Quote :

"Nearly two weeks ago, an SSDP member lost her life in the crossfire of the War on Drugs. Rachel Hoffman had just graduated from Florida State University, with plans to attend culinary school. As an undergrad, she was popular among her group of friends, many of whom she met through her involvement in FSU's chapters of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). Like many college students, she shared marijuana with her friends, and would often "go in" on larger amounts in order to save money. And that's how she got busted. Rachel was threatened with prison time, then promised a slap on the wrist if she agreed to wear a wire and set up a deal with her suppliers. Tallahassee police gave her $13,000 in cash and told her to purchase 1,500 ecstasy pills, 2 ounces of cocaine, and a handgun. They never informed her attorney, family, or the state prosecutor before they sent Rachel into the lions' den that day. And nobody had the chance to tell her she was in way over her head. After police found Rachel's body, they held a press conference and blamed her for her own death. Among Rachel's family and friends, sadness quickly turned into outrage and action. Last Wednesday, hundreds of students marched in protest of the role the Tallahassee Police Department played in Rachel's death. They held signs that read "Who Killed Rachel?" and "No More Drug War" while wearing t-shirts from SSDP and other allied organizations. Please take a moment to watch this powerful video of the demonstration: http://www.ssdp.org/rememberrachel In her memory, Rachel's parents have established the Rachel Morningstar Foundation, the goal of which is to pass a law requiring legal advice to be sought before a civilian can consent to undercover work. They will also work to decriminalize marijuana in Florida. Please make a generous donation today, and include a personal note to Rachel's parents if you are moved to do so. http://www.ssdp.org/donate/rachel In the meantime, Rachel's murderers must be brought to justice. But the drug dealers who pulled the trigger clearly aren't the only ones responsible for her death. They are the police who coerced her into being an informant and the politicians who justify waging a War on Drugs to "protect young people from drugs," while using those very same young people as pawns in their deadly game. On Wednesday, one protester's sign poignantly asked, "Do you feel safe?" Whether you are a student, an alum, an educator, or a nonstudent, there are plenty of ways you can join with SSDP in the fight to replace the War on Drugs with policies of regulation and control that will actually make us safe. But for today, I hope you'll take a moment with me to reflect upon the countless lives lost in the name of this unjust war, and to honor the passing of one of our own. Then, let's get to work. Sincerely, Micah Daigle National Field Director Students for Sensible Drug Policy"

5/22/2008 11:55:30 AM

Her brother Trevor had a chance to save her






but he blew it

5/22/2008 11:56:24 AM

I live in Tallahassee. TPD sucks. Bad.

That sucks for her though. Talk about your all time backfires.

5/22/2008 11:59:16 AM

it's a shame that she fucked up her life with drugs. not that police aren't to blame for her death, but she had it coming when she decided to buy in bulk.

5/22/2008 12:04:24 PM

if they are going to go back and make the conclusion they did why stop there and not go further

had she not been breaking the law in the first place she would be alive right now

5/22/2008 12:05:04 PM

^

Quote :

"Tallahassee police gave her $13,000 in cash and told her to purchase 1,500 ecstasy pills, 2 ounces of cocaine, and a handgun. They never informed her attorney, family, or the state prosecutor before they sent Rachel into the lions' den that day. And nobody had the chance to tell her she was in way over her head. "

I'm guessing you forgot to read that part, dumbass?

5/22/2008 12:06:31 PM

Marijuana people... She didn't do anything to deserve getting killed. You people are all fucking idiots.

5/22/2008 12:06:38 PM

^^ they gave her an option. if the police were really harsh, they would have just given her the jailtime. nobody forced her to be an informant, and if they gave her a handgun, then they were at least a little concerned for her safety.

^marijuana is a controlled substance no matter how much YOU smoke it, b. and she wasn't killed by the cops. the drug dealers killed her.

i'll be the first to say "fuck the pigs" whenever there's an internet video of a police treating someone like shit, but the police clearly aren't to blame in this one.

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 12:11 PM. Reason : .]

