Pioneering Common Sense Compassion in Oregon, across America and around the World
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This World-wide Cannabis Liberation Action Item is happening
May 3, 2008
in 200-plus cities in Oregon and all over the Planet!
In
Salem
- High Noon at the Capital Mall, W. Summer & Center;
in
Eugene
- High Noon at the Federal building, 7th & Pearl;
in
Portland
- High Noon starting in Pioneer Courthouse Square.
Learn More ...
Cannabis and ...
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Click here for printable version of current month in WORD, click here for PDF. What’s
Happening in Oregon state and NorthWest
- 2008 see below
for details Action
Items and Alerts Court
Support Opportunities * Monday,
May 12, 9AM - Please attend the aggravating factor phase of Rob Anderson
and Stacie Beaver's trial Monday at 9:00 am in Salem
on the 2nd floor of the Marion County Courthouse at 100 High Street NE (the
exact courtroom is unknown at this time). *
Wednesday, May 14, 9AM - Lee Berger, along with a young lawyer from
the appellate public defender's office, will be arguing the case before the
Oregon Supreme Court in La Grande which
enabled the prosecutor in this case to get the judge to instruct the jury to
decide which of the hanging and drying material were mature plants and which
were starters or seedlings. *
Friday, May 16, 9AM - another young
lawyer (John 'Land' Lucy IV, who, like Anthony Johnson before him, moved to
Oregon after graduating from law school specifically to work on ending cannabis
prohibition) and Lee Berger will be arguing in Medford
that a patient has as much a right to a concealed handgun license as anybody
else and that its illegal for the sheriff there to have revoked her license
based only on her status as a patient. All across America, every day,
people stand before a sentencing judge with no one in the courtroom to support
them, and how is much easier for a judge to ignore an opportunity to be
compassionate and instead sentence harshly when no one is watching. This is
especially true when the person to be sentenced is a medical cannabis patient
who has been convicted for their medically necessary use. Conversely, trial judges,
especially elected trial judges, are sensitive to the appearance of supporters
for the defendant. In this regard, it
does make a difference how you appear. Dressing neatly and being
quiet and respectful can make the greatest impact. Please leave your medicine at home (or in
your car) as the courthouses usually have metal detectors and x-ray machines at
the entry. It is always helpful and important
to support patients who are being prosecuted for their legitimate medicinal use
of therapeutic cannabis. BELEIVE It
makes a huge difference when people RESPECTFULLY show up in support of the
soon-to-be convicted person. At the least, come and watch your tax dollars at
waste. Details Please attend the aggravating
factor phase of Rob Anderson and Stacie Beaver's trial Monday at 9:00 am in
Salem on the 2nd floor of the Marion County Courthouse at 100 High Street NE
(the exact courtroom is unknown at this time). Rob and Stacie were found NOT
guilty of delivery, but guilty of manufacturing because the jury, by a 11-1
verdict, determined that they were out of compliance with too many plants. They were found not guilty on delivery
because there was absolutely no evidence of sales--no drug records, no large
amounts of cash, no controlled buy, no one admitting they purchased
cannabis--absolutely nothing. The
prosecutor, Katie Suver, even brought in a Justice Department financial analyst
to try and prove that they were selling for consideration--an analyst who
examined their financial transactions over a 2 year period and who has assisted
the government on multi-million dollar meth dealer cases where a quarter of a
million dollars in cash has been stashed away.
