[meteorite-list] -2 arrested update (Dude-- Where's My Car edition)

[MeteorHntr at aol.com]

List,

I haven't talked with either Sonny  or Mike yet, but some of this story 
smells a little fishy.  

Not  that you can believe anything you see or read in the media, as stories 
seldom  get confirmation before deadlines have to be reached, and stories tend 
to get  sensationalized for sales and ratings purposes.  After all, the first 
story  just gave the teaser info and for only $28 more you can read the rest 
of the  story on the paper's website.

One thing that sticks out in the second  story, was that it was reported that 
Honorable Judge Jerry M. Daniel told the  guys to each pay their $2,000 fine 
then told them "to get out of dodge.“   Now, if he actually said that, isn't 
that a bit strange?  I mean, after  child molesters pay their debt to society, 
even they still get to move back into  their old communities.  Does a judge 
actually have authority to ban people  from an entire county from the bench?  

Does this imply that  meteorite hunters are worse than child molesters?

It was mentioned that  there often is a "good ole boys" network that 
supercedes the rule of law in many  places.  I would never imply that this might be 
the case here, but it makes  one wonder.

Of course, I can understand someone not wanting people on  their property.  
And that is why it is always good to get permission to  hunt, and if that 
permission is in writing, all the better.

I  had an "Aha" experience when I was driving with a fellow meteorite hunter 
at  West a couple of weeks ago as we drove up on a land owner and I stopped, 
got out  and introduced myself, and asked for permission to hunt on his ground. 
 The  man said quite plainly "No."  So I asked him "Why not?"  And he could  
not (or would not) give me a reason.  We talked a little more, when I asked  
him if he was planning to look himself, and he said he was too busy to do it  
himself.  Again, I asked him why I couldn't look.

He did not say "I  don't want you spooking my cattle."  Or "I don't want the 
liability if you  get hurt."  Or "I don't want you making money off of 
something that I would  just as soon let rust away."  

He didn't offer a good reason or even  a bad reason for that matter. 

When it was obvious I wasn't going to get  permission, I excused myself and 
went back to the car to go find another land  owner down the road to ask.  When 
I got in the car, my friend asked me:  "You know why he doesn't want to let 
you hunt don't you?"  I said "No,  why?"  He stated matter of factly: "He 
didn't want you to find his  Marijuana Patch."

Aha!!!

Of course I don't know if that was the  real case, but if it was, it made a 
lot of sense, and it would explain why he  couldn't give me a logical reason on 
why he didn't want me on his ground.   If he had a $500,000 cash crop growing 
out there, only bad could come out of  someone wondering around his land.

I am not saying that Sonny and Mike  almost stumbled onto a secret garden in 
Georgia, or that the judge and other law  enforcement personnel might have 
been partners in some "Southern Mafia" where  they would want ALL meteorite 
hunters to stay out of the ENTIRE county and away  from their retirement fund.

I am just saying something seems a little  fishy with this story.  I am sure 
we will never know the full  story.

Steve Arnold
Arkansas (some day soon I hope I can drop the  "Arkansas" tag for good)


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