Eight arrests from party that produced Phelps pic

[Teucer]

Author: AFP (See the Journo won't put his name to this)

Date: 11 Feb 2009

Source: www.brisbanetimes.com.au

Copyright: AFP or Fairfax

 

COLUMBIA, South Carolina - Police have made eight arrests in connection with the party that led to publication of a photograph of Beijing Olympic hero Michael Phelps, television station WIS reported on Tuesday.

 

Phelps, the American swim star who won a record eight gold medals at Beijing six months ago, was not among those charged in a probe by the Richland County Sheriff's Department, according to the report.

 

Seven arrests were made for drug possession and another for distribution of drugs, with arrests resulting from search warrants served by the sheriff's department as part of their probe, WIS reported.

 

None of those arrested was named in the report.

 

A photograph of Phelps holding a bong, a pipe typically used for smoking marijuana, was published by a British newspaper last week and touched off a media frenzy that humiliated the Olympic hero.

 

The bong Phelps was holding in the pictures, one that led to his three-month suspension and the loss of possible renewal of a sponsorship deal with cerealmakwer Kelloggs, was confiscated by the sheriff's department.

 

Sources told the station that the bong's owner was trying to sell it on eBay for 100,000 dollars and the person was not even at the party but was among those charged.

 

The report said the photograph appeared to be taken at a house located within the city limits of this state capital, but the report said the Columbia Police Department has not taken an active role in the investigation.

 

Earlier on Tuesday the Baltimore Sun reported Phelps will decide in the next two months whether he will compete at the 2012 London Olympics.

 

"It will take a few months," Phelps told his home town paper.

 

"I'll give it 30 or 60 days. I think it will be better.

 

"I'm already happier now than I was, just having some part of my life back to normal, being able to swim again, having fun, joking around."

[420Gemmy]

Oh this is just getting ridiculous.

[Nooby]

Ahh, what about the guy who took the photo? here was there, he MUST be guilty too.

[Teucer]

I think the main point has been missed here:

 

8 peeps arrested. The photo shows Phelpsy tokin' up, and yet he wasn't arrested nor even tested!

 

WTF is going on! (Not that I think anyone should be arrested for this obviously!)

[jabez]

There you go the streets of america are finally safe again:wacko:

 

On a serious note I'd say if they don't arrest phelps it would be just another political move. Think about it making arrests of some kind will make the anti-cannabis radicals happy and then the people that couldn't care less or the people who are for law reform won't think much of it, cause it's just another drug arrest. Where if they arrest a American hero they might get a political backlash from the public.

 

These people have been doing this for years, they know how to herd sheep!

Edited February 11, 2009 by jabez

[Guest niall]

Phelps committed no crime

 

With all the discussion about Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps smoking

pot, something seems left out -- smoking pot isn't a crime.

 

It is a crime to possess marijuana or distribute it, but all we know

from a photograph is that Phelps smoked a hit from a bong, a legal act.

 

--Steve Kubby

 

[funnyman308]

the dude won 8 gold medals and works his ass off so what if he has a little cheif session on the off season. he dident get arested for the fact that he is who he is and its bs that celebritys dont get treated like the rest but the poor 8 smokers got taken. all this shit does is take normal good ppl to jail and over fills it. if they legalize there wont be as much tax for jail for everyone who smoked some weed.

[Gee]

It does say that they were arrested for possession and dealing though. If Phelps had pot on him or was dealing I'm sure they would have arrested him.

[funnyman308]

i missed that tad bit. im not just talking about phelps tho.