What a waste of our tax dollars! The defense attorneys in this
case, Brian Michaels and Leland Berger, did absolutely all that they could in
this case. Unfortunately, Oregon and
Louisiana are the only states that don't require unanimous verdicts. If our state required unanimous verdicts,
there would be a hung jury and two patients wouldn't have had their freedom
unjustly snatched from them. Two ridiculous rulings in this
case, if they stand up on appeal, may have chilling effects on patients and
growers across the state. First of all, the search warrant was based upon only
an anonymous complaint and a high electricity bill. Every indoor grower has a
high electric bill and anonymous tips are obviously unreliable (if they even
exist). Will growers really want to help patients if they learn that their homes
will always be subject to search? Second, the judge instructed the jury to
conclude that every hanging, drying branch must be either considered a mature
plant or a seedling! It seems common sense that a dead, drying branch is not a
plant, but unfortunately common sense doesn't always prevail in our criminal
justice system. These patients would not have been
prosecuted in other counties, such as Multnomah. Currently in Marion County, law enforcement officers arrest
patients for possessing hash and hash oil, get bogus search warrants, count
every branch as a plant or seedling and go out of their way to ensure that
patients are out of compliance (such as lifting up branches or leaves to ensure
that the plants get measured as taller than 12 inches). Please come and support these
patients. They simply had the bad luck of living in Marion County and being
hunted and preyed upon by rogue law enforcement officers who seem to enjoy
sending sick and disabled patients to jail.
Anthony Johnson Voter Power Political Director 503.224.3051 v 503.235.5365 f NOTES: Historically, the Marion County DA's office has been the point position
for the District Attorney's Association on the OMMA. Dale Penn, the former
elected DA for Marion County (and current head of the Oregon Lottery) was part
of the work group in the 1999 legislature. Katie Suver (and Steve Dingle, now
with the Attorney General's Office, before her) both lecture to the cops on the
OMMA and respond to inquiries from prosecutors around the state with questions
about the OMMA (I always tell prosecutors if you don't believe what I'm telling
you about the OMMA, ask Katie. They opposed the OMMA. 10 years
after the passage of the law, they don't believe cannabis is medicine or that
patients are anything but dopers getting over. Even after not guilty verdicts
on delivery charges this prosecutor wants the necessary jury findings for the
judge to be able to give more than the presumptive prison sentence to these
patients WHO WERE ACQUITTED OF ACCUSATIONS THAT THEY WERE SELLING. That's what
Monday morning's trial is about. At a hearing yesterday, this prosecutor
insisted that these patients remain in custody pending Monday's hearing. Next Wednesday, a young lawyer
from the appellate public defender's office and I will be arguing the case
before the Oregon Supreme Court in La Grande which enabled the prosecutor in
this case to get the judge to instruct the jury to decide which of the hanging
and drying material were mature plants and which were starters or seedlings.
Next Friday, another young lawyer (John 'Land' Lucy IV, who, like Anthony
Johnson before him, moved to Oregon after graduating from law school
specifically to work on ending cannabis prohibition) and I will be arguing in
Medford that a patient has as much a right to a concealed handgun license as
anybody else and that its illegal for the sheriff there to have revoked her
license based only on her status as a patient. Court in Salem, LaGrande and
Medford each starts at 9:00 a.m. I look forward to seeing you there. But coming to court (which
activists in other states do far much better than we here in Oregon) is only
part of the solution. Now that Mannix's initiative is dead its time to focus on
being pro active. Instead of negotiating with law enforcement at the
legislature, we can and should be focusing our efforts on the initiative. But
for the initiative, most states which have medical cannabis laws (including
Oregon) would not. There are at least 3 legitimate an
worthwhile efforts each of which creates opportunities for activists to be a
part of the solution and change the law in a positive way. Voter Power is
