Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 12:53:41 -0700

Subject:NV: Marijuana Legalization Will Go To Voters Up TOC

Newshawk: The War on Drugs IS Terrorism
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jul 2002
Source: Nevada Appeal (NV)
Contact: appeal@tahoe.com
Copyright: 2002 Nevada Appeal
Website: http://tahoe.com/appeal/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/896
Author: Geoff Dornan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION WILL GO TO VOTERS

Nevada voters will decide in November whether to legalize the use and
possession of marijuana.

After reviewing the petitions submitted by Nevadans for Responsible Law
Enforcement, the Secretary of State's Office on Tuesday confirmed there were
74,740 valid signatures -- well over the 61,336 needed to qualify for the
ballot.

In addition, organizers were able to meet requirement that at least 10
percent of those who voted in the last general election sign petitions in at
least 13 of Nevada's 17 counties.

But they didn't meet it by much. Petition seekers failed to get the
percentage of signers only in Elko, Douglas and Nye counties. They made the
10 percent mark by just four signatures in Esmeralda and by just 19 in
Eureka. The rest of the counties were comfortably above the minimum.

Susan Bilyeu, deputy secretary of state for elections, said the petition
will be placed on the November ballot.

The question asks voters to add a section to Nevada's constitution stating:
"The use or possession of three ounces or less of marijuana by a person who
has attained the age of 21 years is not cause for arrest, civil or criminal
penalty, or seizure of forfeiture of assets."

It follows on the heels of legislation approved by the 2001 Legislature
which reduced the penalty for use or possession of pot from a felony to a
misdemeanor. The move followed a constitutional change ordered by the voters
which directed the state to set up a system allowing those with a legitimate
medical need to use pot without fear of state prosecution.

In Carson City, 2,206 valid signers were verified -- 240 more than needed.
In Lyon, petitioners gathered 1,597 valid voter names -- 387 more than
needed. And in Storey County, the 292 valid signatures collected were 110
more than needed to qualify for the ballot.

In Douglas, organizers needed 1,825 signers but found only 463 willing to
join the petition drive. Elko raised 843 signers -- far fewer than the 1,424
needed. And Nye contributed 1,036 signatures when 1,226 were needed.

The majority of the 74,740 signatures collected came from Clark County --
44,637. That is well above the 38,477 needed. Washoe County voters
contributed 20,042 signatures, also well above the 12,245 needed.

The November ballot question would also require the state to provide for the
cultivation, taxation and sale of marijuana, including licensing of stores
to sell the drug. Taxes would be limited to whatever the tax on cigarettes
is.

The move would also require pot be provided at low cost to patients who need
it for a medical condition.

But the proposed amendment would require the state to maintain penalties for
driving under the influence of marijuana as well as selling it to anyone
under age 21.

And it would bar smoking marijuana in a public place or advertising it.

Federal law prohibits the use of marijuana. Even if legalized in Nevada,
state law would not protect people from arrest for use or possession by
federal authorities.
__________________________________________________________________________
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MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 12:53:53 -0700

Subject:NV: Marijuana Proposal On Ballot In Nevada Up TOC

Newshawk: http://www.lp.org/issues/drug-war-task-force.html
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jul 2002
Source: Salt Lake Tribune (UT)
Copyright: 2002 The Salt Lake Tribune
Contact: letters@sltrib.com
Website: http://www.sltrib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/383
Author: Brendan Riley, The Associated Press

MARIJUANA PROPOSAL ON BALLOT IN NEVADA

CARSON CITY, Nev. -- Nevadans will vote in November on a proposal to ease
the state's once-harsh marijuana laws and allow adults to possess up to 3
ounces of the drug.

Susan Bilyeu, deputy secretary of state for elections, said 74,740
signatures turned in by Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement in support
of an initiative petition were valid.

More than 34,000 names were tossed out in the verification process. But
that still left the advocates above the minimum requirement of 61,336 names.

But the petitioners just barely met a requirement that the total include 10
percent of the voter turnout in the last election in at least 13 of
Nevada's 17 counties. They fell short in three counties, and were only four
signatures over the minimum in Esmeralda County and just 19 signatures over
the minimum in Eureka County.

Had the petitioners lost those two counties, they would have been one shy
of the 13-county requirement.

Billy Rogers of Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement said his group was
confident of success despite the close margins.

"The success of our petition drive provides solid evidence that most
Nevadans think it's a waste of their tax dollars to arrest people for small
amounts of marijuana," Rogers added.

Until last year, Nevada had the strictest marijuana law in the nation.
Puffing on a single marijuana cigarette was a felony, punishable by a
prison term of a year or more.

Such penalties were rarely imposed, and the old law didn't stop Nevadans
from approving the use of medical marijuana in 2000. State legislators in
2001 also passed a law making possession of less than an ounce a misdemeanor.

It would still be illegal for minors to possess the drug or for anyone to
sell marijuana to minors, and driving-under-the-influence laws would still
apply.
__________________________________________________________________________
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- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 13:26:32 -0700

Subject:UK: Ex-tsar quits over move on cannabis Up TOC

Newshawk: JimmyG
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jul 2002
Source: Edinburgh Evening News (UK)
Webpage: http://www.news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=744722002
Copyright: 2002 The Scotsman Publications Ltd
Contact: lettersen@scotsman.com
Website: http://www.edinburghnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1626
Author: Bill Jacobs

EX-TSAR QUITS OVER MOVE ON CANNABIS

THE Government's former drugs tsar today quit as an advisor to the Home
Secretary in protest over the reclassification of cannabis.

Keith Hellawell, who last October was moved to a part-time post advising on
international aspects of drug policy, said David Blunkett's move was wrong .

And he launched a strong personal attack on the Home Secretary whom he
accused of "repackaging and respinning" initiatives, rather than doing
anything about drug problems.

However, a government spokesman said Mr Hellawell had changed his views,
claiming he had earlier supported reclassificaiton of the drug.

Mr Blunkett today responded to a report by the House of Commons Home
Affairs committee by agreeing to downgrade cannabis from a class B drug to
class C.

This means it is no longer an arrestable offence to possess the drug and
those caught will face only cautions or fines.

However, Mr Blunkett decided to increase the penalties for dealing in class
C drugs and refused to downgrade Ecstasy from class A - where it is ranked
with hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine - to class B.

Mr Blunkett ran into immediate and fierce criticism from the Tories and the
surprise attack from Mr Hellawell.

Mr Hellawell, the former Chief Constable of Yorkshire who was moved to his
current post in October last year having been made drugs tsar by Mr
Blunkett 's predecessor Jack Straw, said of the downgrading of cannabis:
"I'm against it because it sends out the wrong messages.

"It's been bandied about as a softening of the law. It's a personal
initiative of David Blunkett's and I don't know where he got his advice from.

"He certainly didn't get it from me."

He said the evidence of Mr Blunkett's own advisory committee was that
cannabis was a dangerous substance, it was being more widely used by young
people and more people were being treated for its ill effects.

Mr Hellawell said: "Why on earth, where there are these problems, are we
changing our message and giving a softer message? I don't know.

"It's moving closer to decriminalisation. It's moving further towards
decriminalisation than any country in the world."

After making the comments live on radio, he was asked how he could continue
advising the Government on drugs if he held such views.

He replied: "I've resigned on this issue and the issue of spin."

A spokesman for the Home Secretary hit back at Mr Hellawell's criticism,
claiming his stance on cannabis appeared to have changed since a meeting
last year.

"Keith Hellawell said to the Home Secretary in a meeting last autumn that
he was fully supportive of the Home Secretary's proposal to reclassify
cannabis," said the spokesman.

"This was a meeting before the Home Secretary made his announcement to the
Home Affairs Select Committee [revealing he planned to reclassify the drug].

"He tendered his resignation last month to take effect in August but the
Home Office kept this private at his request."

Shadow Home Secretary Oliver Letwin said that Mr Blunkett's policy of
calling cannabis use criminal, prosecuting dealers but turning a blind eye
to its use was "the worst of all worlds".

He said it would lead to young people being drawn up from cannabis to hard
drugs by the dealers who supplied both, adding: "That's going to create a
social disaster in the parts of Britain where you can least afford it."

Police today spoke to GMTV television presenter John Stapleton after a
viewer complained about him showing a quantity of cannabis resin live on air.

Mr Stapleton, 56, said GMTV was not condoning or promoting the use of
cannabis but showing how easily available it is on Britain's streets.
__________________________________________________________________________
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receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 13:27:14 -0700

Subject:NV: Petitions Pass Muster - Marijuana Proposal To Be On Up TOC

Newshawk: http://www.lp.org/issues/drug-war-task-force.html
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jul 2002
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)
Copyright: 2002 Las Vegas Review-Journal
Contact: letters@lvrj.com
Website: http://www.lvrj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/233
Author: Ed Vogel

PETITIONS PASS MUSTER: MARIJUANA PROPOSAL TO BE ON BALLOT

Measure Would Allow Adults To Possess Small Amounts Of Substance

CARSON CITY -- Nevada voters will be asked in November whether adults
should be allowed to possess small amounts of marijuana, the secretary of
state's office announced Tuesday.

Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement turned in 74,740 valid signatures
on petitions to change the state's marijuana laws, Deputy Secretary of
State Susan Bilyeu said. The organization, an offshoot of the Washington,
D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, needed at least 61,336 valid
signatures to place the question on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.

The proposal to allow adults to possess as much as three ounces of
marijuana without police interference needs approval in the November
election and again in 2004 to become part of the Nevada Constitution.

"The success of our petition provides solid evidence that most Nevadans
think it is a waste of their tax dollars to arrest people with small
amounts of marijuana," said Billy Rogers, a spokesman for Nevadans for
Responsible Law Enforcement.

"Nevadans support this initiative because it allows law enforcement the
resources to track down terrorists, murderers, rapists and other violent
criminals."

FBI records show the number of people arrested on marijuana charges
nationally reached nearly 750,000 in 2000, up from fewer than 300,000 in 1991.

Until last year, Nevada had the strictest marijuana law in the nation.
People possessing any amount of marijuana could be charged with a felony,
although most received lesser charges in exchange for attending drug
treatment programs. Possession of one ounce or less of marijuana in Nevada
is now a misdemeanor, punishable by a $600 fine.

Under the Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement proposal, adults would
not be arrested if they possessed three ounces or less of marijuana. They
still could not use the drug in public places or while driving.

The petition also calls for the state to set up a distribution plan to
provide medical marijuana to qualified patients.

Currently, 185 people in Nevada have permission to use marijuana for
medical reasons. They must grow their own marijuana. How they acquire seeds
is left up to the qualified users.

Besides meeting the total signature requirement, Bilyeu said Nevadans for
Responsible Law Enforcement met a second requirement by collecting a
sufficient number of signatures in 14 of the state's 17 counties, falling
short only in Douglas, Elko and Nye counties. Under state law, sufficient
signatures had to be collected in at least 13 counties.

While permitting adults to use small amounts of marijuana, Rogers said this
proposal recognizes the need to prevent irresponsible use of marijuana by
minors and drivers.

"Today, responsible and other law-abiding citizens face arrest and
imprisonment for possessing small amounts of marijuana," he said.

"This initiative will protect responsible people and punish those who use
irresponsibly."
__________________________________________________________________________
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- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 13:27:54 -0700

Subject:Nevada To Vote On Legalizing Small Amounts Of Marijuana Up TOC

Newshawk: http://www.lp.org/issues/drug-war-task-force.html
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jul 2002
Source: Chicago Tribune (IL)
Copyright: 2002 Chicago Tribune Company
Contact: ctc-TribLetter@Tribune.com
Website: http://www.chicagotribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82
Author: Associated Press

NEVADA TO VOTE ON LEGALIZING SMALL AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA

CARSON CITY, Nev. -- Voters in Nevada, which up until last year had the
nation's strictest marijuana law, will decide in November whether to let
adults legally possess small amounts of the drug.

