Update 2/24/2011) Thorne Peters has been found guilty of misdemeanor possession of marijuana.
FAST FACTS
tom.powell@wreg.com
twitter.com/tompowell3
(MEMPHIS 2/23/2011) -- The jury trial for self-described pot-smoking hedonist Thorn Peters is underway at the Criminal Justice Center. Peters is defending himself against a misdemeanor drug charge.
Authorities arrested Peters in 2009, charging him with felony drug offenses. He spend 19 months behind bars, but the felonies were dropped, leaving only a misdemeanor charge behind. "On the day we were to go to trial, they dropped the case," Peters says, referring to the felonies.
Prosecutors called witnesses in the misdemeanor trial Wednesday, laying out their case that Peters handed over a bag of marijuana to an undercover informant inside his club on July 9, 2009.
Peters wore his jail clothes during the first day of the trial, even though he was released from behind bars after the felonies were dropped. "I'm still a prisoner while this goes on because my life is being held hostage by them," Peters said outside court.
In court he played to the camera, at times pretending to smoke something. We asked him what it was after court adjourned for the day. "I can't tell, and I'm not going to tell. We'll just never know," he said with a smile.
The judge stopped Peters several times to instruct him on proper procedure. The judge told Peters he has the absolute right to represent himself, but the judge didn't approve of Peters "snapping back."
Peters pressed on, trying to discredit the prosecution's case. He questioned undercover officers why the informant wasn't wearing a wire. Peters says there is a lack of evidence.
The confidential informant is scheduled to take the stand Thursday. Peters says he plans to prove to the jury that she's a dishonest person.
Peters strongly criticizes authorities for spending money on the case against him. "Who are you most outraged at, the pot-smoking hedonist who loves smoking pot with smoking hot women or the state that has gone about spending and unbelievable amount of tax dollars?"
Prosecutors declined comment at the end of day one.
FAST FACTS
- Thorn Peters was arrested in 2009 after his club was shut down
- Prosecutors dropped felony drug charges
- Peters is representing himself during trial for remaining misdemeanor marijuana charge
tom.powell@wreg.com
twitter.com/tompowell3
(MEMPHIS 2/23/2011) -- The jury trial for self-described pot-smoking hedonist Thorn Peters is underway at the Criminal Justice Center. Peters is defending himself against a misdemeanor drug charge.
Authorities arrested Peters in 2009, charging him with felony drug offenses. He spend 19 months behind bars, but the felonies were dropped, leaving only a misdemeanor charge behind. "On the day we were to go to trial, they dropped the case," Peters says, referring to the felonies.
Prosecutors called witnesses in the misdemeanor trial Wednesday, laying out their case that Peters handed over a bag of marijuana to an undercover informant inside his club on July 9, 2009.
Peters wore his jail clothes during the first day of the trial, even though he was released from behind bars after the felonies were dropped. "I'm still a prisoner while this goes on because my life is being held hostage by them," Peters said outside court.
In court he played to the camera, at times pretending to smoke something. We asked him what it was after court adjourned for the day. "I can't tell, and I'm not going to tell. We'll just never know," he said with a smile.
The judge stopped Peters several times to instruct him on proper procedure. The judge told Peters he has the absolute right to represent himself, but the judge didn't approve of Peters "snapping back."
Peters pressed on, trying to discredit the prosecution's case. He questioned undercover officers why the informant wasn't wearing a wire. Peters says there is a lack of evidence.
The confidential informant is scheduled to take the stand Thursday. Peters says he plans to prove to the jury that she's a dishonest person.
Peters strongly criticizes authorities for spending money on the case against him. "Who are you most outraged at, the pot-smoking hedonist who loves smoking pot with smoking hot women or the state that has gone about spending and unbelievable amount of tax dollars?"
Prosecutors declined comment at the end of day one.
