DdC

Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003
From: Dana Beal dana@cures-not-wars.org
Subject: Join Emergency Protests at U.S. Embassies Wednesday re: Ed Rosenthal

Free Ed Rosenthal Protests Planned Wednesday at U.S. embassies in London, Paris, Berlin, Oslo, Rome and other World Capitols...Please join!

Ed Rosenthal--author of the Marijuana Growers Guide--is about to be convicted in the US District Court in Oakland, Ca. on charges of "conspiracy", "cultivation" and "manufacturing" medical marijuana. The illegal Bush junta which stole the 2000 election because Clinton was not "tough enough on drugs" alleges that Ed, one of the founders of the modern marijuana movement, is some kind of drug kingpin.

The trial began with the U.S. Judge, Breyer, dismissing more than 2/3 of the jurors because of support for Prop. 215, which made medical marijuana legal in California. After picking a completely unrepresentative jury, the Judge ruled that no "medical marijuana defense" would would be allowed. In fact, Rosenthal was deputized by the city of Oakland so that dispensation of medical marijuana would be covered under the same legal immunity as the narcs. The Judge ruled that Congressional intent (to ban cannabis absolutely) trumped the plain language of the statute that immunizes government agents.

Defense attorneys had sought to force Judge Breyer to allow them the chance to present evidence that would reveal that at least one DEA supervising agent had said, during the Clinton administration, that the federal government would not pursue prosecutions in areas where the local governments were allowing medical distribution. Such testimony would indicate that Mr. Rosenthal had been the victim of a form of entrapment, so the Judge won't allow it. Although Judge Breyer has been forced to allow some testimony by a member of the Oakland City Council that Ed was not trying to conceal his activities, the case is expected to go to the jury Friday without Ed being able to mount an effective defense.

Last February 12 the Bush clique led by Attorney General John Ashcroft arrested Ed in an attempt to silence the cause of medical marijuana which saves the lives of many. Therefore the time has come to confront the US government's attempt to jail Ed for the crime of saving lives by mounting picket lines at U.S. Embassies around the world. 50 to 100 protestors are expected at several of the embassies. The Paris Global Cannabis Coordinator suggested Wednesday as the most convenient day when we can expect to have a verdict in Ed's case.

Dana Beal/cures not wars/Global Cannabis March/212-677-7180
<a href="http://www.cures-not-wars.org" target="_blank">http ://www.cures-not-wars.org</a>

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Updates and background information on Ed Rosenthal’s case are available on the following websites...

Green Aid
<a href="http://www.Green-Aid.com" target="_blank">http ://www.Green-Aid.com</a> or call 1-888-271-7674
About Ed Rosenthal
<a href="http://www.green-aid.com/edrosenthal.htm" target="_blank">http ://www.green-aid.com/edrosenthal.htm</a>
The Trial of Ed Rosenthal
<a href="http://www.green-aid.com/index.htm" target="_blank">http ://www.green-aid.com/index.htm</a>

Americans For Safe Access
<a href="http://www.safeaccessnow.or g" target="_blank">http ://www.safeaccessnow.or g</a>

Ed Rosenthal's Trial Pictures & Articles
<a href="http://freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htm" target="_blank">http ://freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htm</a>

Dale Gieringer (415) 563-5858 // canorml@igc.org
2215-R Market St. #278, San Francisco CA 94114
<a href="http://www.canorml.org" target="_blank">http ://www.canorml.org</a>

Fully Informed Jury Association
<a href="http://www.fija.org" target="_blank">http ://www.fija.org</A>

How FIJA Saved My Life!
<a href="http://serendipity.magnet.c h/jsmill/fija1293.htm" target="_blank">http ://serendipity.magnet.c h/jsmill/fija1293.htm</a>
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4055.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4055.shtml</a>

Medical Marijuana Information Links
<a href="http://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htm" target="_blank">http ://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htm</a>

Reckless Disregard
<a href="http://www.drugwar.com/drjayreckless.shtm" target="_blank">http ://www.drugwar.com/drjayreckless.shtm</a>
DEA implements US police state
<a href="http://www.cannabisculture. com/articles/2281.html" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisculture. com/articles/2281.html</a>
Yes, We're At War ... Against Sick Americans
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread11085.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread11085.shtml</a>

U.S. law enforcement spends $7.5 to $10 billion annually enforcing marijuana laws. According to the FBI, 720,000 Americans were arrested on marijuana charges in 2001.
Keith Stroup, (NORML) <a href="http://www.norml.org" target="_blank">http ://www.norml.org</a>

The Global Cannabis March
Saturday, May 3rd, 2003
Over 100 Marches Around the World
<a href="http://www.newagecitizen.co m/MillionMarMarch.htm" target="_blank">http ://www.newagecitizen.co m/MillionMarMarch.htm</a>



Some articles about Ed...