State officials said Tuesday that a petition drive to put the measure on
the ballot had narrowly succeeded with about 75,000 valid signatures.

Under the proposal, marijuana would be sold in state-licensed shops and
taxed like cigarettes and other tobacco products. A distribution system
would also be set up to provide low-cost marijuana for medical uses.

To become law, the change needs voter approval this year and in 2004.
Whether it could ever take effect is unclear. Federal law bans marijuana
possession, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that states cannot
make exceptions for medical use.

The proposal would let adults have up to 3 ounces of marijuana. Driving
under the influence would still be illegal, as would using marijuana in
public places.

"The success of our petition drive provides solid evidence that most
Nevadans think it's a waste of their tax dollars to arrest people for small
amounts of marijuana," said Billy Rogers of Nevadans for Responsible Law
Enforcement.

Law-enforcement groups in Nevada are expected to oppose the ballot measure.

"Three ounces is quite a bit," said Lt. Stan Olsen, lobbyist for the Las
Vegas police. "If we legalize it, what is next? A lot of people don't use
drugs now because they are illegal, and they stand to lose in their
personal or professional lives if they use."

Until last year, puffing on a single marijuana cigarette in Nevada was a
felony punishable by a year or more behind bars. But the stiff penalties
were rarely imposed.

Lawmakers have since made possession of less than an ounce a misdemeanor.
__________________________________________________________________________
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- ---
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 13:32:13 -0700

Subject:NC: Campaign Targets Pot Cultivators Up TOC

Newshawk: Chip
Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jul 2002
Source: High Point Enterprise (NC)
Copyright: 2002 High Point (N.C.) Enterprise
Contact: letterbox@hpe.com
Website: http://www.hpe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/576
Author: Robert Boyer

CAMPAIGN TARGETS POT CULTIVATORS

A multi-agency marijuana aerial search program is expected to double its
number of plant seizures across North Carolina in 2002.

The initiative, called the Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression
program, the brainchild of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, began
in 1979 in Hawaii and California. By 1985, it had expanded to all 50 states.

Funded mainly by a federal DEA grant, local and state agencies conduct the
airborne searches and seizures.

The State Bureau of Investigation coordinates the program in North Carolina
and received $167,500 in grant money this year, said N.C. Department of
Justice spokesman John Bason.

So far in 2002, nearly 80,000 marijuana plants have been seized across the
state, said George Woessner, the resident agent in charge of the Greensboro
DEA office.

According to N.C. Department of Justice figures, seizures from aerial
searches led to the eradication of 90,000 plants in the state in 2001 and
43,000 in 2000.

Woessner said as many as 200,000 plants could be seized this year. DEA
officials said the recent economic downturn probably contributed to
increased marijuana growth.

Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes said his department takes part in three
or four flights a year.

A flight scheduled for earlier this month had to be postponed due to bad
weather.

"We have guys who are trained as spotters," Barnes said. "We sent them to
train at the DEA."

Spotters use high-powered scopes and binoculars and alert deputies on the
ground if they locate plants.

Barnes said with the equipment, spotters "can read the print on a bag of
fertilizer."

However, the reconnaissance efforts yielded only about 100 plants in
Guilford County in 2001, Barnes said.

A June seizure in Rockingham County netted more than 1,300 plants worth
$1.6 million.

SBI agent pilots, who fly single-engine planes, and N.C. National Guard and
State Highway Patrol helicopter pilots conduct the searches.

Civil Air Patrol pilots participate under the direction of the DEA, but
only on reconnaissance flights.

The SBI and National Guard weigh a number of factors when considering
requests from sheriff's offices and police departments, including time of
year, growing trends, weather and the results from previous ground/air
operations.

Woessner said as enforcement efforts have gotten more sophisticated, so
have the growers.

"It depends on what they want to do," he said. "(Marijuana) could be anywhere."

Growers tend to favor remote wooded areas, planting between trees, Woessner
said.

"They put them in the middle of the woods. That's why aerial spotting is so
important."

Barnes said some local growers use irrigation and hide plants among corn
and tomato plants.

Some plant booby traps.

Others choose public lands or private areas rarely frequented by owners.

Some rely on ingenuity and audacity, cultivating potted plants on logs in
swamps or near airport runways.

Many, authorities say, have moved indoors, which has sprouted another
serious problem.

Some indoor cultivators now use a nutrient-rich chemical mixture instead of
soil, which produces much more potent plants.

Despite the high amounts confiscated, marijuana is still a lucrative and
booming crop in the state.

North Carolina ranked fifth nationwide in total plants seized and third in
plants seized on federal lands in 2001.

Barnes said top quality North Carolina-grown marijuana can sell for as much
as $3,000 a pound.

Most marijuana in the state comes from the west central mountains of
Mexico, said local DEA agents. A DEA Web site says Mexican drug trafficking
organizations pose "a significant threat to North Carolina." The agency
said an influx in Mexican immigrants corresponds with increased drug traffic.

Barnes agreed that increased south-of-the border immigration has led to
more drugs locally.

He said tougher penalties against large drug distributors and tighter
immigration controls are keys to making a dent in the problem.

"We're going to have to stop it at the borders," he said.

The impressive jump in seizures are just the tip of the iceberg when it
comes to illicit substances, said Barnes.

"If we got 2 to 3 percent of the drugs, I'd be surprised. Anybody that
tells you we're winning the war on drugs is a fool."
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
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- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 13:32:47 -0700

Subject:NYTimes: Britain To Stop Arresting Most Private Users Of Marijuana Up TOC

Newshawk: Amanda
Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jul 2002
Source: New York Times (NY)
Webpage: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/11/international/europe/11BRIT.html
Section: International
Copyright: 2002 The New York Times Company
Contact: letters@nytimes.com
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Warren Hoge

BRITAIN TO STOP ARRESTING MOST PRIVATE USERS OF MARIJUANA

LONDON - Britain, which has one of the highest rates of cannabis use in
Europe, said today that it was relaxing its laws on marijuana smoking,
keeping the practice theoretically illegal but making private use in
discreet amounts no longer subject to arrest.

