Why Didn’t The Huntsville Times Report That 24 Pounds of Marijuana Were Confiscated December 9, 2011?

If you think you are getting a fair view of crime news in Huntsville by reading The Huntsville Times or al.com, consider this:

Press Release: Drug arrest on Maplewood Dr. in Madison

**** FOR IMMEDIATE MEDIA RELEASE ****

Date: December 9th, 2011

Contact Person: Lt. John Stringer
Phone # 256-772-5658
Secondary Contact Person: Lt. Terrell Cook
Phone # 256-772-6252

Earlier today the Madison/Morgan County HIDTA Drug Task Force (STAC Team) executed a search warrant at 310 Maplewood Dr. in Madison. The search warrant culminated in the arrests of the following individuals:

25 year old Stephanie Porter of Madison
24 year old Charles Lee Jr. of Madison
23 year old Eric Lee of Madison
27 year old Corey McDonald of Madison

All of the individuals were charged with trafficking in marijuana.
They were booked into the Madison County Jail with a bond of one million dollars each.
Agents confiscated approximately 24 pounds of marijuana and approximately $37,600 in cash.
Several weapons including shotguns and rifles were confiscated as well.

Now try searching for any of the four suspects’ names on al.com. What surfaces? Nothing.

I painstakingly went through the al.com archives for December 9 to 16, 2011. Did I find anything about this bust? No.

Maybe it was just a really busy news period. I did find these stories:

Burglary reported at vacuum cleaner dealer this morning. By Keith Clines, The Huntsville Times. December 09, 2011, 1:25PM.

Various items stolen in burglary of a Chinese restaurant. By Keith Clines, The Huntsville Times. December 11, 2011, 2:02PM

Armed robber takes Sudafed from South Memorial Parkway drug store. By Keith Clines, The Huntsville Times. December 11, 2011, 9:44PM

Athens man charged with fraudulent leasing. By Kim Albright, The Huntsville Times. December 14, 2011, 8:41PM

Cash taken from register in burglary of China House Buffet. By Keith Clines, The Huntsville Times. December 14, 2011, 1:50PM

Person spotted in Ridgecrest Elementary School Tuesday night gets away. By Keith Clines, The Huntsville Times. December 14, 2011, 7:35AM

Woman charged in illegal use of boyfriend’s debit card. By Kim Albright, The Huntsville Times. December 13, 2011, 5:53PM

Armed robber takes Sudafed from South Memorial Parkway drug store. By Keith Clines, The Huntsville Times. December 11, 2011, 9:44PM

How can a story about a bust involving 24 pounds of pot and a small arsenal of weapons possibly compete with “Various items stolen in burglary of a Chinese restaurant”? Maybe 24 pounds isn’t all that much. But even divided among the 4 suspects, it seems 6 pounds would last quite a while — if they’re claiming personal use.

This is why I am for the legalization of marijuana. As it stands, a few are making big bucks and many are suffering. Way too many are doing, have done, or will do time (or end up in places like the teepees at Elk River) for a few grams of pot because, unlike these four village idiots, they can’t afford million dollar bonds or thousands-an-hour lawyers, let alone buy off most of the local media (and really, how else could this have happened?).

You think this is a one-off exception to the Tennessee Valley’s news profiteers’ relentless effort to bring you breaking news?

Try again.

Just Google “Stephanie Porter.”

You’ll find WAFF was paying attention to the municipal news wires, just as it was in December 2011. One of the four charged in December was busted again in July: Head of drug ring charged with drug trafficking.

Posted: Jul 20, 2012 12:41 PM EDT Updated: Aug 17, 2012 12:41 PM EDT

By Mary Howard

HUNSTVILLE, AL (WAFF) -The Huntsville STAC arrested a woman for alleged drug trafficking. Stephanie Porter, the head of a Huntsville drug trafficking organization, was arrested after police said she trafficked four pounds of marijuana. Porter has had multiple drug arrests including a previous drug trafficking arrest. In previous charges, Porter was charged with trafficking between $30,000 and $40,000 in drugs a month. Porter is in Madison County Jail on $1 million bond.

Well, folks? Any insights? Any explanations?

As Bob Dylan said,

While money doesn’t talk, it swears . . .
Say okay, I have had enough, what else can you show me?
And if my thought-dreams could be seen
They’d probably put my head in a guillotine
But it’s alright, Ma, it’s life, and life only