Mar 23, 2007 5:41 pm US/Central
Judge Limits Media Coverage Of 'Toking Tots' Case
by Mary Stewart
WATAUGA (CBS 11 News) ―
A juvenile court judge decided to limit media coverage of the case of the Watauga children caught on tape smoking marijuana. The action comes after a source confirmed the toddlers also tested positive for cocaine.
The images of the 4- and 2-year-old being forced to smoke a marijuana cigar are disturbing for many. Prosecutors in the case asked the 16-year-old who recorded the video be certified as an adult.
"Like a lot of people he had a video camera … and it will all come out, and he was not involved in anything," said the 16-year-old's attorney, Jerry Loftin. "Just like this [CBS 11 News] cameraman, people take videos."
The teen's defense is that it was the youner children's uncle and friend who forced the children to smoke.
In a jailhouse interview the toddler's uncle, Demetris McCoy, blamed the children.
"They kept saying, 'Give me some.' At first I was telling them 'no,' but I was really high. I'd already seen 'em do it before. I just let 'em," he said.
Loftin believes the prosecution needs the 16-year-old to make the case against McCoy and Vanswan Polty. "Just like the Rodney King case, that's all he did," says Loftin. "If that's the criteria we're talking about, if anybody with a video camera goes out here and takes pictures, God help us all."
At one point, police say, the 16-year-old photographer turned the camera on himself and blew smoke into the camera lens.
As the Watauga police chief put it, "It shows you how serious the drug problem in America has become when not only teenagers, but toddlers are getting high."
In February, the children were removed from the home they shared with their mother.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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