Willie’s judge: legend gets no special treatment

By STERRY BUTCHER

SIERRA BLANCA – If and when Willie Nelson stands before her in court, the singer will be treated like everyone else, according to Hudspeth County Judge Becky Dean Walker.

“Just because he’s a star,” she said, “I don’t think he should receive any special treatment. I believe everybody should be treated the same.”

Nelson was busted for misdemeanor marijuana possession at the Sierra Blanca checkpoint in November. In a colorful interview with the Sentinel last week, Hudspeth County Attorney Kit Bramblett declared that he’s offering Nelson a plea deal: a courtroom performance of “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” as his community service, along with a fine and court costs.

“You bet your ass I ain’t gonna be mean to Willie Nelson,” he said at the time.

In misdemeanor possession cases from the checkpoint, like Willie’s, defendants usually plead and then send a check in the mail covering the fine, typically $100, and court costs, $278. According to Bramblett, the judge told him she didn’t want Willie’s case handled through the mail.

This week, Judge Walker made clear that she’ll consider Willie’s pot case the way she would anyone else’s, despite the defendant’s status as the state’s most beloved Texan, his familiar baritone, his co-chair position on the advisory board for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) or the media hoopla that has sprung up since Bramblett made his deal public.

“As far as my court goes, I treat everyone the same,” Walker said firmly.

It’s also Walker who has the final approval on the deal and whatever punishment that could be meted out.

“It might very well be a $100 fine and $278 in court costs, but I’m the one who signs off on that,” she said.

So noted.

In Sierra Blanca on Monday, Bramblett said he doesn’t know when Willie’s case will be on the docket. He hasn’t heard from the singer’s lawyer since news of the plea offer broke – but he has heard from the press, as has Judge Walker. CNN, the Associated Press, and the New York Times each posted versions of the story, along with lesser-known outlets like cannabisculture.com and something called drugpolicycentral.com, plus a myriad of other news organizations, websites and blogs. Readership of the Sentinel’s website, bigbendnow.com, spiked to more than 8,000 hits. At least two fans created heartfelt songs related to the plea offer.

All this attention may have become wearisome to those in Sierra Blanca involved with the case.

“I’ve had calls from 25 reporters, from New York to California,” Bramblett said. “I had three calls just this morning – one from Memphis, one from El Paso and one from Los Angeles.”

But what about Willie, who, at 77, continues to roll perpetually on tour? Is he interested in accepting the plea? Will he sing in the courtroom? When do his travels next take him on I-10? Alas, reached by email on Monday, Nelson’s publicist in Los Angeles could give no answers.

“I have no comment,” Elaine Schock wrote. “I am sorry.”