The decision, announced by Home Secretary David Blunkett in the House of
Commons, stirred criticism from the Conservative opposition and some Labor
politicians and prompted the country's former antidrug chief to resign as a
government adviser because, he said, Britain is "moving further toward
decriminalization than any other country in the world."

Mr. Blunkett tempered his announcement, which takes effect next July and
puts cannabis on a par with antidepressants and steroids, by saying he
would also raise the punishment for marijuana dealing and step up drug
education and treatment for abusers.

An estimated five million people in Britain regularly use marijuana, and
government data show that its use has risen sharply in the last 20 years.

A study published last year on drug habits in the European Union showed
that 20 to 25 percent of adults in Britain used marijuana - about the same
rate as shown for Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain.

The government action followed recommendations of a parliamentary committee
in May, which said a new attitude of tolerance would give drug policy
greater credibility among young people and help the police direct resources
toward heroin and cocaine. Britain has the most drug-related deaths of any
country in the European Union, with heroin cited as the principal cause.

The parliamentary committee also suggested reclassifying the drug Ecstasy,
but Mr. Blunkett said he had rejected that advice.

Several other European countries have already relaxed their drug laws. The
Netherlands has legalized marijuana, while Luxembourg has ended jail
sentences for marijuana possession. Spain and Italy do not jail people
caught with drugs meant for personal use. Last year Portugal eliminated
jail time for possession of small amounts of any illegal drug.

Under the British reform, possession of marijuana would no longer be
considered an arrestable offense. Though that will not take effect for a
year, from now on any police action will be limited to issuing a warning
and seizing the drug.

Mr. Blunkett countered suggestions that Britain was going "soft on drugs"
by saying the police would retain the right to arrest users in cases like
smoking outside schools or in the presence of children. The Home Office
emphasized that any marijuana cafes where the drug was sold and used openly
remained illegal and would be closed.

"It is critical that police can maintain public order," Mr. Blunkett said.
"Where cannabis possession is linked to aggravated behavior that threatens
public order, the police will retain the power of arrest."

Scotland Yard said it welcomed the reclassification of the drug combined
with maintaining a discretionary police power to intervene. The drug
spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers, Andy Hayman, said,
"The retention of police power of arrest will enable the police to have
greater flexibility in dealing with incidents on the street."

Mr. Blunkett insisted that today's move did not constitute legalizing
marijuana. "All controlled drugs are harmful and will remain illegal," he
said. "We must concentrate our efforts on the drugs that cause the most
harm, while sending a credible message to young people."

But Keith Hellawell, Prime Minister Tony Blair's onetime antidrug chief,
said the new policy "would virtually be decriminalization of cannabis, and
this is, quite frankly, giving out the wrong message."

He coupled the announcement of his resignation from a government advisory
post with a strong attack on the policy, saying it would damage communities
and lead to more, not less, drug use.

"It's actually a technical adjustment which in the reality of the law
doesn't make a great deal of difference," Mr. Hellawell said, "but it's
being bandied about by people as a softening of the law."

He said that there had been an increase in marijuana smoking among young
people and that more people were seeking treatment for its effects. "Why on
earth, when there are these problems, we change our message and give a
softer message, I don't know," he said.

Mr. Hellawell, the former chief constable of West Yorkshire, was named the
government's first antidrug coordinator by Mr. Blair in 1997, but last year
he was sidelined by Mr. Blunkett from the $160,000-a-year post and made a
part-time adviser on the international drug trade.

The new police tolerance has been in effect on an experimental basis in two
London neighborhoods, Lambeth and Brixton. The Conservative leader, Iain
Duncan Smith, visited the Brixton project on Tuesday and told the Commons
today that residents had told him it had led to rampant dealing on their
streets. He said Mr. Blunkett's plan amounted to "handing over drugs policy
to criminals on the street."

Oliver Letwin, the Conservatives' spokesman on law enforcement, complained
that "the middle ground of calling it illegal, leaving it in the hands of
dealers rather than in legitimate tobacconists or whatever, then turning a
blind eye to it, is the worst of all worlds."

Kate Hoey, a Labor member of Parliament who represents one of the affected
London areas, said the government could live to regret today's decision
because of the increasing strength of marijuana being peddled on the street.

"It is a very strong type of cannabis, it's genetically modified, it is not
perhaps like people tried 20 years ago," she said, "and we have no idea of
the long-term effects of constant hard smoking that some kids are doing now."
__________________________________________________________________________
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- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11Jul 2002 20:34:07 -0700
From: "D. Paul Stanford" stanford@crrh.org
Subject: UK: Cannabis in the Melting Pot

Newshawk: ccguide.org.uk
Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jul 2002
Source: Eastern Daily Press (UK)
Copyright: 2002, Archant Regional
Contact: EDPletters@archant.co.uk
Website: http://www.edp24.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/131
Author: Richard Balls
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)

CANNABIS IN THE MELTING POT

Stroll along any street in Norwich or a large town in the county and
the whiff of cannabis may waft your way. Go along to a nightclub, live
music venue or certain pubs around the county, and the unmistakable
aroma of a 'spliff' or 'joint' being smoked hangs heavy in the air.

Shops sell the seeds, although it is illegal to grow them,
alternatives to cannabis are sold openly on Norwich market and through
other outlets, and packets of cannabis resin and grass can be bought
as easily as a newspaper or a pint of milk by those who use it --
young or old.

The police have long turned a blind eye to personal use of 'dope', and
those who are caught with a small lump of cannabis resin in their
pocket are rarely charged. So will the Government's headline-making
reclassification of cannabis really make any difference and is the
real issue the freeing-up of police resources?

"The only difference is that if the police catch someone with
cannabis, they will take it off them and warn them, but they won't
have to arrest them, search their house, put in all the paperwork and
go to court," said Alun Buffrey, the Norwich-based co-ordinator of the
Legalise Cannabis Alliance.

"The user won't get a criminal record, but he will still lose his
cannabis. Our concern is that in recognising people are going to use
it, they should be protected from the real problems surrounding it."