Pot-Possession Trial Tests Law
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15252.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15252.shtml</a>
A Prejudicial Judge?
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15264.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15264.shtml</a>
Hackles Rise Early in Medical Pot Trial
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15250.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15250.shtml</a>
Potshot
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15257.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15257.shtml</a>
Gag Order Draws First-Amendment Expert To Trial
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15256.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15256.shtml</a>
Attempt to Silence Activist in MMJ Trial Fails
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15275.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15275.shtml</a>
Judge Denies Gag Order Request in Marijuana Case
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15271.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15271.shtml</a>
Judge Declines To Issue Gag Order
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15269.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15269.shtml</a>
Judge Weighs Pot-Trial Gag
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15268.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15268.shtml</a>
Marijuana Grower's Trial Under Way
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15249.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15249.shtml</a>
Author, Others Battle for Marijuana Rights
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15245.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15245.shtml</a>
Oakland Authority on Medical Pot Faces Trial
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15241.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15241.shtml</a>
Marijuana Activist Seeks Dismissal of Charges
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15239.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15239.shtml</a>
Clash on Medical Marijuana Puts a Grower in Court
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15236.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15236.shtml</a>
The Trial of Ed Rosenthal
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15221.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15221.shtml</a>

__________________

The Rev

Nice links list.

I am curious to see the can of worms that the federal goverment will open should they convict Rosenthal. The attitude of the courts in this matter has been so anti-states rights that the repercussions of this issue (not only in terms of medical marijuana, but schooling, welfare, highway funding, and a host of other contentious states vs. Fed issues) could be huge.

I wonder what a 21st century Civil War would look like?



The Rev

__________________

Governor

I'll be doing the march to evict the DEA in Denver on the 18th.

__________________
'Marijuana is responsible for evolution itself' Dr. Robert Melamede
"Fuck the monkeys" Ken Gorman
potgov@yahoo.com
420 Medicine

DdC

They're Doing It Again!!!

The federal government murdered marijuana activist and writer Peter McWilliams by filing federal charges against him for using pot to help him keep his medicine down, in effect, cutting him off from his supply, and the court not allowing him to use the fact that what he was doing was legal in California in his defense.

He was forced to forego his use of pot and was soon found dead, having choked to death in his own vomit. Now they've targeted another writer who has written extensively in favor of pot use medicinally and in fact grows it for legal marijuana clubs in California.

Writer Ed Rosenthal has been convicted of being a major marijuana grower, for which he could be sentenced to life in prison. As with McWilliams, the court would not allow him to use the "legal in my state" defense. "Cultivation of marijuana is a federal offense, period. Nothing else matters," responded Assistant U.S. Attorney George Bevan in closing arguments on Thursday.

Which, of course, sounds like a typical bureaucrat response to a complete quackup he is causing.

"Rosenthal is the first sacrificial lamb here," Peter Keane, dean of Golden Gate University Law School told local KCBS radio. "It is a very harsh sentence." Actually, McWilliams was the first, but Rosenthal is the next.

The practice of courts refusing to allow a defendant to use his best defense to make it easy to convict him has to stop. Denying a defendant his only defense violates the right to a competent defense guaranteed to each of us in the Constitution. Furthermore, simply prosecuting anybody on a federal crime where the "crime" is legal in a state is unconstitutional.

Federal law does not trump state law according to the Constitution, no matter how they twist the Commerce Clause to make it appear otherwise. This activist/writer may not die as McWilliams did, but he will certainly spend the rest of his life in prison on a bogus charge if they have their way -- and will no longer be able to write things they don't like. And they accuse Saddam of being a dictator!

Source: Media Awareness Project
<a href="http://mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n160/a10.html" target="_blank">http ://mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n160/a10.html</A>

They're Doing It Again
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15362.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15362.shtml</A>
Source: SierraTimes.com (NV)
Author: Ray Thomas
Published: Monday, February 03, 2003
Contact: opeds@sierratimes.co m
Website: <a href="http://www.sierratimes.com" target="_blank">http ://www.sierratimes.com</A>

Related Articles & Web Sites

Peter McWilliams Memorial Page
<a href="http://freedomtoexhale.com/Peterm.htm" target="_blank">http ://freedomtoexhale.com/Peterm.htm</A>

dry your eyes
<a href="http://www.cannabinoid.com/wwwboard/politics/binaries/28/28133.gif" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabinoid.com/wwwboard/politics/binaries/28/28133.gif</A>
The Murder of Peter McWilliams
<a href="http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohi bitionwhyitstimetole galize.showMessage?t opicID=293.topic" target="_blank">http ://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohi bitionwhyitstimetole galize.showMessage?t opicID=293.topic</A>
Rainbow Farm Massacre
<a href="http://www.mapinc.org/find?200" target="_blank">http ://www.mapinc.org/find?200</A>
<a href="http://www.rainbowfarmcampg round.com" target="_blank">http ://www.rainbowfarmcampg round.com</A>