directly addressing the supply problem (which is, in addition to not having an
affirmative defense, the reason patients are prosecuted at all in Oregon) by
collecting signatures for the 2010 ballot on a particularly well drafted (I had
almost nothing to do with the drafting) and exceptionally well vetted plan for
licensed and regulated dispensaries for patients. Voter Power is also
circulating a petition which would amend the constitution to create a personal
privacy right for patients to cultivate, use and share cannabis, in all its
forms. It would prohibit sales, unless otherwise permitted by law. Which is
what Oregon NORML is moving forward with for 2010; a tax and regulate
initiative, as well drafted and as well vetted as the dispensary initiative,
the current version of what long time activists know as the OCTA (Oregon
Cannabis Tax Act). So, come to court, get involved
collecting signatures and registering OUR voters, and don't waste your efforts
negotiating with law enforcement for reform which will ultimately hurt us in
the legislature. Remember that when we passed the OMMA we also won a referendum
which defeated the legislature's attempt at recriminalizing less than an ounce
of cannabis and we can do the same in 2010 if they pass something similar (oh,
say workplace discrimination) in .the 09 session In Solidarity, Lee Berger, Attorney at Law ALERT! Just say NO to Robbery With a Badge - aka:
Ballot Measure 53 "Allows forfeiture without
conviction of claimant … ", see: http://www.leg.state.or.us/comm/sms/sms07/sjr0018bheer06-14-2007.pdf
and http://www.ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Oregon_Ballot_Measure_404_%282008%29
Originally slated for November, it
has been drawn forward to the May Primary ballot. Events * Tuesday,
May 13th * 7pm * Cannabis T.V. Show filming in Eugene * Eugene Cannabis TV Weekly Production happens every Tuesday from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
at: Community
TV 29 Studio behind Sheldon High School *
Call 541.517-0957 or visit:
http://mercycenters.org/events/Meet_CLF.htm * Wednesday,
May 14th * 7:00pm to 9:00pm * Patient
MeetUp hosted by MERCY at Coffeehouse Cafe in Salem. Located at 135
Liberty St. NE Salem, Oregon, 97301, their phone number is 503-371-6768
and they are letting us meet in the “Green Room” * call MERCY at: 503.363-4588 for more info about Meetings and
Meet-Ups * This one will happen every Wednesday. * Forums. A means to communicate and network on
medical cannabis in Portland across Oregon and around the world. A list of Forums, Chat Rooms, Bulletin Boards
and other Online Resources for the Medical Cannabis Patient, CareGiver, Family
Member, Patient-to-Be and Other Interested Parties. * Rsrcs > Pats (plus)
> Online > Forums * Know any?
Let everybody else know!
Visit: http://www.mercycenters.org/orgs/Forums.html and Post It! *
Wednesdays, 7:00
pm - 8:30 pm * Next Emerald Empire Hempfest (EEH) Core Volunteer in Eugene is Wednesday, May 14,
2008 * This event repeats every week until Monday June 30, 2008. * Location: Toasted Herb's Subs, 1210 Willamette St,
Eugene. Call 541-434-2377 or visit:
http://emeraldempirehempfest.com/
* most Wednesdays
* Doctor Clinic hosted by Voter Power in
Portland * Voter Power is
holding clinics in Portland and in Southern
Oregon. * Call 503.224-3051 or visit:
http://www.VoterPower.org *
Others? Let everybody know, visit: http://www.mercycenters.org/orgs/Clinics.html
and Post It! * Saturday,
May 17th * 12:30pm * at the Tigard Town Hall (Tigard)
* OGF-PDX-West * Meeting, open to the public. Happens every 3rd Sat. of the
month. *
Saturday, May 17th * from 1pm til 4pm *
at the Cape Ferrelo Fire Hall, north of Brookings
- * OGF-South-Coast * Meeting. Open to
the public. * The Cape Ferrelo Fire Hall
is at 96349 Cape Ferrelo Road, Brookings
Oregon. Cape Ferrelo Road East is
off HWY 101 north of Brookings, about 3
miles up on the left. Happens every 3rd
Sat. of the month. * Saturday,
May 24th, 2pm * Willamette Valley NORML Public meeting * Normally
happens every 4th Sat. of the month and is held at Herbs Toasted Subs, 1210 Willamette, in Eugene
* ! NOTE: this time will be held at the
1st Annual Wake-n-Bake at North Falls near Silverton * call:
541.517-0957
–or- visit: http://WillametteValleyNORML.org
*
Saturday, May 24th at 2 pm * at Big Blue, the Oregon Green Free (OGF) Patient
Resource Center 2375 SE 174th Ave., Portland *
OGF-PDX-East * Meeting, open to the public.
