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City Attorney Drops Joint in Court, Cited for Pot Possession

By Andrew Lu on October 05, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

New Orleans city attorney, Jason Cantrell, may have committed the ultimate error in court. No, he didn't forget a key piece of evidence or forget to address the judge as "your honor." Instead, while chatting away with police officers in criminal court, a joint tumbled out of the attorney's pockets.

Cantrell was apparently lost in conversation with police and did not realize either that he was carrying marijuana or that it was on the verge of falling out.

Already standing in a criminal court surrounded by police, Cantrell was cited for marijuana possession, reports NBC.

The 43-year-old Cantrell is a first time offender and was issued a summons to appear in court for simple possession of marijuana, reports NBC. He was not placed in jail and was let go. This is part of the process to unclog New Orleans' congested court system, reports NBC.

As Cantrell awaits his day in court, his experience can be a good lesson to attorneys everywhere: Beware what you carry in your pockets.

When you go to court, you can expect to empty out your pockets and pass through a metal detector. Most lawyers have routine items to remove when passing through court security: wallets, spare change, and cell phones.

It may seem obvious to also check your pockets for illegal items before stepping into a courtroom. Then again maybe not. Still, check for meth, heroin, forged Viagra prescriptions, chemical weapons, etc.

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