Special prosecutor appointed to Roanoke City Councilman's marijuana case

Court G. Rosen Council Member (Copyright by WSLS - All rights reserved)

ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - A special prosecutor has been appointed to Roanoke City Councilman, Court Rosen's, drug case, according to a statement from Rosen's lawyer.

Rosen's lawyer, Anthony Anderson, issued a statement regarding the councilman's arrest on October 14, 2015.

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Anderson says, Rosen cooperated with police when officers responded to a citizen complaint of marijuana use in the K-Mart parking lot off of Franklin Rd.

During the investigation, Anderson says, Rosen allowed officers to search his vehicle where they found medication prescribed to a close family friend, Tommy Jordan.

Jordan is a father figure to Rosen and had asked Rosen to "act as the custodial caregiver" of the prescribed mediation, according to Anderson.

Jordan confirmed that request in a separate statement.

Anderson says, Rosen's drug test only tested positive for marijuana.

Online court records show Rosen is scheduled to return to court on January 11, 2016.

Rosen's current term of office is from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2016. He is a member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the Downtown Roanoke Kiwanis Club, the New River Valley Homebuilders Association, and the Board of Directors, Business Seed Capital, Inc.

I represent Court Rosen and I have been advised that a special prosecutor has been appointed by the court this morning to handle the prosecution of Mr. Rosen's unlawful possession of marijuana case. I wish to make the following statement on his behalf.

On October 14, City of Roanoke police set up a surveillance in a K-Mart parking lot following an alert by a private citizen to Mr. Rosen's marijuana use at that location.

Mr. Rosen cooperated immediately after being approached by police officers and admitted that he had paraphernalia for marijuana use and a small amount of marijuana in his vehicle. He then readily consented to a voluntary search of his vehicle.

During the course of that vehicle search, officers located legitimate medication that had been prescribed to a close family friend, Tommy Jordan.

Mr. Jordan is a longtime family friend who has been like a father to Mr. Rosen and a grandfather to his children. Mr. Jordan has asked Mr. Rosen to act as the custodial caregiver of Mr. Jordan's prescribed medications. In his capacity as a custodial caregiver of this prescribed medication, Mr. Rosen would issue them to Mr. Jordan in the prescribed amounts at the prescribed times, as directed by Mr. Jordan's physicians. Mr. Rosen has never abused his position as custodial caregiver or diverted any of Mr. Jordan's prescribed medication. Mr. Rosen consented to the administration of a drug test after he was issued his summons for unlawful possession of marijuana. The only positive result for an unlawful substance was marijuana.

Mr. Rosen has used this opportunity to engage in personal reflection and counseling to address his misuse of marijuana. He is committed to fulfilling all of his obligations, first and foremost to his family, to his employer, and to the citizens of Roanoke in a competent and meaningful way. Mr. Rosen will continue to accept his responsibility for his actions and looks forward to a positive conclusion to this matter."

Anthony F. Anderson