SAN FRANCISCO – May 18th. US District Judge Marilyn Patel sentenced Eddy Lepp to ten years mandatory minimum for having grown over 1,000 marijuana plants for a medical marijuana garden in Lake County. Patel called the sentence “excessive,” but said she had no choice under federal law. In addition, she sentenced Lepp to five years …
May 18, 2009 – The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear case #08-887 San Diego County v. San Diego NORML et al., leaving in place an appeals court ruling holding that California law trumps federal law over medical marijuana. San Diego filed suit after San Diego NORML threatened to sue the county for failing …
May 7 – Kern County deputies accompanied by two DEA agents served a search warrant yesterday at the Green Cross Compassionate Co-Op Bakersfield. Deputies said they found two pounds of “high grade” marijuana and two loaded handguns. Three men, Albert Juarez, 40; Adam Romero Valenzuela, 27; and Brandon Neal Luck, 24 were arrested and charged …
May 5 – Asked today about a recent Field Poll showing that 56 percent of registered voters support legalizing and taxing marijuana in California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said “Well, I think it’s not time for that, but I think it’s time for a debate.” “I think all of those ideas of creating extra revenues, I’m …
May 3, 2009 – In an unpublished opinion, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reaffirmed the 10-year mandatory minimum sentence of Bryan Epis on charges of conspiracy to manufacture marijuana. Epis’ attorney, Brenda Grantland, says she will appeal for an en banc rehearing of the ruling by the full Ninth Circuit. …
April 30, 2009 – A new poll by Mervin Field, the state’s premier political pollster, finds that 56% of Californians support legalizing marijuana. This confirms the findings of the recent Evans-McDonough poll sponsored by Oaksterdam University and the Zogby poll by NORML et al. Public opinion has swung to legalization here in California. – Dale …
The US Dept of Justice has made a mockery of AG Eric Holder’s policy of supposedly respecting state medical marijuana laws in the case of Charles C. Lynch, whose sentencing has been delayed until June 11. “The Office of the Deputy Attorney General has reviewed the facts of this case and determined that the investigation, …
March 26, 2009 – Yesterday’s DEA raid on a San Francisco medical cannabis club is a wake-up slap to everyone who was hoping for the best from Attorney General Holder’s promise to end DEA raids. Not surprisingly, DEA agents are claiming that the club in question, Emmalyn’s, was in violation of state law. However, Emmalyn’s …
March 23, 2009 – Hearings for the landmark legalization bill AB 390 by Tom Ammiano have been set for the next session of the California Assembly (Dec – Jan) so as to provide time for building support. Thanks to the over 4,000 Californians who have already sent emails to their legislators about the bill through …
Speaking live on CNN, Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-47) cited the west coast’s majority support for regulating cannabis like alcohol – as acknowledged by NORML’s recent Zogby poll – and called for a statewide “pilot program” to objectively assess the impact of cannabis legalization upon adult society. “Well, certainly, I have seen in my own state …