It’s not easy being Micah Riggs…
Far from it. Once upon a time – four years ago – the owner of Coffee Wonk near 35th and Broadway in Kansas City – was the owner of a thriving business, selling coffee, pastries and a smoking substance known as K2 – a form of what loosely is known as synthetic pot.
That was then.
K2 was banned in by Missouri in late August of 2010, Riggs held a going away bash and re-emerged with new, legal flavor of “incense” called Heaven Scent or Syn.
And down the road he went.
Until one October day in 2010 when Coffee Wonk was robbed at gunpoint and Kansas City Police were called to investigate, but ended up busting Riggs for selling Syn. Even though Riggs assured them it did not include any of the banned substances outlined by the Missouri law.
Now, two years later Riggs is finally going to get his day in court February 25th.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he says. “I’m looking forward to putting this behind me and proving my innocence.”
Until then, “I’ll be closed at least through the trial,” Riggs adds.
Here’s why…
Subsequent to the first bust, Riggs continued to sell what he describes as a legal potpourri, not for human consumption.
With no hassle from police.
Until last week.
With his trial fast approaching, KC cops descended on Coffee Wonk again, arrested Riggs, confiscated his inventory and moved to get his bond revoked.
“The timing of all these new things they’ve been doing to me is interesting because of the timing of my trial,” Riggs says. “I don’t want to call it psychological warfare, but…I want my trial to happen because I’m innocent of all the charges against me.”
As for the police raid, “They took all kinds of stuff, man,” Riggs says. “They took potpourri, my records and my security camera and receiver – and that’s my footage for my own personal security. I mean, there’s nothing incriminating on that footage and I would like for people to see how (the bust) went down.
“We’re talking people coming in with guns drawn. I’m not sure how many there were, but if I had to put a number on it, I’d say a dozen. I know what they’re trying to do but I don’t want to make an offhand statement.”
The war on drugs has failed miserably.
Just like the war on alchohol.
Right and wrong on this issue, in the face of the cost and ramifications are now opinions that lead both sides to untenable philisophical positions, which enable a continuation of ruinous policies that put your neighbors, friends and fellow citizens in jail.
The time has come for some fresh eyes and a new approach to the problems associated with drugs and alchohol both. The many problems with the incarceration and mountians of money which lubricate the wheels of justice, grow exponentially the power and bank accounts of those administering the laws as they stand, alienate the populace while diminishing respect for the law itself are legion and well known.
The efficacy of these laws, good intentions and initiatives now in place for over 30 to 40 years is an abysmal failure with pernicious and devastating effect on non violent offenders who, with these laws suspended, would be law abiding citizens.
These are complicated issues and I am in no way promoting drug use.
I am saying, what we all know, no matter what side of the issue we are on.
Our efforts at every level, to this point have failed.
That K2 sh*t will probably produce flipper babies by the millions every other generation and we won’t find out until our grandchildren are slobbering down their chins during their 5th year in kindegarten.
Ditch weed on up to killer azz “One Hit” stuff usually just encourages you to clean out the left overs in the fridge and suddenly find a deep meaning to Nickelback songs.
Legalize the Hippie Lettuce and lets move on.
Esquire barbers used to cut a nice head of hair right to the left of that guy. Owner of the building ran out Trio and Esquire a while back then got busted by the EPA for throwing toxic waste in their dumpster. Seriously!
Just another day in killa city boys and girls
Cops wasting time and resources.
So what else is new?
Yeah, wouldn’t want da police busting real crime would we?
Of course not.
They might get hurt.
Riggs is clearly the victim here. I have followed his plight every step of the way and at each turn he has gone out of his way to carefully follow the law. The prosecutor is on a witch hunt because Riggs has been an outspoken advocate for being able to transact business. The State of Missouri has passed bad laws, but Riggs has followed them anyway and stayed within the bounds. The prosecutor has harassed Riggs at each turn because she represents a radical right-wing agenda…one the one hand they say they want government out of our lives, but then they want to impose their own sense of morality on all of us. I hope there is a crowd at the courthouse on the 25th in support of Riggs…he is the victim here and should sue the heck out of the City when this is all over.