole the Lindburgh baby!!). Even a confession with a picture is not evidence. There must be a tangible piece of CORROBORATING evidence to prosecute. So unless the retarded SC sheriff has a time machine and can collect the bong at the scene there is NO PROSECUTION.

it's just a picture of him with a blue long thing! the sheriff has no real proof that he was actually doing that. a picture isn't enough. and even if phelps said he'd done it he can still take it back seeing as it wasn't "on the record" for trial...

@58
Hahaha, you fucking dork. You're a republican, aren't cha???

Lesnar has acne scars all over his back you dope. My gym is crawling with juicers, they all got the same shit.

So, Bufford T. Justice Lives!

Stupid hick sheriff. This would be like the chief of the Venice Beach Police Dept. going after Arnold Schwartzenegger for smoking that fat ass joint at the end of "Pumping Iron".

I'm a weed smoker and I can honestly say too much of it isn't that great a thing because it robs you of your ambition but doing a bong hit with friends at a party isn't the end of the world.

I do have a creeping suspicion that Obama will legalize it in the next 4-8 years because it IS an amazing cash crop industry just waiting to be capitalized on. That's change I can believe in. He seems to want to be this 21st century president that does away with all the dated taboos of the last century and since he spent his first two years of college getting baked out of his skull with his friends on some no name California almost-as-bad- as-community college he obviously isn't some drug crusader with a stick up his ass.

"...too much of it isn't that great a thing because it robs you of your ambition "

Ah, so Mike Phelps was robbed of his ambition. That's why he only won 8 gold medals at the Olympics. Had he not been a pot smoker, he might have got 15 or 20 medals. Lazy stoner slacker, that's Mike.

I would advise kids, "Don't smoke pot! It'll make you ugly like Michael Phelps!"

actually, in fairness to Ali Knievel, I know he wasn't implying that Mike used "too much" pot.

He didn't actually admit to smoking marijuana. Take a close look at his apology: regrettable behavior and bad judgment.

I think it was a lawyer crafted statement that purposely doesn't mention what was in the pipe.

Ignorant Sheriff. For one, law enforcement has a huge amount of discretion on whether they bring charges or not. It's not an "obligation" as this dumb ass backwoods sheriff, liberty hating, scum bag sheriff. The stupid fuck also has no physical evidence and wouldn't even have enough to bring a trial, dumbass. He just wants his name in the paper. The exact kind of a piece of shit that should not have any power.

Remember, no formal education or law enforcement experience is needed to be elected sheriff and you can see that clear as day here.

#8, you are right. The Obama cabinet is filled with tax cheats. Yep. Change you can believe in....LOL

My brother was the biggest stoner in the world and almost killed us while driving. Pot is illegal. Keep it that way.

I don't even smoke & I think it ought to be legalized. Alchol kills more people.

@84
What happened Ted?

Did it take FOREVVVVER MANNN to get to Taco Bell?

@ 12: first of all: A CRIME!!!!!!?????? oh my god, you stupid ignorant media-biased idiot!

I totally agree that marijuana should be legal! It doesn't make you addicted, it is not dangerous unless you are crazy already anyway (so not the fault of the weed) and it safes the government a lot of time and money to hunt for small fish that just smoke a joint once in a while.....
Take the example of the Netherlands - we are doing just great with our coffee shops! Kids are not even thrilled by smoking anymore because its legal anyway...

the only reason they even mentioned the potential for legal action is because he's supposed to be a role-model for young people everywhere. his success in the olympics combined with the fact that he used marijuana would make it seem that using pot is ok ("lol michael phelps uses it & he wins teh 8 gold medals!!!!1").

fyi: the war on drugs is the longest war america has been involved in, and it's one that can't ever be won. legalize marijuana, then tax it to raise revenue and fix america for fuck's sake. jesus h. christ, even i have more sense than some of the dumbasses mired in the 1950's-way-of-thinking that have been elected to congress.

and to all those people saying that it is 'A DANGEROUS DRUG' and comparable to 'MURDER' - get out of your villages, get into the world, open your eyes and create your OWN opinion, one that is not given to you by the numbing-down manipulating media!

