A man arrested Thursday evening on a drug charge a few miles north of Emporia may be former heavyweight boxer champion Tommy Morrison.
A person with that name was arrested and brought to Lyon County Jail after a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper allegedly saw eight grams of marijuana in his vehicle.
The Kansas Highway Patrol made the arrest at 8:40 p.m. Thursday at milepost 131 on the Kansas Turnpike, four miles north of the Emporia exit.
Sheriff Department sources indicated the man was a boxer. The full name, age (42) and hometown (Wichita) of the man arrested is the same as the boxer.
Morrison was charged with possessing drug paraphernalia, which is a misdemeanor crime, said Richard Old, Lyon County undersheriff. He paid his bond and was released at 1:38 p.m. today, Old said.
Lt. Joe Bott with the Kansas Turnpike said the eight grams of marijuana was in plain view when a trooper looked into Morrison’s vehicle. The arrest was made and the man was taken to jail.
Bott wasn’t sure why his vehicle was stopped. He said the trooper’s report has not been finalized.
The boxer Morrison was arrested in 2010 on marijuana charges at a fitness center in Wichita. Morrison said at the time police found a pipe in a box filled with boxing equipment.
“They found an old pipe that has some residue in it or something,” he told the Wichita Eagle in 2010. “Someone in my position, I guess, has to be more careful. I wasn’t aware of what I had in that box. I wasn’t aware of anything illegal.”
Morrison won the World Boxing Organization heavyweight title in 1993 by defeating George Foreman. He lost four months later to Michael Bennt in what was supposed to be a tune-up before fighting WBC champion Lennox Lewis.
Morrison, who starred in the 1990 movie “Rocky V”, plead guilty in 1994 to hitting a University of Iowa student. In 1996 Morrison confirmed he was HIV-positive. After two more arrests, he was sentenced to a 10-year prison term. He was paroled in 2001 but returned to jail in 2002 for violating his probation.
He has fought in four boxing matches since 2007.
A boxing match scheduled for Morrison Feb. 25 against Eric Barrak in Canada is in jeopardy over blood test concerns. The governing body in Quebec wants Morrison to undergo a blood test before being licensed and sanctioned to fight.
“I want the world to know that I do not have the HIV virus,” Morrison told the Montreal Gazette. “I’m asking, once again, that the RACJ send their doctor and a test that picks up the presence of the HIV virus - a test that's unopened and in the package with instructions and disclaimers - so that I can take the test in front of the cameras to prove that I do not have the HIV virus.”
Buffalo_Breath (anonymous) says...
If a person has a prior conviction for possession of marijuana, simple possession a second time would be a felony.
If he had "eight grams of marijuana in his vehicle", that sound like possession of marijuana, not possession of paraphernalia.
Did they cut a celebrity a break, here?
Is that same break available on South Avenue?
February 18, 2011 at 6:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Dain Bramage is searious bizness ossifer. A bramaged dain mite cause remembery loss & fergetfullnus ackshions like leevin ure weed in cleer vieu of smokii bair.
February 18, 2011 at 7:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
solong (anonymous) says...
Whooopee, the brave and courageous State Trooper got all of 8 grams off the street, I hope he gets a Gold Star and a pat on the back from the Emporia Gazette. Seriously, why do they waste their time with this kind of crap? That Trooper maybe could have caught somebody littering or something serious while he was wasting his time on that.
February 18, 2011 at 7:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
barefooting (anonymous) says...
Ditto,solong.
February 18, 2011 at 7:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
He lives Wichita and has been hit too many times along with other problems
February 18, 2011 at 7:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
solong, Why is it the Trooper's Fault? The Trooper didn't cause the guy to do whatever he did to get pulled over. The Trooper didn't leave the weed in plain view. Haven't you ever been pulled over for speeding? It takes forever for the cop to get out of his cruiser and walk up to your car. If you are so impaired that you leave a quarter sack sitting in plain view of the law man, then I don't want to share the road with you.
February 18, 2011 at 7:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
why was he just charged with possessing drug paraphernalia, and not the weed? hell if you look like you smoke dope in this county or city, they will throw you in jail,, I bet he signed a lot of autographs before they wished him success in his upcoming match, and why the hell did this stinking rag of a newspaper feel they had to let all of the area know all about his great career.
February 18, 2011 at 8:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zippy (anonymous) says...
Wrong is wrong, period.
February 18, 2011 at 8:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chrissylynn_2 (anonymous) says...
"Tommy Morrison arrested in Lyon County" whoopidy doo!!
lame excuse for breaking news, that's for sure.
for having 8 grams of marijuana, and the crap that goes with it? seriously? Boy howdy he was real danger to society whewee glad thet hes off the streets for good now, oh wait hes free? he bailed out? then who gives a crap?