Happens every 4th Sat. of the month. *
Saturday, May 24th at Noon * in the
Westlake Restaurant in Seaside * OGF-North-Coast * Meeting. Open to the public. Happens every 4th Sat. of the month. * Sunday,
May 25th and Every 4th Sunday of the Month,
1pm – 5pm * Spaghetti Feed hosted by Voter Power at 3236 SE 50th Ave, Portland, OR 97206 * Home-made Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Salad,
Pastries, Music, Videos, Friendship, Raffles (free ticket for first-timers!),
Letter Writing, and more! Call 503.224-3051 or visit:
http://www.VoterPower.org * Wednesday,
May 7th, 7pm * and 1st Wed of every month
* an Oregon Green Free (OGF - PDX) meeting, at Stark Street Pizza, in Portland,
Oregon * Social meeting, Open to public.
* Thursday,
May 29th * 7:00pm to 9:00pm * TV Show
filming and Patient MeetUp hosted by MERCY-TV at CCTV in Salem.
Capital Community Television, 585 Liberty St SE, Salem, Oregon, 97301 – Monthly
Filming and Meeting * call: 503.363-4588 for more
* Will happen every last Thu. of
the month. * Sometime in June *
probably either Portland or Eugene.
Next scheduled Quarterly Meeting * meeting of the Advisory Committee on
Medical Marijuana (ACMM) hosted by the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP)
– click here > http://mercycenters.org/events/Meet_OMMP.htm < for
more info. * Also, you can Contact the
Program at 971.673-1226 or by visiting the OMMP website at: http://oregon.gov/DHS/ph/ommp/ * Monday,
June 2nd, 7pm * and Every 1st Monday of the
month * Public Meet Up of Sweet.Net, a Medical Cannabis Resource NetWork
for Patients as well as CardHolders-to-be.
In Sweet Home (OR) * Call 503.363-4588
–or- visit: http://www.mercycenters.org/events/Meet_PUB_Sweet.htm * Friday,
June 6 - Saturday, June 7 * in Colorado. * Join NORML in Aspen this June!
The 2008 NORML Aspen Legal Seminar is only a little time away, and the
registration and other information is live on the NORML web site, including the
line-up of speakers and topics as well as information on the discounted block
of rooms they are holding at the Gant. This annual 2-day seminar will be held
on Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7. Those interested in attending this
event should please register early. Non-Lawyers
Welcome to this Seminar As they have done in the past,
they welcome registration at this seminar from both lawyers and non-lawyers
alike (non-lawyers receive a discount on the registration fee). This is the
only legal seminar to which they invite both lawyers and non-lawyers, and it is
an experiment that has worked well the last couple of years. 1st Annual
Hunter S. Thompson Scholarship For those who may be starting out
in the practice of law, or for other reasons may need some financial assistance
to attend this seminar, CO NORML has recently announced they are offering a
tuition and hotel scholarship, designated as the Hunter S. Thompson
Scholarship, for one person to attend this seminar. Those who wish to apply for
this scholarship assistance should contact CO NORML at
PO Box 181314, Denver, CO. Phone 720-366-7440. Contact: Dan Pope; E-mail:
dpope@conorml.org. Great
Speakers Their usual outstanding line-up of
speakers this year includes John Wesley Hall, the president elect of NACDL from
Little Rock, AR; DUID expert Paul Armentano from NORML; Warren Edson from
Denver, CO; Gerry Goldstein from San Antonio, TX and Aspen, CO; Doug Hiatt from
Seattle, WA; TalkLeft blogger and legal commentator Jeralyn Merritt from
Denver, CO; Dan Monnat from Wichita, KS; William Panzer from Oakland, CA; Prof.
