A trip to a New York gas station didn’t end so well for a 24-year-old woman who was behind the wheel when a patrol officer stopped her. The officer claims the woman had violated traffic laws, though the claimed violations were not detailed in a news report. The events that unfolded from that point on led to her arrest and drug charges.
The arresting officer says there was a half-smoked marijuana joint in the woman’s possession. However, merely seeing something that looks like pot does not necessarily mean it is pot nor does it prove a particular person had been smoking it, no matter what type of cigarette it happens to be. Situations like this often come down to a police officer’s word against a motorist’s.
Unlawful use of marijuana is not the only charge against the woman. The Putnam County Sheriff’s office says she is also charged with illegal possession of a controlled substance because of a prescription vial the patrolman apparently seized from her vehicle. Prosecutors who plan to present pills or other alleged drugs as evidence in a criminal trial must show test results that prove the items are, in fact, the drugs in question.
The accused woman was arraigned and then released on her own recognizance. This means the court did not set bail, though the defendant must show up in court at the appointed time. Avoiding conviction on New York drug charges is often possible when a strong defense is presented. This is easier to achieve by relying on experienced legal representation in court.
