Dewey Hudson, a Duplin County, NC District Attorney says he still plans to prosecute six members of guitarist and singer Willie Nelson's band on drug and alcohol charges.
Hudson announced at a press conference Friday, April 9th that suspicious substances seized during a January bust are being tested at the North Carolina State Crime Lab in Raleigh. Reports indicate that frontman Nelson was not on the bus at the time.
Ironically, Nelson had already cancelled the North Carolina concert. Nelson's daughter, on the singer's website posted that the Thursday, January 28th, show at the Duplin County Events Center in Kenansville was canceled because his hand hurt too badly to play.
Nelson, a right hander, had carpal tunnel surgery on his left hand in 2004.
A report from North Carolina at the time stated that Nelson's bass player Dan Edward “Bee” Spears, 60, Franklin, Tenn., and five others band members were charged with possession of non-tax-paid alcohol. Two of the six were also charged with marijuana possession. The alcohol in question was allegedly moonshine or home-brew.
Democratic DA Dewey Hudson, almost a week prior to the bust had announced his intention to run for a State Senate seat when Sen. Charlie Albertson announced he would not seek a 10th term to the 10th Senatorial District of North Carolina.
In a statement to encToday.com days prior to the Nelson bust, Hudson was quoted
as saying, “I will be a strong advocate in the legislature involving issues of gangs and crime to protect our families and make our communities safer,” he said. “Our courts and criminal justice system need a major overhaul to improve effectiveness and efficiency.”
In an effort to further his would-be political career, Hudson, on Friday, told jdnews.com that as a prosecutor he is bound to follow the law, but as a lawmaker he would consider marijuana decriminalization and said it is worth debate in the General Assembly.
N.C. State Sen. Charlie Albertson, D-District 10, has been critical of his potential successor and even went so far as to record a song criticizing the NC Alcohol Law Enforcement, and the prosecution of Nelson's bandmates.
Nelson's publicist had no comment regarding the strange course of events in North Carolina.
