NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — You've seen the viral video of a young man lighting a joint in the courtroom and smoking it in front of Wilson County judge. Now, we are hearing from the man in an exclusive interview.
Spencer Boston is now serving 10 days for contempt of court. He made national headlines this week when he lit a marijuana joint while in court.
Boston went before the judge on a marijuana charge of simple possession – that's when he started talking from the podium to the judge about how marijuana should be legalized.
"I knew for a fact I was going to be sitting in a jail cell," Boston said.
“He didn't want to hear nothing about it so I did what I planned on doing anyway and pulled it out and lit it up and addressed the people,” said Boston via phone.
When asked what his message was, Boston responded “I said, ‘we the people deserve better.’”
"I can easily go out here and protest to legalize weed," Boston said, "but no one really cares because I'm just another person protesting,"
And if you’re wondering if it was really marijuana in that joint, Boston said it was and that “it was very good stuff.”
So, yes, Boston planned this the hoping to highlight the issue of legalizing marijuana. But he said he's surprised by all of the attention.
Some across the country, and in the courtroom, condemn him for showing no respect in the courtroom.
"What happened in the courtroom the other day...disrespect is disrespect," Lt. Scott Moore with the Wilson County Sheriff's Department said.
Others are calling him a hero for the cause and have started raising money to cover his bond.
Once he serves his 10-day sentence on the contempt charge -- Boston still faces potential time for simple possession.
Read more: Sheriff says '[it was] one of the craziest things I’ve seen' after watching man light joint in court