SO UNLESS YOU STUDIED MEDICINE AND HAVE PROVEN THAT THE SUBSTANCES IN MARIJUANA ARE KILLING YOU - like heroin does - THE WORLD DOES NOT WANT TO HEAR YOUR OPINION ON THIS MATTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comming back to the scene of a crime to give charges? its a picture.....Pretty sure you can't do that...go figure a cops says there fore he thinks he can do.

oh and one county made 11 MILLION off taxin' bud...think about if the whole U.S.A followed suit we'd be outa this debt hole that we keep on digging ourselves in.

#90

You make a great point. Mendocino, CA made 11 million off of tax revenues from the sale of medical pot. It is legal to own 6 plants in Mendocino for personal use. I saw an interesting show on CNBC about the pot industry.

I've been to Middle Eastern restaurants where some guys smoked some kind of tobacco, not marijuana, out of a water pipe. It had a few different tubings coming from the main base, so a few people could smoke at the same time.

So yes, water pipes are used to smoke REGULAR tobacco. But Phelps has already apologized? Did his apology include admitting he smoked pot in that bong? Well, most wouldn't apologize for smoking regular tobacco out of a water pipe, so apologizing might be what prevents his attorney from getting him off.

Find out who sold the photos? A fellow partyer, or a supposed friend?

First off regarding the Klistschko brothers: they are both heavyweight champions and both have PHDs in sports medicine. Now I realize that these are not degrees in the same regard as say chemistry, physics, etc. but are nonetheless and indice of higher learnging, yes? And you say they are jokes? Vitali came off a massive layoff and beat the #1 contender who is a big strong dude. These guys are intellectuals and chess players and of course in a rancid Nascar loving' Hoops watchin' NFL thug laden society like ours we just aint interested. Heck if Tyson and Holyfield fought again that would be all you would here. And both are certainly men of very low intelligence and questionalbe ethics. Holyfield so for having 13 fucking children! Idiot!

Lesnar did not use steroids you lying queer and has no acne scars on his back. I mentioned him because he is probably the most awesome physical speciman that DOES NOT USE STEROIDS that I have ever seen I don't like the guy at all and think he is a redneck asshole.

Phelps is hideous and looks inbred but yeah he is an amazing swimmer but I do not hold that or say Tiger Woods in the same category of athlete as I would say a gymnast or strongman or boxer, sorry.

Phelps is also strangely unintelligent for someone Jewish. They are normally bright people if nothing else.
What the guy did was illegal whether or not any of us want to believe it. I have no problem with Mary J and am in accord with the stuff you guys all say.
I like to drink and don't feel that being slightly over the pathetic limit should carry the same outrageous penalty as say being fucking tanked to the gills but I DON"T Make the LAWS. He committed a crime and should suffer the same consequence as anyone else. We can no longer shield the wealthy from the same fate as the poor.

You liberals and conservative characters are amusingly simple. Please help the world out and just die off. Please???

To all the "IT'S-ILLEGAL-THEREFORE-WE-MUST-PROSECUTE" people out there: every had anal sex? sex outside of marriage? Both still technically illegal in much of the U.S., but how much sense does it make to run around trying to arrest people for that stuff when our jails are already crammed full as it is? Fact is, citizens and authorities alike ignore laws on the books all the time.
And to the moron comparing legalizing marijuana with legalizing murder: For real? That's the most retarded argument against legalization I've ever heard. The entire point of legalization is that the process of criminalizing users causes more harm to society than the "crime" itself does. This is obviously not the case with murder! Laws against murder = protection of right to life. Laws against drugs = violation of right to pursuit of hapiness.

#94 sorry brother I can't say I use drugs or put my penis in the hole where feces is excreted. What the fuck is wrong with you? Nor have I ever cheated on anyone in my life never mind the woman (lucky girl) that I married.

Some of these arguements are very well thought out.

Drugs are illegal. As in against the law. Don't like the laws of the land? Move elsewhere it's all good. Bye bye.