Ed Rosenthal's Trial Pictures & Articles
<a href="http://freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htm" target="_blank">http ://freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htm</A>

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyers Kangeroo Krunch <a href="http://boards.marihemp.com/boards/culture/media/4/4203.gif" target="_blank">http ://boards.marihemp.com/boards/culture/media/4/4203.gif</A>


Green-Aid.com
<a href="http://www.green-aid.com" target="_blank">http ://www.green-aid.com</A>
Americans For Safe Access
<a href="http://www.safeaccessnow.or g" target="_blank">http ://www.safeaccessnow.or g</A>

Jurors Denounce Their Own Verdict
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15364.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15364.shtml</A>
Jurors in Pot Case Decry Their Own Verdict
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15363.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15363.shtml</A>

Excerpts...

Jury foreman Charles Sackett (a building contractor) told the press after the verdict that he hoped the Ninth Circuit Appeals Court would reverse the verdict and another juror, Marney Craig (a property manager), said "It seems like we made a horrible mistake. I should have stood up and said, 'I'm not convicting.'"

Throughout the trial in US District Court in San Francisco, Breyer had refused all efforts by the defense to disclose to the jury that Rosenthal was growing marijuana as an "officer" for the City of Oakland's medical marijuana program, authorized under California's Proposition 215, passed by the voters in 1996.

After the verdict, several members of the jury expressed regret and anger that they were explicitly forbidden from considering testimony about medical pot and that Oakland city officials who worked with Rosenthal were not allowed to testify.

Juror Marney Craig, 58, a property manager from Novato, said, "it seems like we made a horrible mistake."

"We were made to feel like we had no choice, even though we were residents of a state that has legalized medical marijuana," jury foreman Charles Sackett, a construction contractor from Sebastopol, told reporters.

Sources told The Examiner that several members of the jury are planning to hold a press conference in support of Rosenthal before the sentencing hearing on Tuesday.

"The only way the federal government can get a conviction on a medical marijuana case is to stack the deck to keep the actual issue out," said Bruce Mirken, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project. "Can you think of another criminal case where the accused isn't allowed to say why he did it? Ed Rosenthal grew some plants and wasn't allowed to say why."

"The jury didn't have the whole truth. They didn't have nothing but the truth. They had lies and deceptions and half-truths," Rosenthal said. "This was not a trial. This was a kangaroo trial."

Judge Railroads Ed Rosenthal in War on Marijuana
<a href="http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15355.shtml" target="_blank">http ://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15355.shtml</A>
Medical Pot Jury May Speak Out
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15361.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15361.shtml</A>
Jury Left in Dark at Marijuana Trial
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15359.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15359.shtml</A>
The Right To Not Be in Pain
<a href="http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15205.shtml" target="_blank">http ://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15205.shtml</A>
Reluctant Jury Convicts Medical Pot Grower
<a href="http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15350.shtml" target="_blank">http ://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15350.shtml</A>
Marijuana 'Guru' Found Guilty by Reluctant Jury
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15358.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15358.shtml</A>
Ed Rosenthal Convicted -- New Trial Sought
<a href="http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15344.shtml" target="_blank">http ://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15344.shtml</A>
The Drug War Refugees
<a href="http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15354.shtml" target="_blank">http ://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15354.shtml</A>

__________________

DdC

Judge Not That Ye Be Not, Chuck...
Free Ed Rosenthal!
<a href="http://www.yahooka.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=g et_topic&f=10&t=0027 53" target="_blank">http ://www.yahooka.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=g et_topic&f=10&t=0027 53</A>

Sometimes the law defends plunder and participates in it. Sometimes the law places the whole apparatus of judges, police, prisons and gendarmes at the service of the plunderers, and treats the victim -- when he defends himself -- as a criminal.
-- Frederic Bastiat, "The Law"



At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. O! Had I the ability, and could reach the nation's ear, I would today, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, the earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.
-- Frederick Douglass

Talked to Ed Rosenthal today...
<a href="http://www.yahooka.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=g et_topic&f=10&t=0027 86" target="_blank">http ://www.yahooka.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=g et_topic&f=10&t=0027 86</A>
Ed Rosenthal found guilty...
<a href="http://www.yahooka.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=g et_topic&f=10&t=0027 84" target="_blank">http ://www.yahooka.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=g et_topic&f=10&t=0027 84</A>

It is not only the juror's right, but his duty to find the verdict according to his own best understanding, judgement and conscience, though in direct opposition to the instruction of the court.
--John Adams, 1771


<a href="http://www.sumeria.net/politics/shadv3.html" target="_blank">http ://www.sumeria.net/politics/shadv3.html</A>

__________________