Barenaked Ladies singer Steven Page faces drug charges in New York state

[Euphoric]

TORONTO - Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page, known for his clean-cut image and goofy stage antics, has been charged in New York state with possession of cocaine.

Police said Tuesday that the bespectacled singer, responsible for such pop hits as "If I Had a $1,000,000" and "Be My Yoko Ono," was charged last Friday with criminal possession of a controlled substance after cocaine and marijuana were found in an apartment in Fayetteville, N.Y.

Capt. Bill Bleyle of the nearby town of Manlius said the 38-year-old Page was released Friday upon paying $10,000 bail on the felony charge.

Bleyle said the arrest occurred at about 2 a.m. Friday after patrolling police noticed a suspicious car with its driver's side door left open and found a man and woman in a nearby apartment with a white capsule in front of them. Bleyle said the pair were later found to be in possession of cocaine.

"In the process of making the arrest, the girl he (Page) was with identified him as the lead singer for the group," Bleyle said from Manlius, just outside Syracuse.

"He subsequently said, 'Yes, I play the guitar and sing."'

Stephanie Ford, 25, was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, as well as unlawful possession of marijuana. A second woman, Christine Benedicto, 27, was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Bleyle said Page posted the $5,000 bail for Ford.

Page's manager, Terry McBride, said from Vancouver that he wouldn't discuss the matter but was confident the popular frontman would be cleared.

"We cannot comment because the matter is before the courts but we are confident that our client Steven will be completely exonerated," McBride said.

"Until that time it's business as usual for the Barenaked Ladies."

Page is to return to Fayetteville court Thursday.

The Toronto-based Ladies, formed in 1988, recently released their debut kids CD "Snacktime." The band's website said they were scheduled to perform at a children's benefit concert next month in Long Island, New York.

The band's only notable controversy dates back to the early '90s when it was banned from playing Toronto city hall because a city staffer claimed their name was offensive to women.

Page formed the group with school chum Ed Robertson, later adding bassist Jim Creeggan, keyboardist Kevin Hearn and drummer Tyler Stewart. They soon became known for upbeat live shows that incorporated humorous banter between songs and improvised rap lyrics.

In recent years, Page has become an outspoken critic of federal government proposals to update copyright laws, has emerged as a champion of environmental initiatives and is a strong supporter of the federal NDP.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/0..._page_arrested

[Panthers007]

From what little information one can gather from the above article, it sounds like a clear case of illegal search & seizure. But I wonder: Do you think they strip-searched the girl?

[BuffaloBoobs]

Bleyle said the arrest occurred at about 2 a.m. Friday after patrolling police noticed a suspicious car with its driver's side door left open and found a man and woman in a nearby apartment with a white capsule in front of them.

Well written!
I doubt they'd strip search a girl that old!

[stoneinfocus]

So leaving your "suspicous" car door open (a car of a rock-star, suspicious? his car? aniotherone's cas? the car of his companion?warrants an apartment search? Whose/which apratment? why does this warrant a search, or how can one be so dumb to leave a pill or illegal drugs in sight of a police patrol, coming knocking at your door? And why is a pill, lying around, illegal, did it say I'm an illegal drug?-interesting...

wonder if anyone knew who was to find there and just called a patrol to have a look? -well, they've found police- and other records about non-ciminal left wing demonstrants, around here, after a raid at local right wing extremsits... don't know wether I should be happy about that finding in the news header, or if they just wanted us to know that they know.... i'm convinced, since they knew my name immediately, me coming to get an absolutely clean police-record for my job, without me announcing that I would come and was welcomed in a heartbeat by my last name.Same happened to a family member who was just claiming his priority in a normal traffic situation, which obviouly offended the mayor, who was in the other car, so much, that that warranted getting the plate number and registration, followed by a polite letter with an audition at the mayor's house.

[Euphoric]

Steven Page 'pleased and relieved' that drug charges have been dismissed

9 hours ago (May 1 2009)

TORONTO — Former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page says he's relieved that drug possession charges against him have been formally dismissed.

"I just want to say I'm certainly pleased and relieved, it's been a long process," Page said over the telephone on Friday.

Last July, Page, his girlfriend and her roommate were charged with drug possession after police found cocaine at a Fayetteville, N.Y., apartment.

In October, a judge said the charges would be dropped if the trio weren't arrested again, received therapy, and passed drug screening in the ensuing six months.

Page's lawyer says his client has met all of the conditions laid out by the New York judge.

"New York statute is very specific, and it says that someone who has a dismissal under these circumstances is restored to the position they were in prior to their arrest and prosecution," said Mark Mahoney, Page's Buffalo-based lawyer.

Page thanked Mahoney, the district attorney and the judge for helping him through the process.

"It's been really nice to work with people who are reasonable and thoughtful, and it's been emboldening for me also to get a sense of the respect that they have for me," Page said. "It's nice."

Mahoney said a judge determined earlier this week that Page had met the requirements. He said charges have also been dismissed against the two women arrested at the same time as Page.

The lawyer said the outright dismissal of the charges removes any legal obstacles that might have prevented Page from visiting the United States.

He also said the records of Page's arrest and prosecution are now sealed and that any fingerprints or photos that may have been taken will be destroyed.

The charges were a public-relations nightmare for the Barenaked Ladies, coming just as the band reinvented themselves as a children's act.

Things seemed to come to a head in February, when Page announced he was leaving the band to pursue solo projects, including a career in theatre.

Still, Page and BNL co-founder Ed Robertson have maintained that the arrest was not the main reason behind the split, saying it was simply time to move on.

Page had long been a signature voice for the band, performing on hits including "One Week," "Brian Wilson," "If I Had $1,000,000" and "Jane."

In March, the Barenaked Ladies won a Juno Award for children's album of the year. Page did not attend the ceremony and Robertson said the group felt "reinvigorated and revitalized."

"It's been a tough year for the band, but at the same time it's been a really galvanizing year," he said backstage at the private dinner ceremony. "The four of us feel really confident and really proud of what we've done."

Page was similarly upbeat when discussing his future in a recent interview.

He's scoring his third play for the Stratford Festival, has another album already finished with Toronto's the Art of Time Ensemble and is planning a record under his own name.

"I will miss being a Barenaked Lady like crazy, but there are other lots of other things I'm really looking forward to," he said. "No one's going anywhere. I'm going to continue to make music and those guys are going to continue to make music as well. I think it will be good for everybody."

The Canadian Press

http://www.google.com/hostednews/can...HYjFvRbpIVRvpw