Substance abuse is a subject close at hand to most criminal defense lawyers.  Some even more than others.  When Charles Alan Ramsay went to court to represent accused killer Jack Nissalke, he didn’t anticipate that he would end up the person in need of legal counsel.  From the Star Tribune :

Deputy Winona Police Chief Paul Bostrack said an investigator preparing to testify at the hearing had noticed Ramsay was acting suspiciously after he left a bathroom. In addition, white powder was found at a conference table where Ramsay had been working, Bostrack said.

Sheriff Dave Brand told KAGE-AM that a drug sniffing police dog was brought to the scene, and it indicated one of Ramsay’s brief cases contained a controlled substance that prosecutors allege was cocaine.

The sheriff waiting until Nassalke took his plea and the spectators left before arresting Ramsay in the courtroom.  This may have been simple courtesy, or a tip of the hat to Ramsay’s brother, Duluth Chief of Police Gordon Ramsay.

Sheriffs deputies claim that Ramsay went into the bathroom, but they heard no flush.  He came out sniffing repeatedly and pinching his nose.  For those who think that police have no interest in hygiene, let this be a warning. 

Chuck Ramsay was not exactly a slouch as a lawyer, apparently, but that didn’t save him from turning himself into a defendant.

Ramsay runs his own practice, Charles A. Ramsay & Associates PLLC, based in Roseville. He has held the title ” BLOCKQUOTE cases.< DWI in specifically defense, criminal of areas all work his touts bio His site. Web firm?s the on biography a to according Army, lieutenant currently is and 2000 January since magazine Politics & Law Minnesota from Lawyer? Super>

No one is immune.  Whether it’s alcohol, drugs, gambling, lawyers are as susceptible as anyone else.  But we are different in two significant respects.  First, we are responsible for the lives of others.  When our skills and judgment are impaired, it’s not merely our lives that we’re playing with, but the lives of our clients.  It doesn’t matter what your excuse is, you have no right to put someone else’s life in jeopardy.

The second difference is that we spend an awful lot of time around cops and courthouses.  While lawyer may think they are hiding their indulgence well, as do most people using drugs who tend to significantly overestimate how well they’re handling things, we are particularly at risk of detection.  Don’t think no one will notice.  Don’t think that you’ve brilliantly hidden your little secret.  Chances are that it’s more obvious than you think.

For Duluth Police Chief Gordon Ramsay, this bust was both personally and professionally devastating.   Brother Gordon gave this statement :

“Our family is devastated by this. No one is immune from problems associated with drugs, whether it’s a family member in trouble or a victim of a crime perpetrated by a drug user. I am passionate about the role police play in making our society a better place, and this is a good example why. No one is immune. Drugs devastate families.”

Of course, Chuck Ramsay’s problem is not a criminal one, but a medical one.  Joining the hundreds of thousands of drug users currently warehoused in prisons as prisoners of the war on drugs serves no beneficial purpose and exacts a ridiculously high cost.  So naturally, Chuck was charged with two felony counts for his drug possession, and stands to lose his license, because that’s how we deal with drug abuse in America.

As for Nassalke, he’s weighing his options.  While getting out from under the plea taken the day of Ramsay’s arrest seems relatively easy, it’s unlikely to improve his defense sufficiently to make it a wise choice.  He’s “waiting to speak with Ramsay” before making any decisions.