cannabisnews.com: Four Arrested in Connection with Pot Cultivation Four Arrested in Connection with Pot Cultivation Posted by FoM on February 12, 2002 at 22:46:28 PT By Margie Mason, Associated Press Writer Source: Associated Press Federal agents raided a medical marijuana club, arrested the director and three others Tuesday amid an ongoing tug-of-war between local and federal officials over the sale of pot for medicinal purposes. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized more than 600 pot plants from the Harm Reduction Center and arrested the group's executive director, Richard Watts, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Kenneth Hayes of Petaluma was arrested in Canada and Edward Rosenthal of Oakland was also arrested. They face charges of cultivating more than 100 pot plants and maintaining a place to grow them, according to federal documents. Each faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Hayes also operates the club, and Rosenthal supplies him with marijuana, the documents said. A fourth man, James Halloran, of Oakland, was arrested in a separate case, and charged with growing more than 1,000 marijuana plants and keeping a place to grow them. He faces life in prison if convicted. Later Tuesday, DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson spoke to the Commonwealth Club of California about the DEA's role in dealing with drugs in America and specifically the legalization of marijuana for medicinal uses. "We have to enforce the law," he said. "Science has told us so far there's no medical benefit for smoking marijuana." Hutchinson's audience was peppered with marijuana legalization advocates, some of whom shouted "Liar!" at times during his speech. Some also asked why Hutchinson even came to San Francisco, and if he was singling out the city. Hutchinson pointed out that opium was once legal but got out of control in Chinatown in the 1880s, prompting the city to pass the first anti-drug law in the United States. "Enforcement of drug laws started here in San Francisco, they should not end here," he said. District Attorney Terence Hallinan has been outspoken in his support of the clubs, and Police Chief Fred Lau has said his officers wouldn't take part in any raids. San Francisco was declared a sanctuary for medical cannabis use last year by the city's board of supervisors. "This is a decision to be made by the voters of California and the people of the city and county of San Francisco," Hallinan said through a bullhorn outside the Commonwealth Club. Four members of the city's board of supervisors also attended the rally, where dozens of demonstrators blew kazoos and chanted "Go away D-E-A." The smell of burning marijuana occasionally drifted over the crowd. "We will protest until this kind of nonsense from Washington, D.C. stops," promised supervisor Chris Daly. Board of Supervisors President Tom Ammiano went one step further, calling the DEA an "obnoxious, grandstanding" agency. "I don't want somebody in my house that's not invited," Ammiano shouted over the cheering crowd. DEA spokesman Richard Meyer said the arrests were part of an investigation by the DEA, Customs Service and Internal Revenue Service targeting marijuana trafficking and smuggling. "They all are connected with marijuana smuggling," Meyer said. "We've said all along the cultivation and distribution of marijuana is illegal regardless of state or local law. Our job is to enforce federal law." The U.S. Supreme Court said last year that it is illegal to distribute marijuana for medical purposes. San Francisco law enforcement officials have said their job is to enforce the laws of California, where voters overwhelmingly approved medical marijuana use. Voters in Arizona, Alaska, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington also have approved ballot initiatives allowing the use of medical marijuana. In Hawaii, the Legislature passed a similar law and the governor signed it in 2000. Workers at the pot club raided Tuesday said they were questioned by DEA agents about their relationship with Hallinan. "They asked us if he was receiving monies from us or drugs," said David Witty, the marijuana club's chief of security. "This is insane. What kind of city do you think we're operating here, to think that we're smugglers or involved in some other criminal activity?" The center serves about 200 patients a day, all with doctors' recommendations to get the drug. Many suffer chronic pain from AIDS and cancer, Witty said. Tuesday's raid is just one in a series of recent federal crackdowns in California. Agents shut down a West Hollywood cannabis club in October. Other federal actions include raiding a Ventura County garden operated by patients, and seizure of medical records from a Northern California doctor who is a prominent medical marijuana proponent. Tuesday's raid coincided