  From July next year, cannabis will be reclassified from a class B to
class C drug. Home Secretary David Blunkett and his officials were at
pains to stress yesterday that cannabis would remain illegal and that
the police would be expected to act quickly to close down pot-smoking
cafes where it was openly sold and used. But in most cases, police
officers would simply "issue a warning and seize the drugs" where
people were caught in possession.

In an effort to counter claims that he was "going soft on drugs", Mr
Blunkett said the maximum sentence for dealing class C substances
would be raised from five years to 14, even though cannabis was being
downgraded. This means that dealing in other drugs such as anabolic
steroids and certain anti-depressants would also carry a theoretical
14-year penalty.

Drugs 'tsar' Keith Hellawell handed in his resignation over the change
in attitude towards cannabis which was "moving further towards
decriminalis-ation than in any other country in the world".

Former minister Kate Hoey, whose Vauxhall constituency is in the
Metropolitan police's "softly softly" experiment, said that rolling
out that stance across the country would hit the most deprived areas.

"There are more drug dealers than ever, cannabis much more widely
available. There is a mixed message being sent out," she said.

"On the one hand we are trying to say drugs are bad and at the same
time cannabis is being seen as something that is just there, that
people are smoking."

Mr Blunkett was adamant, however, that would not be the case. "It is
important to remember that cannabis is a harmful substance that still
requires strict controls to be maintained, hence its classification as
a class C drug.

"I therefore have no intention of either decriminalising or legalising
the production, supply or possession of cannabis."

Claims by some that Mr Blunkett has in effect decriminalised cannabis
are not borne out by the reaction of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance.
The fact that people will no longer be arrested for possession, except
in certain circumstances, and may smoke the drug more openly is being
seen as a "positive step" in terms of attitude, but the lobby group
says it does not deal with many of the issues posing a threat to users.

It does not rule out the involvement of drug dealers selling this and
other more dangerous drugs or the availability of low-quality and
sometimes dangerous cannabis. Nor does it offer any protection for
users in terms of safe places where they can smoke cannabis.

"Some people who buy it are concerned about the quality of it and
about other substances being involved," said Mr Buffrey. "Some people
end up buying a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and if
there is not much cannabis around maybe they will buy something else.

"I don't want people's choices controlled, but protected. If someone
wants to take the dangerous drugs of alcohol or tobacco then they can
go out and buy it without having to deal with criminals and use it in
private without being bothered by the law.

"But if people choose to take drugs they end up in a world of crime
and have poor quality, and in some cases poisonous, stuff, and sit on
railway lines or a park, often risking their own and other people's
lives."

The relaxation of the law on cannabis is a "sensible move" in the
current climate and with the general acceptance of the usage of the
'weed' among young people, according to Penny McVeigh, chief executive
of Norcas (Norfolk Community Alcohol Services).

The rigorous marketing by dealers of hard drugs such as crack cocaine
and heroin meant that cannabis was being bypassed in many cases and it
was "not helpful" to concentrate on the link between class A and class
B drugs.

The changes announced by Mr Blunkett would allow police time and
resources to be directed at these more dangerous drugs, but it was
important that young people did not misread the change as a
'decriminalisation' of the drug as a complacency about its effects
could lead to unprotected sex or dangerous driving.

"If the Government is going to reclassify cannabis it needs to think
through how the more vulnerable people in society will receive it,"
she said.

"If young people see it as a green light, are they going to be given
appropriate information about the risks and consequences of using
cannabis and driving. If they do misunderstand and think 'it's all
right now', then they will still be at risk."

Dr Ian Gibson, MP for Norwich North, said: "It is clear we are on the
road to decriminalisation and the Government should not shy away from
that argument. The drugs tsar has resigned on the basis of this, so
obviously this is a pathway to decriminalisation and allowing the
police to concentrate on the real problem drugs we have in cities like
Norwich.

"There have been several drug busts in my constituency where hard
drugs are being peddled and I would rather the police did that than
hassle a few people over a few joints.

"It won't make much difference to the police, but it will just give
them the opportunity to ignore the hardliners who think the world will
collapse around our ears if people smoke cannabis."

Shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin said Mr Blunkett needed to explain
whether he wanted police officers to arrest people openly selling
cannabis or simply look away. If he was effectively decriminalising
cannabis, did he still want young people to buy their supply from criminals?

"He needs to explain how it can be right to tell one set of people
that it is OK to smoke cannabis, but to tell another set of people
they may be put in prison for 10 years if they sell it," he said in
House the Commons.

The Association of Chief Police Officers said the retention of the
police power of arrest would give officers greater flexibility in
dealing with incidents on the street.

The higher maximum penalty for trafficking and the consideration of an
aggravated offence of supplying to a young person would also assist
the police, the association said.

Deputy Commissioner Ian Blair said: "We felt it important that
officers can maintain their credibility in dealing with members of the
public in possession of cannabis and that their authority on the
street is not undermined.

"Similarly, it was important to us that young people most at risk from
drugs are adequately protected."
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake



------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 20:34:35 -0700
From: "D. Paul Stanford" stanford@crrh.org
Subject: NV: Editorial: Legalize Pot? Not So Fast

Newshawk: Richard Lake
Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jul 2002
Source: Nevada Appeal (Carson City, NV)
Copyright: 2002 Nevada Appeal
Contact: editor@nevadaappeal.com
Website: http://www.nevadaappeal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/896
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/area/Nevada

LEGALIZE POT? NOT SO FAST

The speed at which pro-marijuana forces are trying to liberalize
Nevada's laws is enough to make us dizzy.

  From one of the strictest anti-marijuana states to legalization in
two years? We don't think Nevadans will stand for it, and they
shouldn't because it's a bad idea.

A group called Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement has
successfully collected signatures to put the issue to a vote in
November. With 74,740 names, they met the test in 14 of the state's 17
counties -- including Carson City, but not Douglas County.

We don't begrudge them the public vote, because that's their right.
But we can't see any good coming from legalization of possession of up
to 3 ounces of pot by anyone over the age of 21.

We opposed medical marijuana in Nevada because we feared it was simply
the first step toward legalization.

