Timothy Wilton, a professor at Suffolk University Law School, and Kathy Jo Cook, former president of the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts, have been accused by their son (and stepson) of knowledge of his drug dealing and home pot growing operation. Jonathon Cook, 20, told police that they not only knew that he was growing marijuana in his room but that his mother told him to destroy the pot when police were called about a shooting at their home. Wilton and Cook publicly denied the allegations.
Police first came to the house when Jonathon Cook was shot in the hand by someone who he claimed broke into the basement.
Police obtained a search warrant for the home and found 15 bags of marijuana, a scale and other paraphernalia, and three weapons: a shotgun, a set of brass knuckles, and a double-edged throwing knife. In custody, Cook told the police that Wilton actually helped him build the growing tables and operation. He even said that Wilton did the work under the agreement that they would split the profits. There is no known proof of these allegations beyond his statement to police. Moreover, I find it a bit hard to believe that Wilton would want to share in a small pot operation with a clearly troubled stepson. The police has said that they have found no evidence to support the allegations.
Cook is charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, drug violation in a school zone, and firearms violations.
The two lawyers issued the following statement:
‘‘As a family, we care so much about Jonathon, which makes this situation extraordinarily difficult for us. We are not only extremely concerned about Jonathon and the charges against him, but also saddened to hear about the allegations against us. These allegations are false, and we were extremely surprised to hear about them. As lawyers, we have deep faith in the legal system, and are confident that as this matter unfolds, the truth will surface.’’
Cook said that he returned to selling drugs after losing his job.
Kathy Jo Cook is currently with the Boston law firm Wagner Cook Frieberger and Washienko. Professor Wilton teaches Civil Procedure; Constitutional Law; Evidence; Public Interest Litigation; Trial Advocacy at Suffolk.
This is why you insist that children do their own science project.
Wow, and you would think that rule number one around that home would be, “Don’t say anything until you’ve spoken to a lawyer.”
And to think that these Professionals raised such an INGRATE for a son. This is incomprehensible for a child to do this to a parent even if it is true. Just think when this mouse gets convicted and goes to prison. Whose bitch is he going to be?
Add a whole new dimension to the idea that childbirth is one of the most dangerous things any human can undertake. I dare say though that this will at least increase the use of effective contraception. What a sh*t!
Drug testing of the parents should be mandatory.
I disagree that the parents didn’t know. I think it is quite likely they did know. The article states three things which would make it suprising for them not to know:
1. “Police also found a double-barreled shotgun, brass knuckles with a double-edged blade on it and two other double-edged knives in the home, Dym said. Police also found packaging material and scales, as well as $700 in cash.”
2. “The restraining order violation is because Cook has an open restraining order that requires him not to possess any firearms, Dym said. In requesting the higher bail, Dym cited Cook’s long criminal record that stretches back to when he was 13 years old.”
3. Someone had been to the house with a firearm recently.
If your child has a long criminal record, someone came to your home with a firearm and there is a long list of things at the house that might make one nervous for one’s child’s welfare, I would call that willfull blindness and complicity.
We can’t know what happened to this child in the past or if anything happened to him, but the fact that his parents are professionals means nothing. Bad parenting doesn’t have a class any more than good parenting does. The son may be telling the truth or he may not, but again, the profession of his parents is irrelevant to the truth. The assumption that the son is lying based on the profession of his parents is classism.
The whole thing is a mess because no one, not this kid or anyone else needs to be arrested for marijuana.
This is why abortion needs to be legal!
It is the height of stupidity that this country forbids people to grow marijuana. I own 60 acres in another state, and marijuana grows wild all over the place. Since the plants are self-seeding by nature’s design, it’s impossible to get completely rid of the stuff. If growing marijuana weren’t illegal this kid would undoubtedly have found another criminal avenue to travel down, but it would have been one much more obvious to his seemingly oblivious parents.
Does anyone think it is easy to raise kids? Try as one might it is always a crap shoot for some parents, because even if you’re the best parent in the world, sometimes your kids don’t turn out right. Has anybody watched the TV Show Intervention? Many good parents wind up with stone addicts for kids and know about the lawbreaking they do. Are you supposed to have your own child arrested and do you think that will make the child whole?
I haven’t had to deal with these problems as a parent, but I’ve worked with many of the kids of good parents, who just turned out wrong. I’m not saying this kid is an addict, but I’ll bet there is a heavy personality disorder in the wings driving his behavior. Please don’t give me the crap about putting your foot down and getting them help. Our mental health system sucks and the drug rehabs have at best a 20% cure rate. AA is also about 20%, but they have anonymity. These people, unless evidence arises of their abusive behavior, need empathy and not opprobrium.
The Wildwood Weed
Jim Stafford
Mike,
So far raising my kid’s been pretty easy. Of course he’s only 19 months, and is so happy that when we were participating in an infant development study involving parental reactions, I had to answer “I don’t know, he’s never thrown a fit about something like that” several times. He also has slept through the night since about 4 months on.