5/22/2008 12:08:55 PM

this is really sad

but im lolling because IMStoned420 posted it

5/22/2008 12:10:56 PM

IMStoned420

5/22/2008 12:11:08 PM

5/22/2008 12:12:56 PM

^^^^ There's a huge difference between

Quote :

"she shared marijuana with her friends, and would often "go in" on larger amounts in order to save money"

and

Quote :

"Tallahassee police gave her $13,000 in cash and told her to purchase 1,500 ecstasy pills, 2 ounces of cocaine, and a handgun"

That's apples and oranges; they put her in the midst of a situation that could very likely produce violence. They probably scared the shit out of her and threatened her with all kinds of jail time; she probably thought it was her only way out....It's one thing to make these threats to get some little shit to rat somebody out, but this was blatantly throwing her in the line of fire.

That being said, she should have known to speak with a lawyer first

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 12:13 PM. Reason : slow^^]

5/22/2008 12:13:05 PM

Some of you people have no soul.

Some of you people have no brain.

And then there are you people who posted in this thread...

I swear to God, fucking think for yourselves at some point in your lives. The government has actually convinced you it has a right to outlaw a fucking plant that used to grow in every fucking state in the country. I don't give a fuck about other drugs, but to say that the government has a right to lock you up in jail or throw you into a situation like they did with this girl is ludicrous. Anyone who doesn't think so is a fucking moron.

5/22/2008 12:16:11 PM

^But weed makes you forget to pick up your brother from the playground. Meanwhile, alcohol abuse leads to thousands of innocent people dying yearly and millions of families forever ruined.

She should have had someone beat her up and split the loot with them. "Sorry guyz, deal went bad, now I want to speak with my lawyerz"

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 12:18 PM. Reason : a]

5/22/2008 12:16:50 PM

free handgun, too

5/22/2008 12:19:12 PM

Quote :

"Tallahassee, Florida - The best friend of slain Clearwater woman Rachel Hoffman remembered her as fun-loving and smart. "She was everything — smart, incredibly bright and intuitive," said Jessica Weinstock, who went to Florida State University with Hoffman. "She also really loved to have fun." Hoffman, who was working with the Tallahassee Police Department's vice unit in an investigation, went missing Wednesday night near Forestmeadows Park. Investigators found her body today in rural Taylor County. Two men have been arrested in connection with her disappearance. Hoffman and Weinstock used to go to the Beta Bar, the Warehouse and other bars and clubs to see live bands. She had two cats, named Jimi Hendrix and Bentley. "She loved music — we loved going to shows and festivals, anything that was an excuse to go on a road trip," Weinstock said. "She was a pool shark," Weinstock said. "She could beat anybody at pool." Weinstock, who now lives in Miami, last saw her best friend the weekend of April 26, when their friends were graduating from Florida State University. They ate sushi at a local restaurant before Weinstock left for the airport. They decided Hoffman would come down the next time a good band was in Miami. "I'm just devastated to lose her," Weinstock said. David McCranie, spokesman for the Tallahassee Police Department, said today that Rachel Hoffman was cooperating with TPD's vice unit in an investigation when she went missing Wednesday. Hoffman's body was found about 7 a.m. this morning in rural Taylor County. Two suspects in her death, Andrea J. Green and Deneilo Bradshaw, led investigators to the scene. Authorities are seeking murder charges against them. "Miss Hoffman is a good person," McCranie said in a news conference this morning. "She was cooperating in an investigation with the Tallahassee Police Department's vice unit. "We had established protocols in place to ensure her safety," McCranie continued. "At some point during the investigation, she chose not to follow the instructions. She met Green and Bradshaw on her own. That meeting ultimately resulted in her murder." McCranie said the cause of death isn't yet known. Investigators, including agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, are still processing the crime scene in Taylor County. Hoffman's family was notified this morning of her death, McCranie said. "The family's obviously suffering," he said. "They are our primary concern right now. Our hearts go out to them." Hoffman graduated from Florida State University last August with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Her hometown is Clearwater, according to her Facebook Web page. She lives on the east side of Tallahassee. Shaina Hale, a friend of Hoffman's, said Hoffman is planning to attend culinary school in Arizona in the fall. "Rachel is one of the sweetest girls ever," she said. Green and Bradshaw are expected to be booked today into the Leon County Jail. Hoffman served three days in Leon County Jail this year, from April 4 to April 6, for failure to appear in court, according to court records. That sentence stems from her arrest last year on a charge of possessing more than 20 grams of marijuana, a felony. She was arrested after being pulled over for speeding on Feb. 22, 2007. The arresting officer found 25.7 grams of cannabis in her car, court records show. Hoffman was sentenced to probation, community service, and she was required to attend a drug-rehabilitation program."

