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Whitney's Hawaii Case Returns
submitted by: Makin, Rashad, Michael
source: Associated Press, Eonline
Date: February 2, 2001
Houston Wants Pot Case Dismissed
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) - Prosecutors want a judge to set aside a court-approved agreement that allows for the dismissal of a marijuana-possession case against pop star Whitney Houston if she meets certain conditions.
The Hawaii County prosecutor's office says Houston did not submit a substance-abuse assessment in time for a hearing Thursday to determine whether she has complied with the agreement.
Houston, who did not attend the hearing, pleaded no contest through her attorneys Nov. 2 to promoting a detrimental drug in the third degree. The offense is punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
The petty misdemeanor charge stemmed from a Jan. 11, 2000, incident at the Big Island's Keahole-Kona International Airport. A security guard took Houston's handbag, and police reported it contained half an ounce of marijuana.
At the November hearing, Houston was granted a deferred acceptance of no-contest plea, meaning the charge against her would be dismissed in three months if she paid $1,000 to the state and a $25 "criminal injury'' fee; made a $3,000 donation to the group Big Island Wave Riders Against Drugs; and submitted a substance-abuse assessment.
Plot Thickens in Whitney's Hawaii Pot-Boiler
by Marcus Errico
Apparently Whitney Houston isn't out of the woods yet when it comes to her Hawaiian pot bust.
All the pop diva had to do to get her rap sheet wiped clean was pay a few fines, donate some money to an antidrug group and submit a substance-abuse assessment.
But, according to local prosecutors, Houston didn't make good on that last requirement, failing to submit the evaluation by Thursday's deadline.
Now, the Hawaii County Prosecutor's Office has asked a judge to toss out Houston's plea agreement. Which means, unless Houston, comes up with the assessment or her lawyers work out another deal, she may still serve jail time if she ever returns to the Aloha State.
Houston 37, who was facing a maximum 30 days in jail, pleaded no contest in November to a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge stemming from her January 2000 run-in with Hawaiian airport security, who allegedly found half an ounce of pot in her carry-on bag.
Kona District Court Judge Joseph Florendo ruled that Houston may have the case dismissed and her record cleared, if she agreed to several probation-type conditions.
Houston had until February 1 to pay $1,000 to the Hawaii State General Fund; $25 to the Criminal Victim's Compensation Fund and--in place of community service--make a $3,000 donation to a youth-oriented antidrug program, Big Island Wave Riders Against Drugs. She also agreeed to stay out of legal trouble and submit to an evaluation to determine whether she's been abusing drugs.
"Ms. Houston is very pleased with the outcome in that the charges will soon be dismissed," Louis Copeland Jr., one of Houston's lawyers, said at the time of the plea agreement.
Copeland also said Houston voluntarily submitted to a drug test before copping the plea, "and the results came back as we expected--negative. She voluntarily did this on her own prior to us going to court, just to show and prove there are no problems."
Houston was stopped January 11, 2000, at Keahole-Kona International Airport (on the Big Island) after security guards searched her bag and allegedly found marijuana in two plastic baggies and three partially smoked joints. However, Houston and hubby Bobby Brown hopped on their flight to San Francisco before police arrived.
The Hawaii incident sparked a tabloid-fueled frenzy over Houston's state of health earlier this year. The pot bust--followed by a series of strange incidents and a no-show at the Oscars--led some to speculate that Houston was battling a drug problem. There was no immediate comment from Houston's camp on Friday.
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