Marijuana charge dropped against mayoral candidate Flowers

Last update: November 1, 2009 - 9:13 PM

A citation for marijuana possession issued in September against Minneapolis mayoral candidate Al Flowers was dismissed Friday.

Flowers was cited after the search of an Edina home by the Hennepin County Violent Offenders Task Force. The home was rented by a longtime friend whom Flowers was visiting. Her boyfriend is a gang member who has several drug convictions, according to court documents.

The search warrant said that, in a bedroom, deputies found Flowers' wallet and identification, mailings to him and "advertisements" for him. From the same bedroom they confiscated an unspecified amount of marijuana, including two "blunts," according to the warrant. Flowers, 50, repeatedly denied that the marijuana belonged to him.

"Mr. Flowers was pleased to learn the citation had been dismissed," said his attorney, Jill Clark. "He is glad the taxpayers were saved this cost. He has been focusing on his campaign, highlighting issues of fairness in Minneapolis."

There usually is no reason given with this type of dismissal, she said.

Flowers last month had sued Hennepin County for its role in the raid. The suit alleged that Flowers' constitutional rights were violated, and that items were seized from him improperly. Flowers alleged that his cell phone and identification were taken from him and planted by deputies in a room containing marijuana.

"I can never gain back what they did to my reputation," Flowers said. "I'm just happy to move on."

Flowers is a longtime community activist, and served as a member of the now-disbanded Police Community Relations Council.

DAVID CHANEN