Marjorie Russell from Cooley Law School in Lansing, MI; Natman Schaye from
Tucson, AR; Lisa Wayne from Denver, CO; and prison litigation expert Paul
Wright, from Brattleboro, VT. They will, of course, have CLE
credit approved for this program from all states that require continuing legal
education credits for their attorneys. Outstanding
Social Events The social events surrounding the
legal seminar are always special, beginning with an opening reception at the
Gant on the evening of Thursday, June 5; our annual benefit banquet (food
catered by famous Aspen Chef Chris Lanter) at the lovely home of Chris and
Gerry Goldstein on Friday evening, June 6; and the cookout at Hunter S.
Thompson's legendary Owl Farm on Saturday afternoon, June 7. This annual NORML Aspen Legal
Seminar weekend has become a favorite for many of our NORML Legal Committee
members and other NORML supporters and we look forward to another great weekend
this June. Since Colorado and most of the surrounding states now have versions
of legal medical use, this is an excellent opportunity for those most active in
the medical use movements in those states to develop friendships, share
information, build coalitions and become part of the community of activists
concerned with this part of the marijuana issue. Please mark your calendar and plan
to join us. Regards, Keith Stroup, Esq. NORML Legal Counsel keith@norml.org NORML and the NORML Foundation: 1600 K Street NW, Suite 501, Washington DC, 20006-2832 *
Tel: (202) 483-5500 • Fax: (202) 483-0057 • Email: norml@norml.org * Saturday,
June 14th, at Noon * a Patient Resource NetWork Meeting in Portland
hosted by Oregon NORML. NOTE: You must
have an OMMP card among other requirements.
Visit: > http://www.ornorml.org < for the latest information on location,
time and requirements. * Saturday,
June 14th, Noon – 2pm * happens Every 2nd Saturday of the month * an
Oregon Green Free (OGF-Eug) meeting, in Eugene * General Meet-Up, open to the
public at 1pm. NOTE: The first hour, starting at 12:00
is for Card Holders, only. The second
hour, starting at 1:00 will be open to the
general public. * Growers Market, 454 Willamette St, Eugene, Oregon. *
Saturday, June 14th * and Every 2nd
Saturday of the month * at DHS building, 1607 Gekeler
Lane, in LaGrande at Noon * OGF East
* General Meet-Up, open to the public. * Stay Tuned for Next * Public
Meet Up in Bend-area (Redmond), Oregon * The first meeting of Oregon MMJ
Support Group was September 5th, 2007, at 5pm until 7pm, at the
Redmond Public Library at 827 Deschutes Ave., Redmond, OR. Another Medical Cannabis Resource NetWork
Opportunity for Patients as well as CardHolders-to-be. * Social meeting, Open to public * Call 541.546-9209 –or- visit:
http://www.mercycenters.org/events/Meet_OMMJSG.htm < Others? Let everybody know, visit:
http://www.mercycenters.org/events/Meets.html and Post It! * 2nd Saturday in September, 2008,
usually starts 10am * HempStalk happens in Portland. * visit: http://hempstalk.org/ * Sometime in 2008 * The Oregon
Medical Cannabis Awards * The Oregon Medical Cannabis Awards (OMCA), an annual
event, was last held at Ambridge Events Center - 300 NE Multnomah - Portland,
Oregon –and – was Open to the Public: 10am-5pm - Banquet for ticketholders
only: 7pm-10pm * hosted by Oregon NORML. Visit: > www.ornorml.org/omca Details ====== more
details on What’s Happening in Oregon
state and the NorthWest region - 2008 ---------------------
Action! --------------------- Announcing the release of
"Medical Marijuana Law," a book co-authored by Richard Glen Boire, of
the Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics (www.cognitiveliberty.org), and
Kevin Feeney Medical Marijuana Law offers a
complete overview of federal law and each of the 11 state medical marijuana
programs. MMJ Law discusses the medical necessity defense in depth, how to
qualify for each state program, the legal rights of patients and the role and
legal rights of caregivers, how to deal with cops and how to remain legal under
