COUNTRY music legend Willie Nelson has been spared jail on a drugs charge – as it turns out he really does have friends in high places.
The star must perform for a judge as part of a bizarre plea-bargaining deal dreamt up by prosecuting lawyer Kit Bramblett.
The attorney said: “I’m gonna let him plead, pay a small fine and he’s gotta sing Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain with his guitar right there in the courtroom.”
He added: “You bet your ass I ain’t gonna be mean to Willie Nelson.”
The singer was arrested in November as his tour bus crossed the border from Mexico into Texas and police smelt marijuana coming from inside. Officers found a 6oz package containing the drug and Nelson was ordered to post £1,500 in bail before being allowed to carry on with his tour.
Under Texan law, possession of less than 3oz merits a fine and court costs – but anything more can result in a prison sentence. The court was told that although Nelson was originally charged with possessing 6oz, the weight was less when the packaging was removed.