I don't know if you've seen elderly people take pills, but they often have poor eyesight coupled with poor motor skills so losing a pill or two is not surprising. We put my elderly dad's pills in a daily pill holder (one for morning pills, one for evening pills) because he had trouble counting them out himself. Though if a pill is taken on demand, like a painkiller, leaving them in the bottle may be more sensible.
As for how it ended up on the passenger's side, I would hope that if grandma is on narcotic painkillers that she's taking them while she is a passenger, not driving.
As for wether or not someone can be convicted for even one small pill, yes, it is possible... for example:
In NJ: Possessing any amount of a schedule I, II, III, or IV CDS incurs a fine of up to $35,000, at least three (and up to five) years in prison, or both. Possessing any amount of a Schedule V CDS incurs a fine of up to $15,000, up to 18 months in prison, or both. Using or being under the influence of any CDS not for the purpose of treating a sickness or injury (as legally prescribed by a licensed physician) incurs a fine of up to $500.
http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/federal...
Curious how they established that.
There, proven that he knew they were present and intended take possession.
It's another example of why you should never talk to the police -- it's not going to help you, and may end up hurting you.
http://www.vice.com/read/law-professor-police-interrogation-...
And there were two things going against this guy. First, cops have a lot of incentive to make drug busts and not much incentive to be lenient.
And second, "It's not mine, it's grandma's" would be the first thing I'd expect from somebody who was abusing or selling pills.
The basis of his bringing a dog was simply stereotyping me. In my state there is no probable cause requirement to call in a K-9 unit and have a dog walk around your vehicle. The dog alerted because they are trained to satisfy their handler's suspicions. He didn't find any drugs because there weren't any.
The story sounds bizarre, but it's the policing in our country that is bizarre, not the story.
how did the pill get out of the bottle and onto to the floor, that too on passengers side. A cop just happened to spot a tiny pill on the floor
It is easy for a pill to get on the floor. I've had those blister packs spill out medicine and dropped pills out of a medicine container. And yes, cops do spot things on the floor - especially when there is high contrast, as is likely with a white or light pill and dark carpeting. It wouldn't actually matter if it is a pill - it could have been a small piece of crumpled paper that looked like a pill.
how did the university find out about it, do they run criminal records of employees on a regular basis?
Some of them do run criminal records. He probably needed time off work, both for court and the probation check-ins. They aren't really keen on working around a work schedule. He might have been required by probation to let them know. He might have been required to tell the school because of other laws as well. He might have missed work because of the jail time. In addition, arrest records aren't private.
Why did the judge even convict this person, just a random pill on car floor is enough to convict someone?
Yes, that is enough - even if you drug test as clean. It is assumed that the inside of your car is something you have responsibility over. Though sometimes folks can wind up getting out of this sort of thing, many don't and many take plea deals instead of going to court. Percieving a lack of options and an overworked public defender can do that.
