So what should happen to the Columbia U drug dealers? (New York: fit in, crime)

[citylove101]

Yesterday five kids get arrested at Columbia for drug-dealing, selling pot, LSD, coke. etc from near their frat houses. Two of them, I read, say "we needed the tuition money." Another was in cahoots wth his own delaer downtwon on the LES who wanted to kidnap and murder a rival dealer by giving him a huge dose of acid.

A slap on the wrist? (This is New York, so no big deal)

Throw the book at them? (They did the crime so do the time)

Throw the book at the cops/prosecutors (We got REAL criminals around so why bother with them?)

Something in between?

Just curious. Personally I think they should drop the drug charges and throw the book at them for being so incredibly stupid. I mean this is the Ivy League, after all. They're supposed to be smart kids. But I wonder if they thought that being in the big city made them think that they were immune to getting caught, that they city would provide some sort of "cover" for them because they seemed to be only, at best. mid-level drug dealers.

[1200RT]

Originally Posted by citylove101

Throw the book at the cops/prosecutors (We got REAL criminals around so why bother with them?)

are these not "real criminals"?

Each should certainly be expelled from school- and tried as a full adult.

The fraternity (house) that some were involved with should absolutely be on probation the rest of the school year, unable to participate in school sponsored events.

[SobroGuy]

I really need more information about this. They will no doubt be expelled from school and the fraternities buying from them should be put on probation for an indefinite amount of time + serious community service.

As far as criminally, I would like to know whether they were involved with drugs gangs, or whether they were just dummies trying to make extra money? Were they running a $10,000 dollar a week operation, or just doing some friends a favor/trying to be "cool"/more personal use but offered some to others? Was there an organized network that they were knowingly participating in and were making these people rich or just buying dime bags from the local street hustler?

Unless we have these questions answered, it is unreasonable to equate them with Drug King Pins running multimillion dollar operations. In all likelihood they could be kids doing stupid stuff, and hard jail time doesn't help anyone, including our society.

[citylove101]

So here is the story and pcitures

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/ny...er=rss&emc=rss

[bluedog2]

Originally Posted by citylove101

Yesterday five kids get arrested at Columbia for drug-dealing, selling pot, LSD, coke. etc from near their frat houses. Two of them, I read, say "we needed the tuition money." .......

Well,it's reassuring to know that nothing has changed at Columbia since I was there in the '70's.

I think they should be treated the same as anyone else but we all know they will probably get a slap on the wrist.

It's hard for me to get too excited about this since I think drugs should be legalized and taxed the same as alcohol and tobacco.If we would eliminate the profit inherent in illegal drug activity we would eliminate a lot of other problems too.

[vantastic10]

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. I am sure things like this go on at most colleges. However sentence them to 2-4 yrs upstate and maybe that will set them straight. Maybe they can tutor some of the inmates up there like Big Bubba, lol.

[Photography]

These low-lives are certainly real criminals, and they all need to be sentenced to the maximum punishment possible.

[blackconverse]

What should happen to them?

I can't believe this is actually a question.
Then again, uneven and unequal enforcement of laws, especially drug laws, is nothing new.

[Cavaturaccioli]

Expulsion, prosecution, then (if convicted) imprisonment for about five years.