your state's law. MMJ Law also explores the rights and responsibilities of
physicians who recommend marijuana, and explains how physicians can avoid legal
troubles. In addition to the above, MMJ Law
contains a resource guide for each state, listing the prominent clinics and
patient advocacy organizations in each state, contains the Marijuana Policy
Project's Model Medical Marijuana Bill, a forward by Frank Lucido, MD, one of
the prominent marijuana docs in California, and an article by Dale Gieringer
(NORML) providing advice to medical marijuana providers. The book is 190 pages and retails
at 14.95, but is available on Amazon at a reduced price. Clinics who wish to
stock this book should visit the website of Ronin Publishing at ( http://www.roninpub.com/ord_whole.html
). We feel that this guide will be a
valuable resource for patients, caregivers and their doctors. Any and all
feedback on this book from readers is appreciated. Questions are also welcome. For more information Contact: Kevin Feeney, JD (lalunaensumano@hotmail.com) Advisory Committee on Medical
Marijuana (ACMM) meeting hosted by the OMMP. Last Quarterly meet: March 25, 2008: 10:00 am to 2:30
pm Courthouse Square 555 Court St NE Hearing Room Salem, OR 97301 - and was an Advisory Committee on
Medical Marijuana (ACMM) meeting. We’ll get whatever documentation
we can and post. Next meeting will be
sometime in June and will probably be in Portland or Eugene. See: http://mercycenters.org/ommp/meets/ for details, including any info we have, like proposed agenda,
etc. We’ll get copies of documents and
stuff from the meetings - and post in our online library, print out and
otherwise Keep you in the loop! - as we can(!)
You can also keep up on Public Meeting Notices by visiting the OMMP
website at: http://oregon.gov/DHS/ph/ommp/
* Call the Program at
971.673-1226 for more info on
OMMP hosted meetings. Also, see: http://oregon.gov/DHS/ph/ommp/acmm.shtml for more detail on the Advisory Committee
on Medical Marijuana (ACMM) or visit: http://oregon.gov/DHS/ph/ommp/mtngnotice.shtml
for latest OMMP hosted meetings. ---------------------
NetWork! --------------------- At meeting and meet-ups hosted by
these non-profit organizations – *
Patients – current and to be – can Ask Medication questions about how to
apply and get answers from those who have already experienced the issues. *
Patients can meet with Caregivers - Caregivers can meet with Patients. * Growing Patients and CareGivers
can Ask grow questions and get answers from Oregon's best medical marijuana growers.
*
Non-CardHolders and CardHolders alike can Learn the legal details of
Oregon's Medical Marijuana Act and the most recent laws and rules changes – and
what they can do about them. * Medical Cannabis Network
opportunity in Sweet Home. A Meet Up
has been arranged by MERCY associate Dorothy Westofkansas at the American
Legion Building, 1127 Long Street, Sweet Home, Oregon, 97386 starting at
7pm. The purpose is to establish a
regular networking of Patients, Caregivers and Interested Parties in the area. It is a public meeting and there
is no medicating or open exchange of resources at the site at this time (must
be “brown bagged”, out of public view).
If resources available, places and times to exchange will be networked
as can. Call 503.363-4588 –or-
visit: http://mercycenters.org/events/Meet_PUB_Sweet.htm
This group will be meeting up on a
regular basis every first Monday of the month. * Forums. A means to communicate and network on
medical cannabis in Portland across Oregon and around the world. A list of Forums, Chat Rooms,
Bulletin Boards and other Online Resources for the Medical Cannabis Patient,
CareGiver, Family Member and Other Interetsted Parties. * > Rsrcs > Pats (plus) > Online
> Forums * Others? Let everybody
know, visit: http://www.mercycenters.org/orgs/Forums.html and Post It! The first meeting of the of the Oregon MMJ Support Group will be September 5th 2007, at 5pm until | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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