http://www.internationaltimes.it/archive/index.php?year=1970&volume=IT-Volume-1&issue=73&item=IT_1970-02-12_B-IT-Volume-1_Iss-73_004
International
Times (London),
February 12-25, 1970, p. 4
SOME
time ago in a London Magistrate's court, according to a barrister friend of IT,
the following exchange took place between a police officer giving evidence on a
drug charge and the magistrate:
MAGISTRATE:
'Have you the piece of cannabis found on the defendant?'
OFFICER:
'Yes, your honour'.
MAGISTRATE:
'Has an analyst verified that it is in fact cannabis?'
OFFICER:
'We haven't been able to get an analyst's opinion yet'.
MAGISTRATE:
'How then do you know that was cannabis?'
OFFICER:
'On smelling the substance I decided it was cannabis'.
MAGISTRATE:
'Well I think I am as good a judge as any to whether it is in fact cannabis,
let me have a look at it'.
[Judge
then proceeds to sniff substance suspiciously and finally licks the offending article
just to make sure.]
MAGISTRATE:
'Very well, I am satisfied that it is in fact cannabis. Whereabouts did you
find the cannabis?'
OFFICER:
'Up the defendant's rectum, your honour'.
It
would not be totally inaccurate to report that something a little more
pronounced that a 'slight titter in the courtroom' was evinced by the officer's
final remarks