He just got through reading “The Philosophy of History” and then wrote a brilliant satire of Hegel’s style of writing.
The most respect that I have had for my 3 or 4 of my drug dealing clients was when they got busted they did not proffer. They felt that they did the crime, they will do the time.
Now this little piece of shit for a kid will get his due in jail, the street or the way that the family treats him afterward. That will probably be more than he will be able to handle. OMG.
Definitely a piece of sht.
His parent do the best for him, and the first fkn thing he does is try to cut a deal by turning them in.
Probably a genetic sociopath, parents don’t carry any special significance to him as would a chair.
I think if anyone might be getting the blacklist, it would be him from all lawyers who will defend him. He has affirmatively threatened his attorney parents, a no no within the guild.
Gotta wonder how rolling on your own parents goes over in the joint?
pikkel 1, August 21, 2009 at 6:52 am
Gotta wonder how rolling on your own parents goes over in the joint?
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That was good. TDB I did not think of it Faust!
Neither of our kids got into trouble with the law, even though some people who seemed to be better parents, at least in some ways, had teens who did.
Children are individuals and seperate from their parents in varying degrees as they mature.
One thing I would note about this case is that the stepson is 20 years old, and that age to me is not a child’s age.
He is an adult for the behavioural purposes we are talking about, and will not be prosecuted as a child.
I can imagine that if he were completely out on his own in his own house or apt worse things would have happened to him.
They offered him a shield of sorts, hoping he could grow his own shield during the interim, as many step-parents must do where a step-child is the status of the only child.
In return they were essentially attacked by the one they were giving shelter from the storm, which happens often in cases where a person is harbouring resentment instead of dealing with it through, among other things, the appreciation of those carrying some of their load.
Right now, the parents are entitled to the benefit of every doubt, but to have a “grow room” situated in your house without the slightest knowledge strains my credulity.
I have to agree with mespo. The parents would have/should have noticed the smell if nothing else, but it’s possible they are just oblivious. Some people’s way of dealing with family issues is to ignore them and hope they’ll go away. Ask any divorce attorney, social worker or psychotherapist that treats families.
mespo,
Good to see you. How’s the kitchen?
I think this kid has had no discipline from him Mom. Where is his Biological Dad in all of this? Why did his former girlfriend have a restraining order against him?
The mere allegation of a Professor and an apparent Partner in a Law firm smoking weed? The damage is done. How can one defend their reputation over something like this?
I read bath of the articles. His Mom made him burn 5 green plants? Ok, then the cops were called 30 minutes later after his hand got shot? Why did his hand get shot? What do they have some incinerator, that reduced the smell of burning green weed? I highly doubt this.
The upstairs was where all of the children’s rooms were at one point I did not venture up there for over a year. I stayed in one of the lower two levels. I can see where a parent could be guilty of this. Was this in a basement area? Well, unless I was seeking a bottle of wine in the now called wine cellar I would not know what was down there.
I think we just have a kid that git busted for selling weed. Got shot for a bad drug deal. And wants to blame everyone else but the person responsible.
This is why parents of divorced children need the support of real parents. Not making one the token. See where it gets you?
AY:
Thanks. Kitchen is humming right along. I have been away and not using it much but will make up for lost time this weekend. Big weekend around my environs as the youngest is gearing up for his first varsity scrimmage. We’ll probably host the post-game cookout so the kitchen will get put through the paces.
“He just got through reading “The Philosophy of History” and then wrote a brilliant satire of Hegel’s style of writing.”
Gyges,
Good work getting the classics in early. He certainly sounds normal to me and on the right track. A tip from an old Grandfather though:
Keep him away from Nietzsche and Wittgenstein until he’s at least six, since they were too dark and he needs the time to develop his critical thinking. Plato is of course good because I’ve heard from someone here that all thoughts and actions stem from him.
Mike,
He read that part of “The Republic” where Plato discusses what modes of music should be illegal and threw it down because it was “too liberal.” I haven’t been able to get him near Plato again.
Gyges,
His father’s son.
buddha writes: I have to agree with mespo. The parents would have/should have noticed the smell if nothing else,
not to mention the utilities bill. grow rooms pull juice like you cannot believe. this is one way LE has of identifying them. homes that pull 3 to 10 times the amount of juice suddenly mean indoor cultivation, not that these people suddenly started watching lots of tv.
sometimes parents look the other way for a variety of reasons. individuation and maturation are complicated processes and there is no shallow end outside the parental home. I have a certain amount of empathy for parents rearing difficult kids…. we have a few of those in my extended family and while I dont agree on how my relations are dealing with their incorrigible kids, they are still their kids and rather than have them on the streets they prefer to have them at home even of the accompanying chaos is a daily horror show.