County Attorney Kit Bramblett wants Nelson to play his version of “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” in addition to pleading guilty and paying a fine. Bramblett made the recommendations to Hudspeth County’s judge Becky Dean Walker.

Nelson was arrested and charged with marijuana possession in late November at a Border Patrol checkpoint in Sierra Blanca, Texas. After an officer smelled something suspicious a search found roughly 6 ounces of marijuana on Nelson’s tour bus. The singer was released after providing a $2,500 bond.

Although most people who don’t live in the vicinity are allowed to take care of misdemeanor cases through the mail, Judge Walker has demanded that the singer make an appearance in court.

“She told me you don’t dare let Willie Nelson plead through the mail,” Bramblett told BigBendNow.com, which is the online home of The Big Bend Sentinel and Presidio International.

The attorney told the Washington Post that in his opinion the singer is a “law abiding citizen to a large extend.”

Bramblett even compared Nelson to a few of the Founding Fathers.

“I am aware that he has been know to use pot for many years. I also know that Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson used to go out after supper and smoke a line of hemp and that’s what marijuana’s made out of.”

In a follow-up story posted March 29 on BigBendNow.com, Walker promised that Nelson will be treated like any other defendant.

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

Click here and here for the BigBendNow.com stories.

Click here for the AP story.