3. TIMOTHY LEARY: HOW TO OPERATE YOUR MIND ON...

TIMOTHY LEARY - HOW TO OPERATE YOUR BRAIN ON DRUGS PART 3 OF 4

Leary's first run in with the law came on December 20, 1965. During a border crossing from Mexico into the United States, his daughter was caught with marijuana. After taking responsibility for the controlled substance, Leary was convicted of possession under the Marijuana Tax Act and sentenced to 30 years in jail, given a $30,000 fine and ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment. Soon after, however, he appealed the case, claiming the Marijuana Tax Act was in fact unconstitutional, as it required a degree of self-incrimination. Leary claimed this was in stark violation of the Fifth Amendment.

On December 26, 1968 Leary was arrested again, this time for the possession of two roaches of marijuana, which Leary claimed were planted by the arresting officer.

On 19 May 1969 The Supreme Court concurred with Leary. The Marijuana Tax Act was declared unconstitutional, and his 1965 conviction was quashed. The case was known as Leary v. United States.

On the day his conviction was overturned Leary announced his candidacy for Governor of California, running against Ronald Reagan. His campaign slogan was 'Come together, join the party'. On 1 June 1969 Leary joined John Lennon and Yoko Ono at their Montreal Bed-In and Lennon subsequently wrote Leary a campaign song called Come Together.

On 21 January 1970, Leary received a ten-year sentence for his 1968 conviction. When Leary arrived in prison, he was given psychological tests that were used to assign inmates to appropriate work details. Having designed many of the tests himself (including the "Leary Interpersonal Behavior Test"), Leary answered them in such a way that he seemed to be a very conforming, conventional person with a great interest in forestry and gardening.