5/22/2008 12:35:42 PM

She was used as a pawn on the "War on Drugs".

True she did get herself in trouble in the first place, and should have spoken to a lawyer (I agree its not black and white). Theres a big difference between buying some ganja and multiple ounces of cocaine and illegal firearms.

The police are to blame for manipulating someone with fear.

5/22/2008 2:03:32 PM

If she would have followed the law, she would not have gotten herself in that situation to start with.

If she hadnt belonged to retarded organizations like SSDP and NORML, she wouldnt have even been on the radar

fucking potheads

5/22/2008 2:43:57 PM

Quote :

"free handgun, too"

Quote :

"police gave her $13,000 in cash and told her to purchase .... a handgun. "

Everyone breaks the law. fucking speeders, fucking shoplifters, fucking tax evasion-ers, etc

fucking people who think they are better than others.

5/22/2008 2:50:33 PM

fuck tha police

5/22/2008 2:54:12 PM

Quote :

" We had established protocols in place to ensure her safety," McCranie continued. "At some point during the investigation, she chose not to follow the instructions. She met Green and Bradshaw on her own. That meeting ultimately resulted in her murder."

you done fucked up

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 2:57 PM. Reason : .]

5/22/2008 2:56:58 PM

her parents are right, the right to counsel should attach when civilians are (most likely) being coerced into serving as an agent of the government. I am sure the police convinced this unwitting suspect that she was going to jail for the maximum amount of time. The police should be found criminally negligent at least. How were they not monitoring her during this transaction is beyond all reason.


however, the old addage applies...if you can't do the time, then don't do the crime. she shouldn't have agreed to roll over.

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 3:09 PM. Reason : dsf]

5/22/2008 2:58:32 PM

SSDP and NORML are both part of free thinking / speech. NORML is the National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws, not 'make weed legal so everyone can smoke it up' For some people going through chemotherapy, Marijuana is the only way they can subside the nausea and continue to eat.

It also provides relief to victims of multiple sclerosis. It's not a miracle drug, but it does have medical use, and whether or not someone is a member of NORML has nothing to do with whether they are 'on the radar' or not. The main purpose of this organization is to decriminalize the medical use of Marijuana. She got caught with weed; she was manipulated and placed in a situation that was unsafe for a civilian and in turn lost her life. Yes she broke the law, but the repercussions of her actions do not equal the crime

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 3:18 PM. Reason : .]

5/22/2008 3:07:07 PM

so a pot head dies and everyones upset over this? lOl

5/22/2008 3:14:39 PM

/troll

5/22/2008 3:16:09 PM

no troll. She was a pot head and died because of it. I guess you can't say 'weed never killed nobody'

5/22/2008 3:19:21 PM

so...she had to be pretty heavy into things to know people that move that much weight
not an innocent imo, but certainly not the best outcome.

5/22/2008 3:20:07 PM

My friends knew her, and saw her at some music show a month or 2 before.

That first articles says she would "go in" to buy pot, but the people I know said she was a dealer.... still f'ed up though

5/22/2008 3:20:19 PM

She was a college student. I'm sure she was well educated on the consequences for her actions. No sympathy here and I think its even more retarded that her family started that foundation.

5/22/2008 3:22:32 PM

Slave Famous wins

5/22/2008 3:23:02 PM

Quote :

"no troll. She was a pot head and died because of it. I guess you can't say 'weed never killed nobody'"

nope, she could have smoked for decades w/o dying until the cops got involved.....not to mention the fact that she got weed, but for some reason the cops decided to send her in there to get coke, x and a gun!!?

5/22/2008 3:23:22 PM

well there is very little a drug user won't do. addiction is a bitch.

^no, BECAUSE she smoked so much and was more likely a dealer too...the cops got involved. Still boils down to her fault.

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 3:25 PM. Reason : .]

5/22/2008 3:24:31 PM

actually the cops need to do their own fucking dirty work if their dealer cuts them off

5/22/2008 3:27:50 PM

Quote :

"She was a pot head and died because of it. I guess you can't say 'weed never killed nobody'"

This goes back to the 'guns don't kill people' argument

If you died from a wreck in your glorified Civic, would it be the car's fault?

It would either be from you or someone else's shitty driving

She didn't die because of pot; she died as a result of a poor decision / shitty police work

Devil's Advocate: She shouldn't have ratted someone out when a decent lawyer probably could have gotten her off the hook or at least reduced judgment

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 3:39 PM. Reason : .]