It's hard to tell cancer sufferers and others who get relief from
severe, debilitating diseases by smoking marijuana that they are
breaking the law. But while the anecdotal evidence seemed plentiful,
the scientific proof was slim. And we were more worried about eroding
Nevada's tough anti-pot stance.

The next time we checked, the 2001 Legislature was reducing pot
possession from a felony to a misdemeanor. Again, we protested.

The argument seemed to be that judges weren't slapping felonies on
first-time offenders anyway. So why bother having a felony law?
Because judges and prosecutors need tools to fight crime and protect
society.

Some marijuana users, we'll concede, may be doing harm only to
themselves. Others, though, can be a definite threat to the well-being
of the people around them. We like to give judges the ability to
distinguish between the two.

The Legislature went ahead and lowered the charge, and now along comes
the legalization vote. We think that pretty much proves our initial
concerns were well-founded.

In addition to our basic belief that marijuana should remain a
controlled substance, the proposal would allow for possession of up to
3 ounces -- a substantial amount. Add to that the fact marijuana
possession remains a federal offense, and there are plenty of reasons
for voters to turn down legalization of marijuana
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake



------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2002 09:05:55 -0700
From: "D. Paul Stanford" stanford@crrh.org
Subject: CA: Brian Epis convicted on all counts in first cannabis club jury verdict

 From Dale Gieringer

Marijuana grower convicted in first cannabis club jury verdict

  Thursday, July 11, 2002
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

(07-11) 18:13 PDT SACRAMENTO (AP) --

The first federal criminal case involving a cannabis buyers' club to reach=
=20
a jury ended Thursday when jurors convicted a Chico-area supplier of=20
illegally growing marijuana he said was for medical use.

Prosecutors said Bryan James Epis planned to grow as many as 1,000=20
marijuana plants for profit. The production was illegal under federal law=20
that supersedes California's medical marijuana law, prosecutors said.

Epis, 35, faces a sentence of at least 10 years in prison.

He helped establish and supply Chico Medical Marijuana Caregivers, a=20
cannabis buyers' club, but insisted he did not profit and sought only to=20
help sick people with doctors' recommendations, in compliance with state=
 law.

The trial was delayed several times due to clashes between medical=20
marijuana supporters, the judge, the defense and the prosecution.

Before it could get underway, U.S. District Judge Frank C. Damrell Jr.=20
excused an entire panel of 42 original potential jurors after learning that=
=20
some of them received a flier explaining how jurors are manipulated by=
 judges.

Damrell accused Epis of being responsible and had him briefly arrested. He=
=20
set an Aug. 1 hearing to determine whether Epis is guilty of obstructing=20
justice. Pro-marijuana activist Jeffrey Jones was also cited for a=20
misdemeanor attempt to influence jurors by handing out the fliers outside=20
the courthouse. He was released pending trial.

Controversy continued during the trial when protesters were barred from=20
their station outside the federal courthouse.

  =A92002 Associated Press



- --=20
- ----
Dale Gieringer (415) 563-5858  // canorml@igc.org
2215-R Market St. #278, San Francisco CA 94114


CRRH is working to regulate and tax the sale of cannabis to adults like=20
alcohol, allow doctors to recommend cannabis through pharmacies and restore=
=20
the unregulated production of industrial hemp.

*Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp*
mail:     CRRH ; P.O. Box 86741 ; Portland, OR 97286 USA
email:   crrh@crrh.org
phone:  (503) 235-4606
fax:       (503) 235-0120
web:     http://www.crrh.org/

------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2002 09:06:48 -0700
From: "D. Paul Stanford" stanford@crrh.org
Subject: Brian Epis Convicted; Jeff Jones facing 1 1/2 years in jail for protest

 From Steve Kubby

The Monday edition of the Pot TV News will take an in depth look at the
Soviet-style show trial of Brian Epis and Orwellian prosecution of Jeff
Jones.

- -------------------

CONVICTION IN FEDERAL POT TRIAL

The jurors reach a verdict after being told to ignore all medical-use
evidence and argument.

By Denny Walsh -- Sacramento Bee Staff Writer

Bryan James Epis, who says he smoked marijuana for chronic pain and wanted
to grow it for others who were sick, was found guilty Thursday by a jury in
Sacramento federal court of conspiracy and manufacturing the drug.

He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison on the jury's finding
that he conspired to eventually boost his crop to at least 1,000 plants. The
panel also found that he grew at least 100 plants in the spring of 1997 at
his Chico residence. The fact that his house is within 1,000 feet of Chico
Senior High School could increase the penalty.

Defense lawyer J. Tony Serra said there will be an appeal.

Epis, 35, who has electrical engineering and law degrees, helped finance the
start-up of a cannabis buyers club in Chico after voters approved
California's 1996 initiative allowing the use of marijuana on a doctor's
recommendation.

His prosecution is the first federal criminal case involving such an
organization to reach a jury.

Sentencing was set for Aug. 26.

U.S. District Judge Frank C. Damrell Jr. granted prosecutor Samuel Wong's
motion that Epis be jailed pending sentencing. Wong pointed out that the law
under which Epis was found guilty mandates immediate incarceration, and the
judge agreed.

Serra asked Damrell to circumvent the statute and allow his client to remain
free until he is sentenced, but the judge wouldn't go along.

Epis and Serra hugged, and Epis was led away by a deputy U.S. marshal.

Even though medical necessity is not a defense in federal court against
marijuana manufacturing charges, the jurors heard a lot of testimony from
Epis and other defense witnesses on the subject, as well as argument by
Serra.

After being instructed by Damrell to disregard medicinal-use evidence and
argument, the panel of eight women and four men took less than four hours to
decide Epis' guilt.

As he excused them, Damrell told the jurors they are now free to talk about
the case.

But there was no post-verdict access to the jurors, who have been
quasi-sequestered from the beginning. Just as they have been on every other
trial day for more than two weeks, the panelists -- escorted by court
security officers -- were taken to the basement of the courthouse on a
freight elevator and driven in a van to Cal Expo, where they have parked
throughout the proceedings.

