31 year-old American Cruise Tourist Ashley Williams received a stroke of judicial generosity when she was arraigned today before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza. She was caught with a very small quantity of marijuana.
Williams, a resident of Virginia was taken to court today on a single count of possession of a controlled drug. When the charge was read to her, she told the court that she came on today's cruise ship from Virginia, and that she bought 1.8 grams of cannabis - less than one tenth of an ounce - in Belize City, not knowing that it is still illegal in this country.
After consideration, Magistrate Mendoza dismissed the charge, and cautioned Williams that she now knows it to be illegal, and that she must not be arrested for being in possession of the drug in Belize again.
Magistrate Mendoza commented to court reporters that he reason he dismissed the charge without any sanctions was that the cannabis was sold openly to her, against her knowledge of its illegality. He added that police should start to crack down on persons who are selling drugs.
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