Jesus Christ. My point was not to insinuate that people who believe drugs should be illegal are all sodomites and fornicators. My point was that these things (sodomy and fornication) are also still illegal but we routinely ignore these law as a society -- so "it's illegal end of story" argument doesn't fly. Furthermore, if we don't like the laws of the land, we have the perogetive to change them! That's what democracy is. So if you're tired of people pointing out how flawed the law is and how much they would like it changed, perhaps YOU should move to a country where laws are dictated from on high and the citizenry has no hope of changing it. I suggest North Korea.

Phelps should move up here to Massachusetts.
We decriminalized marijuana last Fall.

Go for the Gold (Acapulco Gold, that is)!

Actually the way the American economy is heading North Korea doesn't sound as bad as all that. Thanks for the advice!!!

cam u are so right!

Raoul,

You're wasting your time. These are the same kind of people that flipped shit over Janet Jackson's nipple on primetime. There's no reasoning with them.

I liked the "ever have anal sex?" opening argument, that was funny.

All that for a 200 dollar fine. Whats possesion of a bong toke nowadays? 3 minutes behind bars? What a fucking waste of resources.

I prefer the sexual orifice not the excretory port. Sorry I am not that much into having human waste on my penis. I don't do drugs cuz I don't need to. I have a wife who gives me all I want. Sorry I am not so "hip" and swinging and kinky.

You liberals sure are an aberrant sort.

Phelps needs some PR work -

http://www.pixelvoiceblog.blogspot.com

This is why I would never want to be a celebrity in this day and age - technology is way out of hand! Hell, I wouldn't want to be a teenager again either...everyone is whoring it up on Myspace and Facebook and you can't even take a shit without some asshole taking a picture to put up on their boring Blog!

Leave Phleps alone. Athletes are entertainers and no one should ever have to live up to the status of "Role Model"...especially to the dumbass public. Hey, if you need a "Role Model" so bad, you must have something very wrong in yourself. Nobody is perfect and no one is innocent. Grow a pair and take care of your own actions and parent your own children; don't leave parenting to a celebrity (because, really, they're strangers and YOU are responsible!) - "Parent" is a VERB!

Phelps needs some PR work -

http://www.pixelvoiceblog.blogspot.com

Stop making excuses for this guy. He's a grown azz man. It's starting to look like his M.O. Remember the D.U.I ? I love it when white guys do something and people make excuses like, "He's just expressing himself". If he was black he would have loss off his endosements. F*ck Michael Phelps !

Stop making excuses for this guy. He's a grown azz man. It's starting to look like his M.O. Remember the D.U.I ? I love it when white guys do something and people make excuses like, "He's just expressing himself". If he was black he would have loss off his endosements. F*ck Michael Phelps !

@102
Get a life. You haven't lived if you never got stoned and fucked a hot chick up her ass (that enjoyed it). Go back to your trailer and your fat ass wife.

@106

As for you, don't even get me started.
The main difference in your argument is that "white guy" celebs get caught driving drunk, smoking pot, banging married sluts, etc.

Black guy celebs get caught murdering, punching women, weapons charges, etc

I personally believe Michael Phelps is a douche but this is ridiculous.
I hope that this sheriff doesn't spend a dime trying to deduce whether or not it's pot in that bong, it's completely worthless.

Who's the victim here? Uh nobody, so let it go.

Dick-on, I mean Deacon Jones. I guess they're trying to be line the Baretta's, Jim Lamply's, and Phil Spectors huh. If it ain't white , it ain't right !

I don't know why I'm posting here, it's usefullness is comparable to fucking for virginity. However, as a rabid anti-prohibitionist, I have to say, thank god the majority on here understands how a democracy works, the point that laws change over time and that wasting tax dollars and resources, especially in this time of economic crisis, is not needed for soemthing as benign as smoking pot. Yes, pot is illegal by federal standards, but that doesn't mean that society as a whole accepts it. As the winds of change move forward, we will see the will of the people triumph and ignorant laws slowly disperse. Don't concern yourself with the uninformed rantings of the conservative masses. They regard our feelings and visions as nothing more than "Liberals trying to tell us how to live..." while...well...telling us how to live. Personally, I'm not telling them to like weed, I'm just asking them to keep their choices seperate from mine. If they want to hate on it, if they want to protect their children from it(which, btw, only pushes them closer to it), that's their business. Making something legal does not mean you have to support it. I don't drink nor do I want my children to drink. However, I'm not about to use the laws to enact my own personal feelings about a substance. If it presented a major risk to society (like booze does), then I could understand. However, if I'm on the road, I will ALWAYS prefer to have a stoner on the road with me than someone who drinks. ANyone who knows the truth about how each substance affects you knows this to be 100% true. Their arguments never hold water when presented with valid counter-arguments. Booze is legal, it's more dangerous on ALL accounts than weed, it's fatal if taken in large quantities and easily causes more deaths each year than weed. However, we are talking about hard core conservatives here, people who shy from any form of rationality or open, intelligent debate.

