![](\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/dowbrigade\/scarwhitenose.jpg\")
ST. AUGUSTINE — A man showing off his OnStar system
\n in his Cadillac Escalade found out the system worked too well.<\/p>\n
Ralph A. Gomez, 38, was being held in the St. Johns County Jail Wednesday
\n on $15,000 bond on charges of possession of an illegal narcotic within
\n 1,000 feet of a church and possession of drug paraphernalia.<\/p>\n
Gomez was showing off his OnStar system to his girlfriend, but the volume
\n was set so low that he couldn’t hear the OnStar operator. OnStar comes
\n on many new General Motors vehicles and allows a customer to contact an
\n OnStar representative in an emergency or to get directions.<\/p>\n
If there is no response, OnStar contacts police.<\/p>\n
That’s what happened with Gomez on Friday night, Tom Clements, a spokesman
\n for the St. Augustine Police Department, said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
When police located Gomez’ car, they determined there was no problem. But
\n Clements said cocaine was clearly visible on the car’s center console.<\/p>\n
In addition to seizing $1,900 in the case, the Cadillac equipped with the
\n OnStar system was also seized, Clements said.\n <\/p>\n
from The What’s this about possession within a thousand feet Do Temples and Mosques qualify? Storefront evangelists? Hospital chappels? Didn’t the Supreme Court just give permission to It would make more sense to have laws stiffening the penaties for possessing This Church thing, if it is widespread, should be We like the way they mention at the very end that <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ST. AUGUSTINE — A man showing off his OnStar system in his Cadillac Escalade found out the system worked too well. Ralph A. Gomez, 38, was being held in the St. Johns County Jail Wednesday on $15,000 bond on charges … Continue reading
\n Chicago Tribune<\/a><\/p>\n
\n of a church<\/strong>?
\n Of course, we are familiar with the stiffer penalties for dealing drugs
\n near schools, which makes sense, but since when did the same rules get
\n extended to churches? This raises a host of questions.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n What criteria are used to define a church? What is the rationale behind
\n these laws? In the case of schools, it is easy to understand – keep drugs
\n away from kids. But here, is it just because possessing drugs in the
\n neighborhood of a church is an affront to God? Whose God?<\/em><\/p>\n
\n a small branch of a South
\n American religious sect <\/a>to use hallucinogenic
\n tea
\n as part
\n of
\n a ritual intended to connect with God? Are we sensing mixed messages here?<\/em><\/p>\n
\n drugs within 1000 feet of a professional athelete, for example.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n of concern to drug addicts around the country. After all, America has
\n lots more churches
\n than schools. In many small towns or neighborhoods, the 1000 foot
\n prohibition would easily cover everywhere. Does this raise separation
\n of church and state issues?<\/em><\/p>\n
\n in addition to the drug possession charges, he lost his brand new $57,000<\/a> Caddy.<\/em><\/p>\n