with President Bush's announcement of a stepped-up war on drugs, with a goal of cutting drug abuse by 25 percent in five years, in part through improved law enforcement. The White House also launched an anti-drug advertising campaign, broadcast first during the Super Bowl, with the message that money used to buy drugs may benefit terrorists. Complete Title: DEA Busts Pot Club; Four Arrested in Connection with Pot Cultivation Source: Associated PressAuthor: Margie Mason, Associated Press WriterPublished: Tuesday, February 12, 2002Copyright: 2002 Associated PressRelated Articles & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmAgents Raid Calif. Medical Marijuana Club http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11993.shtmlDEA Busts Pot Club Operation; Four Arrested http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11990.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #13 posted by freedomtoker on February 14, 2002 at 11:40:45 PT Sheriffs can kick the feds out of the county!!! This is an article explaining when and where this already happened!!From: Dave Champion Subject: Sheriff controls federal actions Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 09:07:25 -0800Don't we all wish we had a sheriff with this much integrity working for us!Dave ___________________________________________________________________________________________Sheriff Dave Mattis of Big Horn County, Wyoming, said this week that as a result of Case #96-CV099-J, U.S. District Court, District of Wyoming, he now has a written policy that forbids federal officials from entering his county and exercising authority over county residents unless he is notified first of their intentions.After explaining their mission, Mattis said he grants them permission to proceed if he is convinced that they are operating within the legal parameters and authority limitations set forth in the U.S. Constitution.The sheriff grants permission on a case-by-case basis only. When asked what, if any, repercussions he had gotten from the Feds, he quickly and confidently replied, "None whatsoever." He explained by saying, "They know they do not have jurisdiction in my county unless I grant it to them."Mattis clarified his position by saying the federal court had ruled that the state of Wyoming is a sovereign state and the state constitution plainly states that a county sheriff is the top law enforcement official in the county.Additionally, Sheriff Mattis contends that the U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, clearly defines the geographic territories where the federal government has jurisdiction. Amendment X, he said, states that "the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."Therefore, Mattis thoroughly believes the Feds have very limited powers in any state unless the local high-sheriff allows them to exercise power beyond that which the Constitution provides."Put another way," Mattis said, "If the sheriff doesn't want the Feds in his county, he has the constitutional power and right to keep them out or ask them to leave."Accompanied with other legal interpretations Mattis stands on the definition of the world "sovereign," which is defined by Webster's as "paramount, supreme. Having supreme rank or power. Independent: a sovereign State."Mattis said he grew weary of the Feds coming into his county and running rough-shod over county residents: i.e., illegally searching, seizing property, confiscating bank accounts, restricting the free use of private lands and other abuses, without a valid warrant and without first following due process of law as guaranteed by the Constitution to every citizen.As long as Mattis remains sheriff he says he will continue to see to it that the citizens of his county get their day in court.Mattis went on to say that, to his knowledge, even the IRS has not attempted to seize any citizen's real property, bank account or any other private-owned possessions since he ran the Feds out of his county.Sheriff Mattis emphasized that he is not a radical man. He said he is only dedicated to protecting the constitutional rights of the citizens of his county.He added that ordinary citizens are not the only ones bound by and expected to obey laws. Elected officials and government employees at all levels of government are also bound by and should be expected to obey certain laws.As long as Sheriff Mattis is the high-sheriff of Big Horn County, he seems determined to make sure private citizens and government officials alike act within the law and their designated powers.Sheriff Mattis came across as a soft-spoken, polite man whose only interest is protecting the citizens he was elected to serve. That being the case, he might be the sheriff for as long as he wants to be.Sheriff Mattis is hopeful that other sheriffs will assume the same stance. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Robbie on February 13, 2002 at 09:08:44 PT Thanks for the info, Richard I'd also like to point out that you can hear it on KPFA in the Bay Area at the same time 9AM - 94.1http://www.kpfa.orgAnd Amy Goodman's show is archived at 3PM EST at:http://www.democracynow.orgoops! on now! [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Richard Lake on February 13, 2002 at 08:34:59 PT: More news, personal reports, etc. This morning on Pacifica Radio's "Democracy Now", host Amy Goodman devoted her whole hour program to the DEA raids and protests in the Bay Area; as well as the the drug war and GWB's plan to link it to terrorism. Her guests included experts from the Drug Policy Alliance.The program will be rebroadcast on KPFK 90.7 FM, THIS MORNING at 9:00 am (pst) in Southern California, as well as on the web at: http://www.kpfk.org. Check it out. It's excellent !!!!She Who Remembers http://www.SheRemembers.org "Don't hate the media, become the media" ~Jello Biafra----------------------------Breaking news, photos, personal reports and action alerts are being compiled at:http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02.n238.a08.htmlWe will continue to update the above link for a while, so check back. New items are at the bottom of the webpage. Click the link! [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by TroutMask on February 13, 2002 at 07:17:59 PT Time for a Career Change I can only assume that Bush and the DEA want to end the War on Some Drugs as quickly as possible. The more they crack down, the worse their policies look and the quicker it will end.-TM [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by E_Johnson on February 13, 2002 at 06:17:12 PT They can kiss that 3.4 million goodbye now! Gee, I was really getting upset that all of the media reaction to the Superbowl ads left out any facts about the domestic origins of marijuana, America's most popular illegal drug.How strange it is to me that they timed these busts now. The public is still digesting the "drugs support terrorism" message, and suddenly the DEA is going after medical marijuana in California, which ABSOLUTELY nobody in the mainstream media is going to accept as having any terrorist links whatsoever.And this bust for domestic growing just forced the mainstream media to mention domestic growing, which wipes out the previous media image of "drugs" being brought into the country by swarthy foreigners.If I were working on their side, I'd be firing people right now!!!Don't these people udnerstand that they just ruined their own ad campaign? Ed Rosenthal -- it's hardly an Arab name. And he's not even swarthy! [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by greenff on February 13, 2002 at 03:51:28 PT proud american patroit grower im never gonna stop being a true american patroit by growing american cannabis. if i stop growing then im not a true american. so keep on growing and keep america green and terrorist free. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Patrick on February 13, 2002 at 02:49:34 PT Does the DEA and the Government really want a war? I never really viewed my fondness for smoking marijuana as war against the "establishment." The experience has always been nothing more than a personal escape from the everyday norm. As an American, a voter, a taxpayer, a veteran, and just a plain ss human being, the events of 9/11 really pissed me off too Mr. Bush. Now! The DEA attacks California. Since 9/11 the use of force over peaceful people I guess is becoming old hat in Washington? I applaud every effort to find o bin lard ass. But, to attack domestic medical marijuana suppliers on the same day that the Justice Department screams Terrorist Alert is really appalling! It's down right insulting to the average Joe's intelligence.dddd & kaptinemo I hope you are still out there? Chime in any time.The planet needs some fresh leaders. I am stunned and in a state of shock over the state of affairs. The feds want to challenge the states in a civil war scare tactic control the population through corporate media battle scenario schtick. These guys really want a war!!! Why?Like our war on terror, this must be a new war too. Not a war like any ever fought before. The movement for the legalization of marijuana and the freedom of the individual over tyranny is not going to be a war like the one between the Palestinians and the Israelis. No. No no no. We will not send suicide bombers to strike out against the no-knock SWAT teams and their families. This is a war unlike any war. It will be unlike the war fought by the IRA. We don't have to blow up a school bus filled with innocent children to prove our religious belief is better than someone else's.This war will not be fought with any weapons not even with stun grenades, tear gas, or even rubber bullets. Nope, like hippies in the sixties we cannot