While at the courthouse, the jurors were kept together and always
accompanied by court security officers. Their lunches were brought to them
in the fourth floor juror lounge from the second floor cafeteria.

Damrell ordered these unusual measures because he was afraid the jurors
would be tainted by pro-medical marijuana demonstrators. On the sidewalks at
the corner of Fifth and I streets, these activists sporadically displayed
picket signs attacking the federal no-tolerance pot policy and what they
view as Draconian sentences.

Epis supporters were also in and out of the building and were regular
spectators in the courtroom, making Damrell and Wong uneasy about allowing
jurors to wander around on their own.

As recently as Wednesday, Wong relayed information to the judge from court
security officers that "stickers" supporting medical marijuana were being
left in building restrooms. Damrell agreed that would be inappropriate but
said he would rely on the security officers to make sure any such material
is removed.

Epis still faces a possibility of being held in criminal contempt if it is
determined that he had a hand in distributing a statement by him about the
case that was available from demonstrators June 24, the day the trial was
supposed to start. A hearing on that question is set before Damrell on Aug.
1.

Serra has told the judge that the statement had been on his client's Web
site for months and was downloaded without his permission.

Damrell disqualified the first pool of prospective jurors and a jury was not
selected until June 26. The second group of prospects reported to Arco Arena
and were bused into the courthouse basement. When Serra heard of this, he
protested vigorously, saying that -- in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks -- Damrell had created an intolerable environment that would
inevitably instill fear and anxiety in the jurors. The attorney asked for
yet a third group of prospects, but the judge rejected that notion.

In addition to the criminal contempt question, the prosecution of Jeffrey
Jones is part of the wreckage left by the trial.

Jones, 28, who headed the Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative until it was
shut down recently by a federal court injunction, was detained June 24 by a
drug agent and, at Damrell's request, cited by a security officer for
handing a flier to a potential juror.

By the time he was arraigned Wednesday, however, the case had grown to a
two-count charging document filed by the U.S. attorney's office. It accuses
him of "picketing and parading" and "influencing a juror by writing." Both
are misdemeanors punishable by a year in prison and six months in prison,
respectively.

Jones pleaded not guilty, and a status conference is set for Aug. 7. He was
released on his own recognizance.



------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2002 09:08:20 -0700
From: "D. Paul Stanford" stanford@crrh.org
Subject: UK: Cannabis Reforms Sow Police Confusion

Newshawk: JimmyG
Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jul 2002
Source: Times, The (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Times Newspapers Ltd
Contact: letters@the-times.co.uk
Website: http://www.the-times.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/454
Authors: Richard Ford and Philip Webster

CANNABIS REFORMS SOW POLICE CONFUSION

DAVID BLUNKETT'S gamble yesterday in overhauling Britain's drug laws for
the first time in 30 years opened the way for months of confusion over how
the law on cannabis will be enforced.

Police forces throughout Britain are expected to operate a "softly softly"
approach towards people found in possession of cannabis. But exactly when
the new policy will come into force remains unclear, senior police officers
admitted last night. Official police guidelines on dealing with cannabis
users are months away.

The Home Secretary's bold move to downgrade cannabis from a Class B to a
Class C drug was dealt a damaging blow when Keith Hellawell, the former
drugs czar, announced his resignation as a government adviser in protest at
the decision Mr Blunkett, facing down a storm of protest over his plans to
make cannabis possession for personal use a non-arrestable offence, told
MPs that the Lambeth experiment, which has seen police in the South London
borough focus their energies on hard drugs users and dealers, will be
extended across London in a modified form the autumn. His officials said
later that the same practice, under which police will seize cannabis from
people found with the drug and give them a warning, could apply across the
country by the late autumn.

Oliver Letwin, the Shadow Home Secretary, said: "The more we listened to
the Home Secretary this afternoon, the clearer it became that the Govenment
and the law are now in a state of utter confusion on the vital question of
drugs."

Critics said last night that the law was confused, with soft drugs users in
some parts of the country certain to be treated differently than those in
others. At the same time, higher sentences promised by Mr Blunkett for
dealing in cannabis would not be in force for at least a year, leaving a
vacuum in the law.

Home Office officials said that the Association of Chief Police Officers,
which backs the change, would be issuing guidance in October to ensure that
in the vast majority of cases officers would confiscate the drug and issue
a warning, allowing them to concentrate their efforts on Class A drug
dealing. The Lambeth experiment has resulted in a 10 per cent increase in
the arrest of Class A dealers. Changes in police practice are now expected
across the country well before cannabis is officially reclassified as a
Class C drug.

In late changes designed to appease his critics, Mr Blunkett, who insisted
that possession of cannabis would remain a criminal offence, decided that
it should remain an arrestable offence where public order was threatened or
or where children were at risk. He has also decided to increase the penalty
for dealing in cannabis beyond the ten years disclosed four days ago to 14
years. The move is aimed at drug dealing outside schools.

These changes will require legislation in the next session of Parliament.
Mr Blunkett has decided that the downgrading will not happen until then.

While senior police officers welcomed the decision to reclassify cannabis,
they admitted that there would be confusion as to how the law would operate
in the 12 months until Parliament votes on reclassification and the new
aggravated offences, under which possession of cannabis will remain an
arrestable offence.

Mr Blunkett, under attack from Conservatives in the Commons, admitted to a
Labour MP that the changes could be a gamble. "There are no certainties in
dealing with drugs policy," he told Kate Hoey (Vauxhall).

The Home Secretary and Downing Street tried with little success to play
down their anger over Mr Hellawell's resignation. The former Chief
Constable of Yorkshire announced on thew BBC Today programme that he had
quit because the reclassification of cannabis was "giving out the wrong
message". He said drug dealers would be euphoric.

Mr Blunkett said that when he had informed Mr Hellawell last October of his
intention to refer the downgrading to the Government's advisory committee
on the misuse of drugs, he had agreed. Officials said that Mr Blunkett had
told him at a meeting on October 17 that he was moving to reclassify
cannabis and refer it to the committee. Mr Hellawell had welcomed it. There
was a minute to that effect.