I think this is RIDICULOUS! Give the guy a break! And INVESTIGATING? I sure as HELL doubt someone is gonna be like: 'I brought the weed to the party! It was me!' Or else lay all the blame on Phelps...

God - I hope this is a vestige of the Bush Administration!
Not - what Obama & his administration's influence will be like!

Keep hoping Sebastian. Change be a coming.

bong, guilty, not guilty, whatever. he's still an ugly cromag fuck

@110

You said it!

My wife is not fat and I don't live in a trailer and I hold that sodomy is repulsive. The anus function is for passing shit out you fag. Seriously, why would anyone want to place their penis in shit? Is that natural? What about fecal dolls? Is it ok make little dolls out of shit and maybe make a little play house and dress little turds up and put makeup on them and act out little fantasies or maybe perform Macbeth or do the Butterfly Opera out of little Doo Dolls?

Hell I guess maybe you might be right (shits in own pants and reaches a few thick fingers up asshole and digs around for several long and enchanted moments with quizacal expression producing mild erection).

It's the typical American WAR ON DRUGS bullshit. Dump trillions into arresting citizens and waging war in third world countries because people want to get high. Bravo America. Oh ya and here is another gem for you "just say no." Thanks Nancy, don't look at the social issues surrounding drug use or anything just say no. That's what happens when you let housewives dictate policy.

Pot is good for you. Smoking it isn't. My Native American heritage confirms this. Legalize pot and create American jobs: growing, selling, etc.

everyone's just in a tizzy because it's obvious proof that bong hits give you super hydro-abilities...and a craving for taquitos covered in nacho cheese.

big deal.

umm his face hurts my eyes

Who gives a damn if he smokes marijuana. It's not that bad of a thing. I smoke marijuana all the time.

#111

I agree. I have seen people get drunk and start fights but I have never seen a stoned person want to fight because they are too mellow. My best friend is a total bitch when she drinks and gets drunk but a sweetheart when she is stoned.

don't we have bigger problems?

... like how fat jessica simpson has gotten.

They can't prove anything ~ or charge him with anything. No way will anything happen

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AAAARRRGHHH! so stupid!!! effing legalize it!
@66: you're so right!!!! everything illegal shouldn't be criminalized. gay marriage isn't legal everywhere, but is it a crime!? NOOOO!

I wonder what kind of pot it was? Was it purple hair or skunk bud or? I am going to take 2 bong hits in honor of the greatest stoner Olympic champion of the world when I get home from work.

Hes a real looker huh

http://wineandexcrement.com/michael-phelps-retracts-marijuana-apology/367/

Phelps retracts apology!

"The Sheriff has a responsibility to be fair, to enforce the law and to not turn a blind eye because someone is a celebrity." ......

Are you kidding me. OMFG, how dumb do you have to be to release a statement like that? Do people actually buy this shit?... Dude, that's why America SUCKS. You guys think you're free but you're not.

I smoke weed all the time. Hell, if someone can get ahold of Joe 24 Pack, the Sherrif's email address, I'd be happy to send him several pictures of myself smoking pot.. Haha, now wouldn't that be funny?

The only thing Mike Phelps is guilty of is being a sell-out.

Period.

thought you guys might like to see this sketch about Michael Phelps and the marijuana scandal, it's really funny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpxB6urF-5c

Please nail this MENTAL sucker, folks!!

Prosecute the guy for using pot? Good luck with that. Most states don't criminalize use -- only possession -- because they're more worried about catching the dealers versus the casual users. Go ahead, Mr. Sheriff ... flush your job away.

The photo and apology are admissible. Get one party-goer, or the host, in exchange for immunity, to say he or she saw Phelps smoking pot, and the DA has enough to get to trial. On that basis alone, Phelps will plead guilty to some minor offense in exchange for a fine and slap on the wrist. I'm not saying pot should or shouldn't be legal, but it isn't now in SC.

He's going to have to be put to death. I recommend the electric chair.

I would prefer he hang.

1. The sheriff is a goof - how in the world can all this possibly be proved when it happened in November?

2. Michael Phelps is:

A. An idiot who has no sense of self-preservation. Why would an international celebrity go to a party and committ an illegal act when everyone and their grandma has a mobile phone with a camera these days, and;

B. A loser for smoking pot. L - O - S - E - R

Technically Michael can't be charged with any drug violations. Cleary there is no lighter in his hand, no smoke in the bong NOR is there even a bowl presented in the picture...this guy can easily brush this off his shoulders.

there are VIDEOS of lindsay lohan doing coke. if she didnt get in trouble, phelps will be fine.

This is an opportunity for the new US administration to consume billions in new taxes. Legalize it and pot can be the savior of our nation, instantly creating jobs in manufacturing and distribution on a scale not even big tobacco could imagine.

Actually 141 it would be legalized in the way regular tobacco is - if ever. And big tobacco would retool so fast it'd make your head spin. They'd be in control again and you'd still have to pay tripple what the bag cost you on the street last saturday.

Here's what kills me: there are loads of celebrities and people that do things that a FAR worse than this, and they want to arrest him. Dang it! Focus on the pedophiles and rapists!

This entire thing is total bullshit. So what if Phelps hit a bong. If you have grown up in the USA and you haven't been to a party, drank alcohol and/or smoked some weed when it was offered then what is wrong with you? There are more people in this country, celebrity or not that have taken a hit than people who haven't. When you go to school parties, there is going to be alcohol and weed, it's a given. I've DJ'd parties at BYU and it's no different. Now Phelps can join the ranks of Magic Johnson and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Phelps is a celebrity but that does not mean he needs to shit gold and be a perfect captain america.

I really feel sorry for Phelps. This almost sounds like a set-up. "Dude, Phelps is at the party! Let's get a photo of him taking a hit so we can sell it to a British Tabloid. We can make money to buy more weeeeeed!" The person I want to see is the piece of shit who took the photo (and probably owned the bong) and sold it to the media. I want to know how much money this piece of shit was given for the photo. That probably could be some form of entrapment. If Phelps gets any kind of charge, the other person should be charged too including distribution, defamation, etc. Seize the frat house for the pot and charge the school too that let them throw the party.

Now Phelps is also going to have to "apologize" to a society of hypocrites. The people who are trying to nail him to a cross should be ashamed. Are they squeaky clean? People like "pill-poppin" Rush Limbaugh. I wonder if the IOC is going to do something? Those goons are complete crooks who take bribes and have the arrogance to say so what. How many of the people who are making Phelps apologize have a bottle of Zanex or Loratab's on the side? I would say those without sin can cast the first stone however smoking weed is not a sin. The biggest sin of all is lying and Phelps has taken accountability.

As for Kellogg's? Read up on the Battle Creek Sanitarium and John Harvey Kellogg. That dude was roastin' bowls and giving enemas to anyone and everyone he could all in the name of good health. Probably did more cocaine than Freud.

Dear SC,

WTF? My mom cheerleaded at your university for 3 years. She smoked incredulously during this time. You wanna charge her too? Weed isn't a crrime. If it hurts anyone it's the user. Fuck all you haters.

so are they going to track down who's bong it is? or is this sheriff just trying to get his 15 minutes...hmm difficult one haha

What the sheriff fails to realize is that you cannot arrest someone for this after the fact. Since he wasn't there, he can't prove (or disprove) what Phelps was doing. Then again, South Carolina isn't known for it's educational system.

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Check it out you'll find wwhat your looking for alot cheaper.

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