resort to the same globally financed gestapo- third-reich storm trooper sponsored by the DEA foolishness. We must use time, tolerance, and peace not as weapons but as tools to enlightenment. This war will not be won with violence or weapons. That is the side of the DEA and they have lost and don't know it yet.The DEA and the prohibitionist politicians in the current "US Government" (meaning those elected) will always insist on having huge budgets supplying weapons. Defense is a primary component of government and I for one of course understand that. However, was it good defense that prevented 9/11? Or was it a lousy offense that spent way too much time chasing marijuana-smokers instead of say chasing tobacco smokers and possibly preventing 400,000 deaths per year? In any event, the funds spent are partly from YOUR income tax dollars. I ask you, is busting practitioners of state voted initiatives a wise use of our federal tax dollars in the 21st Century? Seems to me that osama bin piss brain is out runnin loose and HE is the one that is wanted dead or alive! Makes me just want to SCREAM god damn it all to hell!!! But, I won't. And I just did and I am really sorry for cussing FoM. I understand if you must delete anything.I suppose this war will be won when America can elect a government that knows and understands that it is not the substance itself that is the problem. Rather that it is the truth about the harm any given substance may cause to the individual's health during their life that matters most to people. This knowledge will sustain future generations of mankind. To believe in America, in my opinion, is to believe that anything on earth is possible. I believe the weed is freed! If the DEA wants to record themselves in history as locking up people for using marijuana then so be it. The ones whose lives have been sacrificed on both sides are nothing more than testimony to the DEA's evil handed ways. Good always triumphs over evil in the long run.The Federal Government's motto is you are either with us or you are with the terrorists. On behalf of marijuana smokers everywhere I can honestly proclaim we are all pretty much completely with you against any kind of terror or terrorists. After all, who knows more about terror than someone constantly living in fear that a SWAT team may come busting down the door in the middle of the night to nab yer stash and haul your ss off to jail. That's terror! Please Mr. Politician never let that scenario ever happen in America again ever.Ask any beat cop what his most violent offenders are under the influence of? If they are honest you can bet it ain't MJ. This move in California by the DEA is nothing more than a show of power and a futile example of another false battle won in a long over due and outdated war that is already lost. I guess the war must wind down to a close somehow? Violent people are the problem on this planet. And 9/11 proved that. Growing a plant that you can smoke is not grounds for a $20 billion dollar Government expenditure of taxpayer money spent to arrest a marijuana smoker? You know what this is don't you? First you know what 20 billion bucks is worth, right? It is a penalty for not smoking tobacco and dying like the other 400,000 people a year. Yep, that's right. Go to jail or become another one of the 400,000 people off of the SSN roles like a dutiful Marlboro man. Hell, even the name is like marijuana. Marlboro, marijuana, Marlboro, marijuana… They are so afraid of marijuana because, truth be known, marijuana smoking may actually extend your healthy and active lifestyle while at the same time showing signs of possibly resisting some forms of cancer over the years. But hell no. Don't believe me or learned doctors. All I have is anecdotal evidence of course and others like myself. It's not like we are not living proof or anything. We are just trying to have an occasional puff puff give and avoid JAIL and live our life to its fullest.So let history record that the DEA arrested 700,000 marijuana smokers while allowing tobacco companies to choke 400,000 cigarette smokers to death? I see who wins that particular war Who is the violent and responsible one for allowing these documented deaths? Makes Vlad the Impaler look like a schoolyard bully whoever he may be. They will eventually blame it all on the American taxpayer. FRICK why not! Seems it is the American taxpayer fault every single time. Vote all the incumbents out.So, the issue is the freedom of mankind from itself. The freedom of you, yourself, to consume whatever food, drink and plant life that exists on this planet is yours. Make wise choices and live a long and prosperous life. Make poor choices and… well, that's why we are posting here at cannabisnews. Smoking is harmful to your lungs. No one on the planet will argue that point. Is cannabis as harmful, more harmful, less harmful