Rocky Mountain Chronicle - HIGH NOON

[LorD420]

----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Marijuana Policy Project
Date: May 18, 2007 9:33 AM

HIGH NOON
By JOSHUA ZAFFOS

Larimer County is at the center of the battle over medical marijuana

James and Lisa Masters were getting ready to take their daughters fishing on the morning of Aug. 2, 2006, when two social workers and two police officers knocked on their door.

"We were just finishing folding laundry, getting ready for the day," says James, "and we had just recently medicated."

They had picked a bad time to take their medicine. The Masters are both medical marijuana patients, whose doctors recommend they get high to treat various physical and neurological illnesses.

The social workers raised allegations of child abuse and neglect toward their daughters, ages 4 and 6. The police officers, who the Masters were told came along in case the parents got violent - maybe in a fit of reefer madness - smelled the weed.

Inside, the Masters had 18 marijuana plant clones and an imminent harvest of 12 two-foot-high, bud-laden plants, which they say was for people suffering from glaucoma, cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis and other crippling diseases.

Cont. Reading ...

[tokinGLX]

now aint that a bunch of fucking bullshit.

however, the masters have a lot of good people working on their side, brian vicente is the fucking man, dr bob and matt are both good people who know their shit.

the drug war is looking to make colorado its new battlefront, but we got us some warriors, and things are looking better and better every year, with each new peice of knowledge about the good herb that surfaces.

[MarijuanaRadio]

Yes, I think that law enforcement here in Colorado may beef up going after medical users.

Plenty of drunks get to keep their kids.

[milehigh]

I got this in my email from Sensible Colorado. I think every one should see it and act upon it ASAP

ACTION ITEM #1

From June 4th-8th Colorado medical marijuana patients James and Lisa Masters will face a felony jury trial in Ft. Collins. See below for ways to help the Masters. Sensible Colorado's legal team has been working on this case since November 2006, after the couple was found with marijuana plants in their Ft. Collins home-- plants they use to treat their serious medical conditions and also to help other patients.

"The Masters are being targeted for providing help to sick people," said SensiCo attorney Brian Vicente as quoted in the Boulder Weekly.

This case is important. It will be the second medical case to go to trial in Colorado history and the first case to assert the "Caregiver Defense"-- arguing that the state's medical marijuana law allows caregivers, such as the Masters, to cultivate and provide marijuana to other sick individuals. To learn more about the case click here.



Here is How You Can Help the Masters


Appear at the trial to support James and Lisa. Please dress appropriately and do not bring provocative signs. Supporters will be meeting on the 4th floor of the Larimer County Justice Center at 8:30 a.m. on the mornings of June 4-8th. The address is 201 La Porte Ave, Ft. Collins, CO 80521. Feel free to drop by at any time during the four-day trial and please sit on the Masters' side of the courtroom. A strong presence will help ensure that justice prevails, so please come if you can.
Write a letter to the editor to either the Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News, or the Coloradan, calling on the prosecutor to drop the case against the Masters. Please remember to keep all letters short, at fewer than 150 words. Don't attack the prosecutor personally -- instead, point out that sending sick people to prison is unjust and a poor use of state money, and call on the prosecutor to use his discretion to drop the charges. Please do this as soon as possible as the trial is only days away.
Contact Larimer County District Attorney Larry Abrahamson and ask him to dismiss the case. Point out that a conviction would violate the spirit of the Colorado constitution and be a grave injustice. You can contact D.A. Abrahamson at (970) 498-7200 or 8thdist-da@larimer.org.


ACTION ITEM #2

You can take action to help foster medical marijuana research today! See the below national action alert from our allies, Americans for Safe Access.


Call Congress Today--Fight Gridlock, Demand Research!

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner recently ruled that the private production of cannabis for research purposes is "in the public interest" and the DEA should allow Universities to grow and study medical marijuana. In response, Congressman Olver and Congressman Rohrabacher released a Dear Colleague letter and congressional "sign on" which calls on DEA Administrator Karen Tandy to follow Judge Bittner's recommendations. The campaign to Fight the Gridlock, and end the government's monopoly on medical marijuana research must escalate today!

Call your representative to encourage the DEA to accept the February 2007 Recommended Ruling of Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner.

Call Script:

"Hello, my name is __your name___ and I live in _city, state__. I am calling today to ask Representative _ Congress-person's last name___ to co-sign Congressmen Olver and Rohrbacher's May 16th letter to DEA Administrator, Karen Tandy, calling on her to follow the recommendation of Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner and grant a Schedule 1 bulk manufacturer license to Prof. Lyle Craker of UMass Amherst and to private cultivators for ONLY federally-approved research. Please let me know what you plan on doing. Thank you."


Leave your name and number

For phone numbers of your representatives go to: United States House of Representatives, 110th Congress, 1st Session or call the congressional switchboard at: (202) 224-3121

[MarijuanaRadio]

Anybody know if cameras would be allowed in the court room for James Master's trial?

I'd be sincerely curious to know.


Is it taking place in Fort Collins?