Mitchum’s attorney, the famed Jerry Giesler, told the court the indictment against his handsome client was void and invalid because its language was “indefinite, uncertain, and unintelligible.”
“Parts of it,” he said, “aren’t even in the English language. The only words pertinent to Mr. Mitchum’s case that I could understand were ‘flowering hemp.’
“I always thought that had to do with rope.”
Judge Thomas L. Ambrose suppressed a grin.
– Madera Tribune, CA newspaper, September 30, 1948
1949 actor Robert Mitchum, center right, and actress Lila Leeds, left, with Attorneys in court on Marijuana charges
Reefer Resort
On September 1, 1948 actor Robert Mitchum and buddy real estate agent Robin Ford stopped by actress Lila Leeds house in the Hollywood Hills.
After sitting down with Lila’s roommate dancer Vickie Davis, the group sparked some joints. Right after the joints were sparked (about 5 minutes after arriving) there was a knock at the door…
When the door opened the Narcotics Police squad rushed in to raid the 4 person session…
Scene in front of Lila Leeds home after police took four persons into custody for using Marijuana cigarettes. From left: policeman, back to camera; Actress Lila Leeds, Robin Ford, Actor Robert Mitchum and dancer Vickie Evans, back to camera. Sep. 1, 1948:
Lila, Mitchum and Ford all had lit joints as the police barged into the private residence…
Calling Lila’s house a perfect “Reefer Resort” they were all arrested on Marijuana charges…
The OJ like trial to follow was very public and had all the drama of the times.
This article from the Madera Tribune was from the first court appearance of the “reefer resort”..
Madera Tribune, CA newspaper, September 30, 1948
Screen Hero Robert Mitchum tried to get his indictment on a dope charge thrown out of court today “because it wasn’t in the English language” and pleaded innocent when he failed.
Blong Actress Lila Leeds and Real Estate Agent Robin Ford, arrested with Mitchum in her hillside cottage, Sept. 1, also pleaded innocent. Dancer Vickie Davis, who according to police was the only guest at the midnight party without a lighted “reefer” in her hand, asked the court to dismiss her case on grounds of insufficient evidence.
Mitchum’s attorney, the famed Jerry Giesler, told the court the indictment against his handsome client was void and invalid because its language was “indefinite, uncertain, and unintelligible.”
“Parts of it,” he said, “aren’t even in the English language. The only words pertinent to Mr. Mitchum’s case that I could understand were ‘flowering hemp.’
“I always thought that had to do with rope.”
Judge Thomas L. Ambrose suppressed a grin.
Giesler said each count against Mitchum contained the words”cannabis sativa,” the Latin word for marijuana.
Ambrose may have been amused at Giesler’s speech, but he denied his request for a dismissal.
“Your point is not well taken,” he decreed. “Perhaps the language used in the indictment to identify marijuana is the only language that could be used to identify it.”
“If a nickname would help the defense, that might be supplied latter.”
– Madera Tribune, CA newspaper, September 30, 1948
Mitchums attorney argued that ‘Cannabis Sativa’ wasn’t even a English word. The argument fell on deaf ears…
Ambrose may have been amused at Giesler’s speech, but he denied his request for a dismissal.
“Your point is not well taken,” he decreed. “Perhaps the language used in the indictment to identify marijuana is the only language that could be used to identify it.”
“If a nickname would help the defense, that might be supplied latter.”
– Judge Ambrose
Lila Leeds, Robert Mitchum and Robin Ford would all be found guilty of smoking marijuana in a private home, each getting a 60 day jail sentence with probation to follow…
Robert Mitchum, March 24, 1949