than tobacco? I challenge anyone to step forward with evidence that more people have died from smoking cannabis than from smoking tobacco. Tobacco nearly killed me. An autopsy upon my death will likely yield results that could be attributed to 17+ years of chain smoking cigarettes. It is sad Mr. Hutchinson, that you will lock up someone who took the time to grow their own plant, harvest it, smoke it, and maybe even make some oil or fiber & cloth from it while at the same time, you will let Marlboro executives & expensive Cigars manufacturers walk scott free as they choke 400,000 Americans to death annually. The crime here is in the blatant audacity to make a distinction between the legality of these two different plant substances and then to legalize the most lethal one, tobacco!Kids, if you read this site by the freedoms granted you under the freedom of information act... TRY NOT TO INHALE ANYTHING BUT GOOD CLEAN AIR UNTIL YOU HAVE FULLY GROWN LUNGS. CURRENT ESTIMATE OF TIME TO HAVING FULLY-GROWN LUNGS FROM BIRTH IS APPROX. 18-25 YEARS. Only you choose what it is that you consume into your body. Anyone else making that choice for you is a an oppressor, a tyrant and a criminal. Addiction and substance abuse is not a crime. It is a trap. The crime is in the making of criminals out of those who fall in instead of helping them out.Hutchinson said Tuesday's raid was not aimed at targeting individual medical marijuana users but rather ``major traffickers'' who supply the drug. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by hempity on February 13, 2002 at 02:05:02 PT Sword of truth, hammer of justice man believes he has inherited the earth from his parents when he has only borrowed it from his grandchildren, it is this thinking that is causing the frightned to lash out at us, remember this is the same govenment that gave smallpox laden blankets to the natives, don't expect to be treated any better, we all indigious savages now. remember also, the landlord is comming, and no matter what the government and the slimy ones do, no matter how many are tortured or killed, they will still not have the rent. WE DO Mitaoyate, hempity http://www.drugsense.org/ccc [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by E_Johnson on February 13, 2002 at 01:55:02 PT The Three Stooges poke prohibition in the eye Just compare the Marijuana War press during the Clinton regime with what this administration is generating.Loyalty is falling by the wayside everywhere. Facts are creeping their way into print that could have been kept out of print for the rest of the Bush administration if they had played their cards right.We're so lucky Bush didn't fill those top drug war jobs with smart people. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by freedom fighter on February 13, 2002 at 01:34:52 PT The foot got shot at the end.. "Enforcement of drug laws started here in San Francisco, they should not end here," he saidWhy Not?Can a fool dance with one foot all shot up?ff [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by eco-man on February 13, 2002 at 00:47:06 PT More reports. Far faster than the mega-media. Also see San Francisco Indymedia for ongoing reports on the DEA raids: http://sf.indymedia.org/ and http://sf.indymedia.org/news/search/ --Fast search engine.FORUMS. Drug War, etc.. Message boards, Indymedia, etc.. http://corporatism.tripod.com/forums.htm Email lists. Drug war, etc.. Yahoo Groups, Usenet, etc.. http://corporatism.tripod.com/lists.htm NEWS sites. Fair Use, Public Domain laws. http://corporatism.tripod.com/fairuse.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by null on February 13, 2002 at 00:00:15 PT good for the AP this is a well balanced article that gives lots of space to anti-prohibition opinions rather than just towing the line. The author framed some of the history of the debate such as the states w/ medical initiatives as well as the past actions of the DEA in shutting down the LACRC and medical records seizures. Since the AP supplies so many other new organizations it is quite encouraging to see these events fairly portrayed. And of course, any fair portrayal is in our favor since the facts are on our side. I would expect positive public and press response to this article.hurray for our team. :) Medical Marijuana FACTS! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by lilo on February 12, 2002 at 23:32:01 PT mind numbing "Tuesday's raid coincided with President Bush's announcement of a stepped-up war on drugs..." Uncle Sam don't want no Vietnam...a thinking public cannot be trusted. The first causulty of war is now the marijuana user.There's a theory that there is a relationship between a government's marijuana tolerance and the degree of militarization of its nation. And its depressing to see it in action. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment