Oh snap! If you thought that Michael Phelps took a lot of heat for getting photographed tokin’ on that ginormous bong, wait ’til you hear what happened to 8 regular people who were at the party where that photo was snapped. It turns out that local area police, spurned into action by public pressure, began investigating that particular party and ended up arresting 8 people who where present at the party on various charges … including drug charges. So while Phelpsie only got slapped with a 3 month suspension from USA Swimming and suffered the loss of one endorsement deal, these 8 “real people” ended up getting arrested by the police:
New details have emerged about a party where Olympic champion Michael Phelps was spotted. On Feb. 2, a British tabloid published a picture of the 14-time Olympic gold medalist using a water pipe to smoke marijuana. The picture was taken at a party in Columbia back in November when Phelps was here for a visit. The Richland County Sheriff’s Department has been taking a lot of heat from people in this country and all over the world. They want to know why Sheriff Leon Lott is going after Michael Phelps. Many are saying the sheriff should concentrate on more serious crimes, or at the very least, not focus solely on the Olympic champion when there were others at the party who were also breaking the law. Now it appears the case has expanded beyond Phelps’ activities. The party took place in November at a house on Blossom Street near Five Points. It was at that house where someone snapped the photo of Phelps taking a hit on a marijuana pipe called a bong. Lott says the picture indicated a law was being broken in his jurisdiction. He said he couldn’t ignore the violation just because Phelps is rich and famous. We’ve now learned that since investigators began trying to build a case, they’ve made eight arrests: seven for drug possession and one for distribution. These are arrests that resulted as the sheriff’s department served search warrants. We’ve also learned that the department has located and confiscated that bong. Sources say the owner of the bong was trying to sell it on eBay for as much as $100,000. The owner, who wasn’t even at the party, is one of the eight now charged. Phelps is not one of those charged at this point, but the sheriff’s department has strong evidence that matches the photo to the house on Blossom Street. That house is in the city, but the Columbia Police Department decided not to initiate or take an active role in the investigation. Governor Mark Sanford is also weighing in on the sheriff’s actions. On the FOX News Channel Sunday night, Geraldo Rivera asked Sanford whether Phelps should be prosecuted. “I don’t see what it gets at this point,” said Sanford. His spokesman told us Monday night Sanford is letting that quote stand.
Sooooo, letmegetthisstraight … the Sheriff’s Department, spurned on by public pressure, thought it would be wise to seek out and arrest 8 people who were at that party — and probably were NOT photographed engaging in drug use — and feels that it is unnecessary to seek out and arrest the ONE PERSON who WAS PHOTOGRAPHED engaging in drug use (or, at the very least, was photographed seeming to be engaged in drug use) … whose photo actually caused this illegal incident to come to light in the first place????? What complete and utter bullshizz! I, personally, do not think anyone needs to be arrested for anything involving this incident, let alone the 8 people including the house owner (who wasn’t even present when the party took place) who were arrested. BUT, for the Sheriff’s Department to arrest some people and PURPOSELY EXCLUDE arresting the sole celebrity in attendance WHO WAS PHOTOGRAPHED WITH THE DRUG PARAPHENALIA IN HAND seems awfully outrageous to me. If this isn’t the absolute definition of preferential treatment, then I don’t know what is. It sucks that 8 people have to pay for Michael Phelps‘s mistake … but, apparently in Richland County, SC that’s the way they like their justice. I call bullshizz … what do y’all think?
[Source]
Ridiculous! And definitely bullshizz.
Celebs and athletes are treated “special” as a rule so of course MP wasn’t arrested. If I was an attorney for one of the eight real people, I would definitely be throwing that around a lot.
The sheriff feels as though he needs attention so that is probably why there are all these arrests now. Why they didn’t arrest Phelps, I have no clue. Ridiculous.
All I have to say is that this boy has let his celebrity get to his HEAD
This is so stupid. I think law enforcement has better things to do than go after a bunch of young people smoking a bit of pot that were not even photographed. I know people in their 60′s, 70′s and even their 80′s who enjoy a bit of pot at times. There are other things far worse.
Shenanigans!
The whole world is corrupt.
Funny, but i haven’t heard of Phelps being arrested for this… WTF?
xo
Rants, Thoughts & Merde
http://rantsthoughtsmerde.blogspot.com/2009/02/wet-love-night-on-les.html
*sigh* I live in Richland County, SC (although I’d like to point out that I am NOT from SC!) and I’m not surprised by this at all. The good ol’ [white] boy network is alive and well here. (And Michael Phelps is a white boy…) This is the same county where a “white’s only” country club just changed their policy LAST MONTH to allow non-whites to join!!!! You can go to the link below to see that full story: http://tinyurl.com/asc85l
hahhaha I bet they all regret having had mr phelps in their party now, it was cool there for a moment. That is so ridic, those pics wouldnt have been made public if it wasnt for him. Why don’t they occupy themselves with real crimes? Why don’t they arrest drunk people who later on might get in a car and kill somebody, or why don’t they arrest tobacco smokers whose second hand smoke kills people?
Here in argentina we are one step away from legalizing it, and it sounds quite fair to me. How come tobacco and alcohol are illegal when they are way worst than locoweed? uh? Tobacco and alcohol kill a lot more people than Mary Jane does, actually I’ve never heard of people killed by an MJ overdose. While lots of people get cancer and cirrhosis due to tobacco and alcohol. They are planning to vote they new law by the end of feb, and from then on you won’t get sent to jail for carrying small amounts of MJ for your own personal consumption, they plan to offer treatment for people having addiction problems instead of sending them to jail. Sounds logical to me, MJ should be treated the same way alcohol and tobacco are.
As a resident of Richland Co., SC, I am very embarassed by our Sheriff’s Department and the way this case has been handled. It has only given the rest of the country even more reasons to laugh at the backwards stereotypes that exist regarding South Carolina. I would like for everyone to know that despite our current reputation (thanks to Sheriff Leon Lott), Columbia is a diverse city that is much more progressive and liberal than these stories depict. The residents of the city are not happy with how this case has been pursued and I think I speak for most of us when I say that I wish this story would just go away!
Here’s the thing: I live in Columbia, and from what I’ve seen, there is no “public outcry”. If the picture of Phelps had not surfaced, there would be no investigation.
This is merely yet another publicity stunt by Sherrif Lott, Govenor Mark Sanford (he of the pigs on the State House grounds stunt) and their cronies.
How about focusing on Columbia’s real issues, gentlemen, instead of resorting to cheap media grabs?
As an attorney in SC, I think they didn’t arrest Phelps b/c they can’t prove, in a court of law, that he was doing anything illegal. The cops would have to get the “green plant substance” and send it to a lab to prove it was mj. The pic itself doesn’t prove anything beyond a reasonable doubt. All I can guess is that b/c of the photo they had probable cuase to get search warrants on the house and maybe a few other regular folks’ houses and found drugs there which led to their arrests. Those regular folks are dumb b/c when this photo came out they should have known they would be under media/police scutiny and made sure their houses were clean.
I am also from Columbia, and I’m super embarrassed by this.
Leon Lott was a good sheriff, but this has tarnished his rep. This is not a win for the drug war it’s a loss for privacy and resources. How about you arrest 8 people who are directly involved in the drug trade in Columbia.
OH GOD, America. Get over the fucking pot issue. A little bong action and we’re hunting witches with pitchforks and torches again. The things that this country finds to obsess over are hilarious. Silly, silly, silly…….
I am also a resident of Richland Co. and live within the Columbia’s city limits. I agree with toothandclaw, I have heard of no such “public outcry.” And I offer this open letter to Sheriff Leon Lott:
Sheriff Lott,
How about you focus on Columbia’s real problems. Focus on the ATM robberies, the gunpoint robberies in Five Points, the attacks on female students of the University of South Carolina, the lack of appropriate resources for Columbia’s large homeless population, and the rampant drug use not involving celebrities. Stop the witch hunt. Focus my tax dollars on something productive that will enhance and improve the wonderful aspects of our city and not on getting your 15 minutes.
Sincerely,
Extremely Irritated
Okay, so Phelps was smoking weed, which is wrong! I just hope the person that took this photo was one that was arrested. Were they the ones that gave it to the public papers? Did they get paid for it? Celebrities and athletes should know by now that they can’t trust people to not try and make money off of them. I personally think it would’ve been unfair if they didn’t punish those 8 people. Phelps is already paying for his actions by the public backlash and losing Kelloggs…why should these other people get away with losing nothing?
sounds like a sheriff trying to get some spotlight
fail fail fail.
Just another waste of tax payer money. Lets say there were photos of the other people smoking too is it really necessary to throw a few college kids in jail over a little ganja?? NO! And not to mention they got arrested for something a few weeks ago! What a joke, I think the police should really be focusing on other stuff. All these kids will get off and then there will be a couple hundred thousand dollar bill the state will have to pay! JOKE, JOKE, JOKE!!
I don’t think its right, but he was suspended and lost an endorsement. MP picture was plastered all over newspapers and magazines. Do you invite people over to you house for a party and take pictures of people drinking and smoking pot and sell the pictures for money? I would you do that to family and friends? Who was the person who took the picture and sold it for a profit? The people who were arrested did they have the same treatment is their picture in the papers? Is that right? Blame the person who took the picture and profited by it? Ask the person who sold the pictures to pay for their legal expense.
Messed up. That aint justice and I hope those 8 people are able to get a jduge with a brain who can see this is just a ploy by an attention grabbing idiot sherrif.
The bs isn’t that Phelps wasn’t arrested, it was that anyone was arrested at all! If Phelps wasn’t such a public figure, no one would have ever seen the photo and the sheriff wouldn’t have arrested anyone. This is pot for god sakes, its not like he is selling it or doing something that could hurt him.
If police are going to start taking action on the basis of photos of people smoking pot, then wouldn’t they have to start trolling websites like myspace and facebook for these types of pictures? OR any pictures of underage people drinking? Why don’t they just start confiscating all photos at photo development sites before people pick them up as well? This is so pathetic and such a waste of time.
Mr. Sheriff sounds like a typical, piece of shit cop wanting attention and praise from conservative America. I know, I know there are WONDERFUL officers out there, but this is the idiocracy that feeds the stereotype of the PIG! The homeowner wasn’t even home = lame! People, don’t photograph your illegal substance abuse, ok?
Ugh, I live in Columbia and I heard about this yesterday and it just makes me want to scream! I don’t see why this one sherrif can’t let it go! there are so many other things to deal with in this city! Espically when the Governer wants you to move on! UGH!
That’s pretty ridiculous. Don’t they have something better to do?
The only person at fault here is the BITCH who sold the fucking pictures to the media….what a douche. And I sincerely hope he or she was one of the people who got arrested. They have nothing better to do than waste time and money on a fucking investigation into a houseparty???? wow. this is just a big clusterfuck and it is ridiculous. If michael gets charged with a crime, I will flip.
Why don’t they arrested him? pray tell what exactly would they arrested him on ????
*arrest
I’m guessing that the Sheriff prolly decided that arresting Phelps would be an even more stupid move. Like the poster above, I think he was trying to milk publicity off this whole thing. Also thinking that they know the charges either won’t stick or will be dropped at some point so why bother dragging Phelps in to it and look even worse when it all comes to naught?
Hey, Guys, check this blog out.
I made the first contribution.
How about showing a little support?
Hey, Guys, check this blog out.
I made the first contribution.
How about showing a little support?
http://www.itsokphelps.com
(sorry, I forgot. too much weed, perhaps :)
I think Seth Myers got it right on SNL:
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/really-michael-phelps/999101/
So any proof, besides a picture, that there was drug use. Can they prove there was weed in the bong? No. Not guilty. And most certainly Phelps should be arrested with the others. Once again, celebrities are above the law.
Although this is in the south, so you’ll guilty unless you can prove your innocent.
@Trent and B – I absolutely agree with both of you. It’s nuts to arrest 8 people and not the actual person seen allegedly hitting the bong. I also agree that if the police are going to start this thing than they need look no further than all of the pictures on myspaces and facebook profiles throughout the world. Granted what the guy did was illegal but by the time anyone even saw the picture the incident was done. And furthermore, how can you arrest someone for something like this when technically the picture doesn’t prove he’s actually smoking. Trent took a pic and posted it of his best Phelps impression (which I love by the way). Even though clearly he is not using a bong whose to say that there wasn’t any drugs in that? I think the law has gotten a bit ridiculous. Bust the people selling the drugs, bust the people smuggling the drugs in, the ones you can prove have the stuff on them. But busting the people you think might have been involved simply because they were there is just wrong.
If that’s the case than anyone who goes to a bar where they allow celebs to drink underage should avoid having their pics taken there and then posted anywhere online… you may get arrested for being at the same spot where illegial activites were taking place!
Fucking ridiculous.
He’s probably not even in the same state, let alone the same town, that would probably be the main reason why he wasn’t/won’t be arrested.
I think people should just leave him alone. I don’t think people should judge him on what he does in his private time, especially judging him professionally.
It’s like facebook… Companies should not judge potential employees through facebook… They shouldn’t judge people from how they behave when they are not working. Why not the same for Michael Phelps? Leave him alone! He’s worked his ass off to get all these medals in the Olympics, he’s taking a break now!
How many documented deaths has weed been the cause? NONE. (I can’t site a source, but it was a trivia question at a local bar)
This is rediculous! the public is calling for Phelps to not have any special treatment because of his celebrity? That is rediculous! First of all if it wasn’t for his celebrity these photos wouldnt have been leaked and he would be just another dumb kid on facebook or myspace hitting a bong in a photo. The kids who are being arressted are dumb in the first place by trying to sell the bong on ebay and selling out Phelps by selling the photo to British tabloids? How do you think they got the photo? How do you think 8 people were arressted from a single photo? These kids all ratted on eachother and deserve it. Phelps just got caught up making a bad decision and because of his celebrity it has been turned into a huge fiasco. He apologized and is getting hit by losing millions in sponsership money that is a hell of a big loss and his image will forever be tainted by this. Moral of the story “don’t make bad decision like A: sign up for the Olympics anti-drug campaign than go to a party and hit a bong. B: don’t sell your friend short for a few bucks C: DON”T SNITCH
I’ve given Micheal Phelps some shit recently, but I will say this just proves he is a normal 20yo who likes to have a good time. but he really needs to rethink who he trusts. Im 28 and im so glad that 10 years ago camera phones werent really around as are alot of people on here im sure. weve all done things in the past that we would not like to see on the net or in papers.