Phelps beats "bong" rap!

According to news reports today Michael Phelps, Olympic swimming sensation and confessed masterbonger, will not have to face any criminal charges for his photographed indiscretion earlier this month. In fact some of the public has even jumped to his defense even going so far as to boycott the Kellogg Company for dropping him as a spokesperson.

Sheriff Leon Lott has concluded his investigation and has decided no charges will be filled against the 14 gold medal winner. Ironically enough 8 other people who were supposedly at the party that night got locked the hell up. Sheriff Lott was able to pull evidence together from a party that took place in November that he found out about in February and arrest 7 people for possession and 1 person for selling. The one picture from the party with Phelps taking a hit from the bong was not enough evidence however to prove that he had broken any laws.

I did some research in the crime rate of Columbia, South Carolina where all this took place and it seems that for a city that has about 113,000 residents that had a report of 586 violent crimes by the end of 2007. Perhaps Sheriff Lott could direct a few more resources to the rapes, murders, and arsons that go on in that city instead of locking up “some” people who broke the law months after the fact.

In doing my research for this piece I came across a few “grumblings” from Richmond county residences. This one is my favorite by far.

“• Sheriff selective about criminals he pursues

My purse was stolen a few years ago. The thief took my credit card and used it at gas stations and a Wal-Mart in Richland County to run up more than $1,000 in charges.

When my credit card company informed me of this, I filed a report with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. I also went to the Wal-Mart to see if its loss-prevention department would tell me anything. I was shown a copy of the credit card receipt signed by the thief (who signed his name John Smith). I was also told that a sheriff’s deputy could obtain a copy of the surveillance tape showing the thief making the purchase.

This evidence along with the surveillance tapes that could be obtained from the area gas stations gave me a ray of hope that the thief may be caught.

Upon returning with this news to the Sheriff’s Department, I was told someone would “look into it.”

I never heard anything from Lott’s office. Too bad it was not Michael Phelps who stole my purse.

MELISSA BRYANT

West Columbia”