Alex Caruso was apprehended and booked for carrying marijuana while arriving at College Station airport. The Lakers star is out on bail.
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County jail records from the district show that Caruso was apprehended with under 2 ounces of weed. This means that he won’t be booked on criminal or major possession charges.
The Lakers’ defensive ace hails from College Station, Texas himself. It seems that he was tracked by TSA as he alighted at the airport. A&M police followed him and staged the arrest proceedings.
Given the minor nature of his charges and the low amounts that he possessed, Caruso was let go with a $3000 fine.
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LeBron James reacts to the Caruso news
LeBron James seems to have found out this piece of news from the interwebs while watching Game 2 of Suns vs Clippers. While the game came down to a humdinger and a crazy finish, James had already put out a tweet reacting to this headline.
He used a caricature posted on Twitter by a comedian named Josiah, who he’s endorsed and promoted through his own social media activity in the past as well.
https://t.co/XSncnrFc25 pic.twitter.com/sq8HS3niXJ
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 23, 2021
As an NBA player, James can’t openly make statements that condone marijuana use. This prevents him from giving his real thoughts on a matter that concerns all US citizens.
Will Alex Caruso be in legal trouble long term?
There’s a tireless ethical and moral debate raging on across the world regarding marijuana use and laws. Cannabis in Texas is illegal for recreational use.
Possession of up to two ounces is a class B misdemeanor. It is punishable by up to 180 days in prison, a fine of up to $2000, and the suspension of one’s driver’s license.
The NBA itself tests players across the league for marijuana, and has done so for many years now. The likes of Josh Jackson, Malik Beasley and D’Angelo Russell have all landed in legal trouble for possession charges.
With that being said, Caruso lives in a blue state that has legalized the use of cannabis. He comes from a state where Conan O’Brien and Snoop Dogg smoke up on live TV in front of international audiences. People villainizing him for what is now a legal and common act across the world are fighting losing battles.