Guilty drug offender wants career in medicine

Magistrate Douglas Frederick urged a young man charged for marijuana and who has dreams of becoming a doctor to get the “ball rolling”.

Twenty-year-old Jermarlie Jamario John-Lavdat, of Gills Road, Greenfield, St Michael was before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court today where he made his career wish known after he pleaded guilty to possession, possession with intent to supply, having a trafficable quality and cultivation of cannabis.

Station Sergeant Crishna Graham in prosecuting the case told the magistrate that police executed a search warrant at the first-time offender’s residence yesterday where a plant, one-foot in height was found in a pot. “That is my tree I plant officer,” he said about the cannabis plant.

He was taken into custody and a search was conducted. Vegetable substance was found contained in wax paper in his pocket.

“That is a five-bag I had to smoke,” he said. The combined estimated street value of the substance was $510.

“I do this because I ain’t got no money, I don’t want to steal nobody things, that’s why,” John-Lavdat stated.

Magistrate Frederick told him the comment did not “sound right” as he presented himself as someone with “no hope”.

The young explained that was not the case. “I just smoke it, I don’t sell it.”

He was again told that the explanation made no sense given what he had said. Frederick said: “Connect the dots for me. Given what you have said, I am trying to understand. How does this put you in a better financial position?”

He responded: “Excuse me sir, I have never sold marijuana yet.

“I suffer from sickle cell . . . it does help me. Since I start to use it, it stop the sickle cell from coming a lot on me. I using it for two years. I had it plant in my mother’s backyard.”

John-Lavdat, however, explained that he was self-medicating. “No doctor ain’t prescribe it for me or nothing so,” he disclosed.

He told the magistrate that while he had only held three jobs in his “lifetime” he was not employed at the moment.

Asked what he wanted to do with his life, he responded that he did not graduate with any certificates but, “I want to be a doctor or something so. That is a dream that I have.”

Magistrate Frederick told him his dream was possible if he showed the initiative and took the necessary classes.

“You need to get the ball rolling. I am not judging you, I believe you have the potential but you have to work towards it. It is possible,” Frederick stated.

He then placed John-Lavdat on a bond for nine months. If he breaches the order he will have to pay a $2,500 forthwith fine or spend three months in prison.

“No conviction to be recorded against you,” said the magistrate. “This is a golden opportunity to follow your dream. I believe you have the potential.”