On August 4, 2015, police in Houston, Texas arrested 20-year-old Jose Escobar after confiscating two white tablets from him that they believed were Alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, an anti-anxiety medication that is dispensed by prescription only.
On August 25, 2015, Escobar pled guilty in Harris County Criminal District Court to a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 21 days in the Harris County Jail. He had already spent 21 days in custody since the time of his arrest, so he was released the same day he pled.
On August 31, 2015, the Houston Police crime laboratory tested the two tablets and identified them as Etizolam—a non-prescription drug used to treat insomnia.
The lab notified the Harris County District Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit which informed Escobar’s defense attorney and then joined in a defense motion to vacate the conviction.
On September 22, 2015, the conviction was vacated and the prosecution dismissed the charge.
– Maurice Possley |