February 18, 2011 at 9:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chrissylynn_2 (anonymous) says...
justaflushaway
"why was he just charged with possessing drug paraphernalia, and not the weed? because the weed maybe didnt make it all the way back to the cop shop where the paperwork is done i dunno?
February 18, 2011 at 9:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Good post, REWBA. Why should the trooper be at fault. If he wasn't doing his job, you'd all be bitching about that too.
Somebody this screwed up shouldn't be behind the wheel in the first place. I don't want him driving anywhere near me. Hell what am I saying? Half the idiot drivers out there are stoned anyway. But of course, let's protect the poor bastards. After all they only have a little bit.
Lame!
February 19, 2011 at 8:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Buffalo_Breath (anonymous) says...
I was just askin' ...
If you're pulled over on South Ave and they see a bag laying on the console, do you get charged with possession or just paraphernalia?
VIP treatment?
Dunno.
Anybody?
February 19, 2011 at 8:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
little chrisslynn, by reading your post, sound like you may of liked to have that weed. OH its illegal, in case you didn't know,,or do you not obey the laws of the land either, ever notice those who smoke it, always just cant understand whats its all about, its just a little weed,, So little chrissilynnn, its illegal, so next time you light it up, go ahead and drive, and I hope they bust you a$$.
February 19, 2011 at 9:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
solong (anonymous) says...
REWBA, where did I say the Trooper was at fault. So far he hasn't been charged with anything else, my opinion is the Trooper should have ground it into the ground with his boot or thrown it in the ditch with the rest of the weeds instead of spending 4 or 5 hours doing paper work and court time on this. I will say the driver was a dumb ass for leaving it on his seat and that is probably why he is in trouble for it, it is my opinion that there are more important things going on that need more attention than a little pot.
February 19, 2011 at 1:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Well, solong. How about those kids at EHS then? Here's what you said on that thread.
"I am glad they caught these people, they are at school to learn and way to young to be smoking pot."
February 19, 2011 at 1:44 p.m.
Apparently you don't have a problem with pot smoking, just age. Any other laws you feel it's okay to break? You know what? We are a nation of laws and the law is the law is the law is the law is the law is the law........
February 19, 2011 at 2:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wson (anonymous) says...
Morrison is a menace. Go online and try to figure out how many times he's had a DUI, assault, gun violation, etc., etc., you will get very tired of the exercise very soon because the list is so long. And those are just the ones he was charged with. Now he's exposing people to HIV and trying to convince others it's not real. Morrison should be locked up permanently.
February 19, 2011 at 3:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
solong (anonymous) says...
create, you are right, it is my opinion that pot should be legal and regulated just like alcohol. Yes, there are other laws I sometimes break, jaywalking, speeding a couple of miles over the limit, forgetting to use my turn signal, and probably a few more that are still on the books.
February 19, 2011 at 3:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
The dope dealer never checks ID to ensure the person is 21 before selling them dope. He isn't required to pay for a license, have any background checks or follow a set of rules. He never collects sales tax and he never reports the income from his dope sales. There is no quality control requirements so the drug dealer is free to lace non-addictive marijuana with methamphetamine or other highly addictive substances to keep the clients coming back. If his customers have a valid unresolved dispute with him, there is no legal way to redress it. Once the dope dealer is busted, he becomes a ward of the state and a drain on resources better used in other areas of society. That is just a few of the problems at the retail end. On the production and distribution side of the market, current laws create much more dangerous and costly scenarios. All can be mitigated through decriminalization and strict regulation similar to the production, distribution and retail sales of other recreational intoxicants like wine, liquor, beer and spirits.
February 19, 2011 at 4:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
americus1987 (anonymous) says...
Why in the hell is this article even in the gazette. Whoop dee freaking doo. An 8th of marijuana seizure on a has been boxer? Seriously?
February 19, 2011 at 4:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
americus1987 (anonymous) says...
REWBA- what are you smoking? Meth laced non-addictive maijuana to keep customers coming back? That's just funny.
February 19, 2011 at 5:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Sour Diesel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeYsTm...
February 19, 2011 at 6 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Just dawned on me, I know why this is news. They want to erect a monument where a semi famous boxer was arrested to attract tourists.
February 20, 2011 at 12:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chrissylynn_2 (anonymous) says...
justaflushaway, why do you respond to me by calling me little chrissilynn? Are you trying to be condescending to me? Trying to intimidate me? why? All I said in my comment was it was hardly breaking news. Given the current topics of discussion in Emporia, I do feel like this was petty, there was no need to call it breaking news.
Where did I indicate that I did not know what he was doing was illegal? You asked why he wasn't charged with posession and I guessed.
So why the D!ck attitude twards me?
February 20, 2011 at 4:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
ok so sorry BIG chrisslynn, that better??
February 20, 2011 at 4:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )