Sophia Michaels
“Willie Nelson is one of the most respected musicians in the world and should be treated like any other person,” said Tony P.
Willie Nelson was first arrested because of marijuana in Dallas, Texas, in 1974. As noted by the New York Post, he hit issues again in the Bahamas, where he spent time in jail because of marijuana possession and was banned from the country upon his release. When he returned to the United States, he visited the White House, where then-President Jimmy Carter said, “I’m glad everything turned out well for you in the Bahamas, Willie.” According to Wide Open Country, he got busted again in 1994 while in Waco, Texas. The “Always on My Mind” musician was driving back from an all-night poker game when he decided to pull off the highway and sleep. Police Sgt. Michael Cooper arrested him after spotting a joint in the vehicle, and in a later account, Nelson said that the cop clearly wanted the clout of apprehending the star. “I do think that once he found out who I was, he thought this might be good for his career,” Nelson later said, according to UPI. However, Nelson was later found not guilty.
It happened again in 2006, when Nelson and others on his tour bus, including his driver and sister, Bobbi Nelson, were arrested after police found substantial amounts of marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms. In 2010, TMZ reported that Nelson was busted again for marijuana after police found weed on his tour bus at a border checkpoint. While the amount of busts is almost humorous, some have found Nelson’s legal treatment shows a special privilege.
