“They must be held accountable for what they did. That’s the bottom line. They cannot get away with this,” says Mike Carpenter, shown here roaming the field where his nephew Gregory Longenecker was killed. By Antonia Noori Farzan Antonia Noori Farzan Reporter for Morning Mix Email Bio Follow March 19 at 7:15 AM As police closed in on him, calling out his name and telling him to surrender, Gregory Longenecker ran deeper and deeper into the woods.
On the morning of July 9, according to official accounts, Longenecker had parked in a field that was supposed to be off-limits for motor vehicles. A Pennsylvania Game Commission employee who had been clearing brush with a bulldozer spotted the unoccupied car and called police. For several hours, state troopers and officials from two nearby police departments searched for Longenecker in the hunting preserve, using a helicopter to track his movements before they lost sight of him. Meanwhile, another trooper jumped on the bulldozer the game commission worker was driving, and they began to forge a pathway through the overgrown bushes.
“Had he been arrested, prosecuted and convicted Pennsylvania’s sentencing guidelines would have provided for a sentence of probation,” Patrick Nightingale, the executive director of Pittsburgh’s NORML chapter, said in a statement. “The heavy-handed tactics employed cannot be justified by the seizure of ten plants. I do not understand why law enforcement couldn’t simply wait. A vehicle was on scene and another individual was taken into custody.
I was 'pulled over by police for speeding and issued a citation as a person who enjoyed the show Reading Rainbow as a child'
How is it relevant that he may or may not have listened to a specific band...regarding the police chase that lead to his death? I swear I need to get a job as an editor at Washington Post.
Hmmm, the friend that was with him didn't die. I wonder why that was? Oh that's right...because he didn't run away like a douchebag, and necessitate the cops chasing him. The friend probably paid a small fine, and went on with his life. Decisions have consequences.
The worst part is that in states like mine (MA) what this man was chased and ultimately killed over, isn’t even illegal. LegalizeMarijuanaNationwide
The Dead doesn’t make you grow grass, or get you chased by the cops. Costa, use your clout and get an edit on this headline.
for BerksDA to say peaceful plant grower' having his bones crushed while alive 'was handled in a safe manner' when they easily could have waited it out smells of rampant coverup & corruption in that office. They could have asked his friend his name! What is wrong w/you ppl!
How exactly is this person’s musical preferences relevant to the headline What the double fuck Is the next headline going to be “Kid Rock fan continues to rally against the fake news”?
maggieNYT Some people. Police say they were damned if they do or the didnt search...well one of those options has a man still alive vs. Dead.
maggieNYT I’m a fan of afternoon naps. Will that be my headline ?
OMG. A plant, is a plant. Can we end this madness?
This is so sad ..and family has lost someone so special.
maggieNYT Let's be consistent in reporting of the favorite rock bands of the subjects in all future stories please.
cc Stugotz790
Sooooo stupid. so sorry dude..the worlds gone totally caca and law dog runs down peace love tie-dye...WTF? MAKE THEM STOP!
I'm really disappointed in this, especially over hippy lettuce... Guns I'd understand if they were pointed at someone but for grass... I'm disappointed
More to this. Bad headline!
A tragedy for the family, certainly. Also, when will police learn...the plants don’t move. Stay with the plants. Save lives.
maggieNYT Too many cops too little crime
🙁
SO STUPID.
maggieNYT Too funny . White collar crime and drug laws. Our Government wants to control plants that have been around for millions of years . Hahaha .
The police should have watched their speed.
cc EsotericCD, If you are ever crushed by a bulldozer, should the headline read: “Genesis fan was crushed” or, “Rolling Stones”?
maggieNYT Now THAT is a buzzkill...
This tweet will be analyzed by journalism schools for a generation.
Now that I've read the article, 2 things - he was also high on meth. And the article states that 10 plants isn't even enough for a single user for a year. WTF? Why are these writers so ignorant of crop yields?
So goddamn stupid. It’s like running somebody over with a tractor during an operation to seize 10 barrels of liquor (worse, since alcohol is actually dangerous and addictive)
Putting aside the criticisms of the headline and the jokes of a few idiots, this is horribly tragic and monumentally stupid for this police department to think for a second their actions were reasonable. Condolences to the family and I hope the lawsuit ends well for them.
If he had surrendered he’d be alive. Simple.
Seriously?... Dude seriously? 😕😤😠 blacklivesmatter too don't they? Or do they?
What does the Grateful Dead have to do with anything? Lazy tabloid journalism just trying to get clicks like you’re tmz or something
Didnt read article but.... suing the Grateful Dead? The Bull dozer? The police? The pot plants? His estate? His driving instructor? The car maker?
Why don't people stop when told by police to stop?
So I take it his family is not grateful that he is dead?
Why are we regulating nature? The original colonists were pissed we taxed tea and sugar....you think it’s American to pull this crap? Communist maybe, but not American.
Ridin' the plains. High on cocaine. Careful dozer driver, better watch your speed.
I bet he was a Full Hoise fan too. Possibly a Chevy Owner
What a wild headline
Chasing a guy on a bulldozer. What could POSSIBLY go wrong? Oh, right. Condolences.
yet one more reason why we need to finally just legalize the harmless plant.
Why'd he run in front of a bulldozer?
Is there any reason the name of a band he liked is in the headline? Seriously -- wtf?
The cops are high on jenkem while they attack pot users.
were only allowed four so this is tragic