As the American basketball player, a US athlete playing in Indonesia, descended to the lobby of his residence in recent months to collect a package with illegally imported cannabis gummies, he thought the medicine for easing his chronic inflammatory condition had arrived.
It had – however, so did a team of ten plainclothes officers. Footage circulating online shows Shaw, wearing a dark top and shorts, shouting for help as the swarm of officers move to apprehend him.
Confronting Severe Consequences
The Texan native, aged 35, could face potential the death penalty or a long spell behind bars. He was an integral player of Prawira Bandung, which clinched the national basketball league in 2023, and he scored more than 1,000 points over three seasons in the country. But now he remains in pre-trial detention and faces a lifetime ban from the league.
“I use cannabis as a medicine,” he explained during a call from a prison just outside Jakarta, the capital. “I suffer from an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s disease that’s untreatable. There’s no medicine apart from cannabis that stops my stomach from aching.”
When not playing, the athlete lives in Thailand, where the laws on cannabis are more liberal laws. He mentions he had endured discomfort of going without cannabis in earlier seasons in Indonesia but explains how medical needs spurred him to import the intercepted supply of 132 gummies this year. “It was a foolish error,” he says.
Legal and Personal Struggles
However, this error does not justify execution or a long spell in prison, he contends. “I’ve been informed I could end up spending the rest of my life behind bars over some edibles,” he says. “This is unlike any previous experience.” In the first two months following his detention, he reached “my most difficult period” and in a “really dark mental place.”
“I felt helpless and alone,” he shares. “I didn’t want to wake up again.” Yet, with prayer and his faith, as well as access to a detention center gym, he is starting to feel himself again even while the tall sportsman shares a cramped cell with multiple inmates. “I just turned 35 but I still feel young,” notes the former Utah State basketballer, with experience in Argentina, Japan, Turkey, Thailand and Tunisia. “I would love to continue playing professionally.”
Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws
Shaw, who plays as a center or power forward, says cannabis alleviates his anxiety and depression, in addition to insomnia and the discomfort of his condition. “I don’t use it to have fun or social events,” he clarifies. “With my stomach condition, sometimes it’s hard for me to keep food down or go to the toilet. It just soothes some of the symptoms.”
Indonesia takes a hard line regarding narcotics and conducted executions in 2016, via shooting, of several individuals convicted of drug offenses. More than 500 people – with nearly a hundred foreigners – face execution in the country, mostly for drug-related crimes.
Indonesian police have said that Shaw sent text messages his fellow players indicating he planned to distribute portions of the edibles with them. “Their definition of narcotics, I consider medicine,” says Shaw. “Cultural perspectives vary.”
Fundraising and Future Hopes
Following his detention, police officials informed the media that Shaw might receive life in prison or possibly execution if found guilty. “Our ongoing investigation aims to uncover to uncover the international drugs network involved preventing further spread,” a representative stated.
The athlete was presented at a press conference, appearing with his hands cuffed dressed in detention attire and face covering. He faced away from spectators as officials exhibited the cannabis gummies, totaling 869 grams and are worth $400.
He said that to charge him with holding nearly a kilogram of cannabis is unfair and “disturbing,” since most of the weight comes from the gummies themselves rather than the active ingredient. “I’m accused of a large quantity,” he notes. “I didn’t have anything near that.”
The player is seeking donations for his rising legal fees. He has not yet appeared in court despite being arrested five months ago, and he is still waiting for a first appearance date. “They’re making it seem as if I’m a major trafficker,” he says. “Why would I bring these items to sell? It was for personal use.”
Broader Context and Support
A representative from an organization campaigning for the release of people jailed over cannabis said: “Jarred’s case is not unique. Around the world, individuals face extreme sentences for low-level cannabis crimes that pose no threat to public safety.” Even in the US, she noted, many people remain incarcerated for cannabis offences even with legalization in numerous states and a medical greenlight in most regions. “Such penalties contradict global human rights norms,” she stated.
The potential efficacy of cannabis on Crohn’s disease is understudied but recent studies suggest that cannabis can ease persistent pain without serious side effects. This comes as, public figures have highlighted the benefits of cannabis-based medicines.
There are parallels with this case and the situation of Brittney Griner, the acclaimed player detained in Russia for nearly a year in 2022 when officials discovered cannabis products in her luggage. Griner was eventually released as part of a prisoner swap with a foreign national.
“Jarred has always been an exceptionally kind and selfless people you could meet,” his friend said in a supportive statement. “Jarred made a mistake. But I don’t believe that this should ruin his entire future.”
American officials in the capital says it is aware of the situation but would not comment further.
An advocacy assistant handling Shaw’s case said: “Cannabis can’t kill you, but possessing it can. We must get as much attention to this situation so that a positive resolution can influence future cases. I am committed to making sure Jarred gets home to his family.”
- Local authorities did not respond regarding inquiries for this story.
