Couple sue after insurance agent tells police their hibiscus plants were pot

[Ban Hammer 13,550]

SARVER, Pa. (AP) -- A couple who say they were handcuffed for hours in a police patrol car after their hibiscus plants were confused for marijuana are suing the police and an insurance company.

Edward and Audrey Cramer say in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that a Nationwide Insurance Co. agent investigating a fallen tree at their Buffalo Township home sent photos of their flowering plant to police. The lawsuit alleges that Buffalo Township police officers with assault rifles went to their home on Oct. 7 to investigate.

Audrey Cramer, 66, said she was partially dressed when she went to the door and police would not let her put on pants before she was handcuffed.

"I was not treated as though I was a human being," she said. "I was just something they were going to push aside."

Edward Cramer, 69, said he returned home a half-hour later to find his wife in the back of a police cruiser and officers pointing guns at him. He also was placed in the cruiser despite trying to convince the officers the plants were hibiscus, not marijuana.


hibiscus on the left.................................................pot on the right

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/11/couple_sue_after_insurance_age.html

[X Factor 1,112]

The insurance agent needs more diversity training. Plant diversity. 

 

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

12 minutes ago, X Factor said:

The insurance agent needs more diversity training. Plant diversity. 

 

Or maybe just glasses?  Can't see how ANYONE could confuse those two.

[Steeleballz 7,550]

  There are many species of Hibiscus. One is actually called Hibiscus Cannabinus and is often mistaken by law enforcement. Obviously flowering Hibiscus wouldn't be mistaken for marijuana, but I doubt the Hibiscus plant the police found looked like the flowering one in the picture. If it did, that was a pretty big mistake number one.

 

    At any rate, no reason to have an elderly couple handcuffed for hours. Mistake number two, and the one the department will end up paying for. Unfortunate that this is what passes for due process nowadays.

[Ban Hammer 13,550]

11 hours ago, Steeleballz said:

  There are many species of Hibiscus. One is actually called Hibiscus Cannabinus and is often mistaken by law enforcement.

good point.  i had to look that one up - a pic of it below. 

[bcking 3,157]

This photo shows the serrated style edges, which is similar to cannabis. The leaves seem quite a bit bigger though.

 

Insurance agent could have easily been confused. A tip is just a tip. A police department should have more training, or have someone that they can use, to make sure they have the correct information.