Tony Blair's spokesman also said officials were "bemused" by Mr Hellawell's
comments. "He has had three meetings with (drugs Minister) Bob Ainsworth
and hasn't indicated any concerns on this front," the spokesman said.

Blunkett's plans from next July

*Carrying cannabis or smoking at home: Possible warning and confiscation.
Grey area

*Buying a lump of cannabis from a dealer in the street: Warning and loss of
cannabis. Dealer arrested and charged

*Smoking cannabis in a pub or club: Possible arrest. Risk to public order
is aggravating factor. Grey area

*Smoking a joint near a school: Arrest. Possible influence on children is
aggravating factor

*Smoking a joint in front of police officer: Arrest. Chief constables
concerned about taunting of police

But what will police do tomorrow?

*Cumbria Police: "You have got me beat . . . but I don't think our policy
has changed."

*South Wales Police: "It was on the news this morning . . . any arrest is
still subject to discretion."

*Avon and Somerset: "If it was a small enough amount you would be cautioned."

*Metropolitan Police: "Don't do it. It's too early not to get arrested for
smoking it tomorrow."

*Kent: "As far as we are concerned, it is still an arrestable offence."
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Alex



------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2002 09:15:23 -0700
From: "D. Paul Stanford" stanford@crrh.org
Subject: CA: Conviction In Federal Pot Trial

Newshawk: Jay Bergstrom
Pubdate: Fri, 12 Jul 2002
Source: Sacramento Bee (CA)
Webpage: http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/3544428p-4571947c.html
Copyright: 2002 The Sacramento Bee
Contact: opinion@sacbee.com
Website: http://www.sacbee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/376
Author: Denny Walsh, Bee Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)

CONVICTION IN FEDERAL POT TRIAL

The Jurors Reach A Verdict After Being Told To Ignore All Medical-Use
Evidence And Argument.

Bryan James Epis, who says he smoked marijuana for chronic pain and wanted
to grow it for others who were sick, was found guilty Thursday by a jury in
Sacramento federal court of conspiracy and manufacturing the drug.

He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison on the jury's finding
that he conspired to eventually boost his crop to at least 1,000 plants.
The panel also found that he grew at least 100 plants in the spring of 1997
at his Chico residence. The fact that his house is within 1,000 feet of
Chico Senior High School could increase the penalty.

Defense lawyer J. Tony Serra said there will be an appeal.

Epis, 35, who has electrical engineering and law degrees, helped finance
the start-up of a cannabis buyers club in Chico after voters approved
California's 1996 initiative allowing the use of marijuana on a doctor's
recommendation.

His prosecution is the first federal criminal case involving such an
organization to reach a jury.

Sentencing was set for Aug. 26.

U.S. District Judge Frank C. Damrell Jr. granted prosecutor Samuel Wong's
motion that Epis be jailed pending sentencing. Wong pointed out that the
law under which Epis was found guilty mandates immediate incarceration, and
the judge agreed.

Serra asked Damrell to circumvent the statute and allow his client to
remain free until he is sentenced, but the judge wouldn't go along.

Epis and Serra hugged, and Epis was led away by a deputy U.S. marshal.

Even though medical necessity is not a defense in federal court against
marijuana manufacturing charges, the jurors heard a lot of testimony from
Epis and other defense witnesses on the subject, as well as argument by Serra.

After being instructed by Damrell to disregard medicinal-use evidence and
argument, the panel of eight women and four men took less than four hours
to decide Epis' guilt.

As he excused them, Damrell told the jurors they are now free to talk about
the case.

But there was no post-verdict access to the jurors, who have been
quasi-sequestered from the beginning. Just as they have been on every other
trial day for more than two weeks, the panelists -- escorted by court
security officers -- were taken to the basement of the courthouse on a
freight elevator and driven in a van to Cal Expo, where they have parked
throughout the proceedings.

While at the courthouse, the jurors were kept together and always
accompanied by court security officers. Their lunches were brought to them
in the fourth floor juror lounge from the second floor cafeteria.

Damrell ordered these unusual measures because he was afraid the jurors
would be tainted by pro-medical marijuana demonstrators. On the sidewalks
at the corner of Fifth and I streets, these activists sporadically
displayed picket signs attacking the federal no-tolerance pot policy and
what they view as Draconian sentences.

Epis supporters were also in and out of the building and were regular
spectators in the courtroom, making Damrell and Wong uneasy about allowing
jurors to wander around on their own.

As recently as Wednesday, Wong relayed information to the judge from court
security officers that "stickers" supporting medical marijuana were being
left in building restrooms. Damrell agreed that would be inappropriate but
said he would rely on the security officers to make sure any such material
is removed.

Epis still faces a possibility of being held in criminal contempt if it is
determined that he had a hand in distributing a statement by him about the
case that was available from demonstrators June 24, the day the trial was
supposed to start. A hearing on that question is set before Damrell on Aug. 1.

Serra has told the judge that the statement had been on his client's Web
site for months and was downloaded without his permission.

Damrell disqualified the first pool of prospective jurors and a jury was
not selected until June 26. The second group of prospects reported to Arco
Arena and were bused into the courthouse basement. When Serra heard of
this, he protested vigorously, saying that -- in the wake of the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks -- Damrell had created an intolerable environment that
would inevitably instill fear and anxiety in the jurors. The attorney asked
for yet a third group of prospects, but the judge rejected that notion.

In addition to the criminal contempt question, the prosecution of Jeffrey
Jones is part of the wreckage left by the trial.

Jones, 28, who headed the Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative until it was
shut down recently by a federal court injunction, was detained June 24 by a
drug agent and, at Damrell's request, cited by a security officer for
handing a flier to a potential juror.

By the time he was arraigned Wednesday, however, the case had grown to a
two-count charging document filed by the U.S. attorney's office. It accuses
him of "picketing and parading" and "influencing a juror by writing." Both
are misdemeanors punishable by a year in prison and six months in prison,
respectively.

Jones pleaded not guilty, and a status conference is set for Aug. 7. He was
released on his own recognizance.
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom



------------------------------
End of Restore-Digest V2002 #132
********************************