5/22/2008 3:29:24 PM

Fake post: I think the real victim is the black market economy. Who knows how many developing countries/war/terrorists/blahBLAHblahlah this could have funded?

Real post: This is the tragic double fail. On the one side, she shouldn't have been smoking pot. However, since I have made my share of mistakes, I'll defend her for a moment. So you did smoke pot and you got caught. At this point, you can man up, lose your financial aid and go to jail, or apparently do what she did. Wearing a wire is not good pot odds in keeping one's life.

So...don't break the law. If you do break the law, research your options.

5/22/2008 3:30:10 PM

Quote :

"Still boils down to her fault."

nope, she didn't intimidate herself into wearing a wire for the purpose of going to a dealer to buy substance that she didn't usually buy, in amounts that were excessive. The were setting her up for a bad ending.

5/22/2008 3:31:25 PM

a lot of stupid in this thread. Why was she in this situation? Oh thats right...because she's a pot head.

her fault.

Quote :

"This goes back to the 'guns don't kill people' argument If you died from a wreck in your glorified Honda, would it be the car's fault? It would either be from you or someone else's shitty driving She didn't die because of pot; she died as a result of a poor decision / shitty police work"

Well IF I drove a Honda that would be one thing...but regardless of what kind of car I drive...driving is not illegal last time I checked. Now if the Honda I was driving was illegal to purchase in the United States because it didn't pass the crash safety tests...then it would be my own dumbass fault for driving such a dangerous car.

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 3:36 PM. Reason : .]

5/22/2008 3:34:16 PM

Quote :

"Why was she in this situation"

the cops saw a golden opportunity to intimidate someone into doing their work for them.

5/22/2008 3:35:06 PM

your logic is flawless. why was she on the planet? oh her parents- their fault!

5/22/2008 3:35:50 PM

someone sum this up without bias so i don't have to read...kkthx

5/22/2008 3:36:33 PM

^^^again...why was she even dealing with the cops?


i'll give you a few minutes to come up with the answer.

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 3:37 PM. Reason : ^]

5/22/2008 3:37:13 PM

because of the our incredibly sensible 'war on drugs'

5/22/2008 3:37:52 PM

well I would lay the blame of there being a war on the drug users.

so again...you know the drill.

5/22/2008 3:39:12 PM

Quote :

"IF I drove a Honda that would be one thing"

that one was way over your head huh?

Quote :

"again...why was she even dealing with the cops"

because she broke the law, not because she wanted a part time job. their job is to enforce the law not, intimidate civilians into doing it for them.

5/22/2008 3:39:20 PM

Quote :

"that one was way over your head huh?"

no. last time I checked my car was manufactured by Mitsubishi.

and again...she broke the law and was presented with 2 options...she picked option 2 because it seemed easier than serving time in jail. sounds like the cops did do their jobs.

5/22/2008 3:40:43 PM

Quote :

"no. last time I checked my car was manufactured by Mitsubishi."

Sorry bro, it's a Civic SI with a higher price tag and a different logo

5/22/2008 3:41:54 PM

Quote :

"she picked option 2 because it seemed easier than serving time in jail the cops intimidated her into it[/s]. sounds like the cops did do their jobs."

they did do their job in arresting her....no argument about that. the do not need to be in the business of intimidating people to do their job for them.

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 3:43 PM. Reason : .]

5/22/2008 3:43:02 PM

^^sorry bro...but



is not a civic SI with different badging.

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 3:43 PM. Reason : ^^]

5/22/2008 3:43:18 PM

Google Image is the answer to everything

Acura = Made by Honda
Lexus = Made by Toyota
Infinity = Made by Nissan

Look it up, you'll be amazed at what you find if you read

^You not drive an RSX type S?

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 3:46 PM. Reason : .]



[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 3:54 PM. Reason : ^]

5/22/2008 3:43:52 PM

Quote :

"they did do their job in arresting her....no argument about that. the do not need to be in the business of intimidating people to do their job for them."

sounds like a cop out to me...because she could have just as easily selected option 1 and paid her debt to society. Its not like anybody said ok you ONLY have option 2.


^or my photo gallery.

hence the thewolfweb.com watermark in the bottom right corner.

[Edited on May 22, 2008 at 3:45 PM. Reason : .]

5/22/2008 3:44:44 PM