An earlier post on If You Only News told the story of marijuana activist Shona Banda, whose son was taken away from her after he challenged what he was being told about marijuana at his school. Now, video has emerged of Banda’s encounter with local police, in Garden City, Kansas, when they arrived at her home without a search warrant. What this video shows should make every American uncomfortable.
After Banda’s son challenged some of the assertions of his teachers in a class about drugs and drug abuse, school officials called the Kansas Department of Children and Families. That agency sent two representatives to Banda’s house, accompanied by several police officers. Banda arrives home to find police on her front step and in her front and back yards. She asks for a warrant, and she is told that they do not have one, but that they are securing the house until they get one. They tell Banda that she cannot go inside.
Two of the officers go into Banda’s fenced in back yard. When she questions another officer about why they are in her yard without a warrant, the officer tells her that they are permitted to go anywhere the public can go. Banda points out that the public is not allowed in her back yard.
When the police sergeant, who identifies himself as “Sgt. Chase,” arrives, he tells Banda that she cannot go into the house until they get a search warrant. He says that she is free to leave, but that the police are “securing the house.”
“How is this legal?” Banda asks.
“We are going to secure it, because we believe there is evidence in that house, specifically marijuana,” Chase says.
Banda wants to know what led them to the belief that there was marijuana in her house. “Doesn’t matter,” is Chase’s reply.
After about three hours, the police obtain their search warrant. Upon searching the house, they found two ounces of marijuana, and an ounce of cannabis oil. Kansas does not have a medical marijuana law, and possession of it is completely illegal. Yet, despite the find, Banda as yet is not charged with any crime.
This video is an example of how, using the cover of the “war on drugs,” and in this case the excuse of “protecting a minor,” police can harass and intimidate virtually anyone.
Here’s the video of Shona Banda’s encounter, via YouTube:
Featured image via screen capture from YouTube
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