Posts Tagged ‘willie nelson’

Willie Nelson Band Faces Drug and Alcohol Charges

Six Willie Nelson band members are being faced with charges for illegal possession of marijuana and moonshine for an incident at a Kenansville show last January, reports the AP.

District Attorney Dewey Hudson states that the musicians “are not above the law,” and that the massive amount of fans asking for the band to be given a free pass are in vain.

While Hudson says that he must uphold the law, he personally would consider the legalization of marijuana, reports Lindell Kay of ENC Today.

“A lot of experts believe alcohol does much more damage to individuals and society, and it is legal,” he said Friday. “I can see it both ways and understand the arguments.”

Charges against guitarist Dan Spears and five others are still pending, said Hudson at a Friday press conference. The substances have not been verified as marijuana as of yet, though the alcohol was most definitely non-tax-paid and home-made.

The ALE bust occurred Jan. 28 outside of the Duplin County Events Center in the musicians’ bus. Nelson himself had not been there and canceled the show, claiming according to Kay, that his “hand was hurting.” Disappointed fans suspect this was a fabrication and really due to the investigation of the band.

The six band members are scheduled to appear in court April 21.

Willie Nelson’s tour bus cited for moonshine, marijuana

Willie Nelson

The aroma of marijuana lingered in the parking lot, and moonshine measured three-quarters full in a quart jar on the tour bus, officials said.

But, despite citations given Thursday night to six of singer-songwriter Willie Nelson’s band members for allegedly illegally possessing the substances, the concert was scheduled to go on – that was, until it was announced Nelson wasn’t feeling up to playing, according to information from the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement Division agency out of Wilmington and a news release on Nelson’s official Web site.

It was pain in Nelson’s hand, the one on which he had carpal tunnel surgery, that caused the concert to be canceled, according to the news release on Nelson’s Web site. “Doctors say to just give it a rest,” the release said.

Nelson was not on the tour bus where ALE agents found marijuana and “non-tax-paid alcohol, which is moonshine,” said Ted Carlton, special agent in charge of the District III ALE office out of Wilmington.

Carlton said it was about 6:40 p.m. Thursday when ALE agents smelled marijuana in a parking lot by the Duplin County Events Center in Kenansville. After entering the tour bus, agents also saw a jar of moonshine, he said.

Six members of Nelson’s band were issued citations. They were not arrested. A mandatory court appearance is required for both charges, Carlton said.

“We did it as fast as possible so it wouldn’t delay the concert,” he said. “As soon as we processed the last one, we got word the concert was canceled because Nelson was under the weather.” The concert was scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.

via StarNewsOnline

The aroma of marijuana lingered in the parking lot, and moonshine measured three-quarters full in a quart jar on the tour bus, officials said.

But, despite citations given Thursday night to six of singer-songwriter Willie Nelson’s band members for allegedly illegally possessing the substances, the concert was scheduled to go on – that was, until it was announced Nelson wasn’t feeling up to playing, according to information from the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement Division agency out of Wilmington and a news release on Nelson’s official Web site.

It was pain in Nelson’s hand, the one on which he had carpal tunnel surgery, that caused the concert to be canceled, according to the news release on Nelson’s Web site. “Doctors say to just give it a rest,” the release said.

Nelson was not on the tour bus where ALE agents found marijuana and “non-tax-paid alcohol, which is moonshine,” said Ted Carlton, special agent in charge of the District III ALE office out of Wilmington.

Carlton said it was about 6:40 p.m. Thursday when ALE agents smelled marijuana in a parking lot by the Duplin County Events Center in Kenansville. After entering the tour bus, agents also saw a jar of moonshine, he said.

Six members of Nelson’s band were issued citations. They were not arrested. A mandatory court appearance is required for both charges, Carlton said.

“We did it as fast as possible so it wouldn’t delay the concert,” he said. “As soon as we processed the last one, we got word the concert was canceled because Nelson was under the weather.” The concert was scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.

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