Amy Winehouse Appeals Pot Charge

By: Shannon Gossage

Two weeks ago Winehouse and Fielder-Civil paid fines totaling $715 for their pot possession arrest in Norway. Now the couple says that they did not realize that by paying the fines it was assumed that they were pleading guilty to the charges. Ole Kvelstad, the couple’s attorney in Norway, claims that the Norwegian police committed a few no-nos at the time of the arrest. Kvelstad said that the police did not provide an English speaking translator to explain exactly why the couple was being arrested. He claims that the police interrogated Winehouse without the presence of proper counsel or a translator.

Winehouse, Fielder-Civil, and a member of the singer’s entourage were arrested during the European leg of her tour in Bergen, Norway. They were arrested at around 6 p.m. on October 18 after police were tipped off that they had seven grams of marijuana. They were held overnight and were released the next morning after paying the fine and signing a document that was written in Norwegian.

Bergen Police Attorney Rudolf Christofferson claims that Winehouse, 24, was interrogated by an English speaking officer and was made well aware of the charges against them and what paying the fines would mean. If Winehouse is convicted she may not be able to re-enter the States. She had to pull out of performing next week at the mtvU Woodie Awards in New York because she is having issues with her work visa. Winehouse has had a long history with drug and alcohol abuse.