Man Arrested for Drug Possession Lights Joint in Tennessee Courtroom

A man who appeared in court on a marijuana citation was charged with contempt of court after he lit a joint in front of the judge in Lebanon, Tennessee, on January 27.

Spencer Boston, 20, was filmed standing before Judge Haywood Barry and discussing his case briefly, before lighting a joint as the judge was looking away. Local media reported that Boston turned to those in the courtroom, some of whom were laughing, and said, “The people deserve better.” A court bailiff is seen in the footage taking Boston into custody.

Lt Scott Moore of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office said Boston was booked on a second charge of simple possession and received 10 days for contempt of court. Moore told WKRN, “I’ve been in law enforcement for 20 years, and this is by far the most bizarre thing I have seen in a courtroom. He is a lot braver than I am."

Marijuana has been decriminalized in the neighboring states of North Carolina, Mississippi, and Missouri and is legal for recreational use in 11 states, but Tennessee is not among them.

“There’s a debate over whether marijuana should be legal or not, but the bottom line is here in Tennessee it is not legal, and we have a responsibility to uphold the law and that is what we are going to do,” Moore said. Credit: Wilson County Sheriff’s Office via Storyful