cannabisnews.com: On The Air: Weedman Takes Cause To Television On The Air: Weedman Takes Cause To Television Posted by CN Staff on August 15, 2002 at 12:07:38 PT By Jeff Edelstein, Staff Writer Source: Trentonian The NJWeedman, Ed Forchion, has put down his bong, picked up a video camera and shot a trio of commercials for First Amendment rights. Forchion, who was recently released from prison after a 17-month stretch, was arrested on May 27 after speaking out against marijuana laws in front of the Burlington County Courthouse. Part of Forchion's parole deal, according to authorities, was that he could not openly promote the use of marijuana. So the dreadlocked Forchion, never one to shy away from a challenge, has fought back by shooting the commercials wearing a marijuana-leaf shirt while standing in front of an American flag."The liberty this flag represents is in grave danger ... the drug war is destroying our free society," he says in one spot."Even doctors are openly challenging the myth marijuana is dangerous ... who do you believe? Your doctor or your politician?" The spots, which can be seen by Comcast subscribers, will first run Saturday night on CNN during the first part of the 9/11-themed "America Remembers."Come September, the commercials will be running locally on MTV, CNN, the Comedy Channel, FOX News and Comcast Sports.Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.trentonian.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=5069273&BRD=1697&PAG=461&dept_id=44551&rfi=8Source: Trentonian, The (NJ)Author: Jeff Edelstein, Staff Writer Published: August 15, 2002 Copyright: 2002 The TrentonianContact: news njtimes.comWebsite: http://www.trentonian.comRelated Articles & Web Site:NJWeedman.comhttp://www.njweedman.com Smokey and The Bandit http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12992.shtml'Weedman' Protests Outside Courthouse http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12987.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #9 posted by FoM on August 17, 2002 at 10:49:46 PT Link To The Article Complete Article: http://www.trentonian.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=5079825&BRD=1697&PAG=461&dept_id=44551&rfi=6 [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Zero_G on August 17, 2002 at 08:00:58 PT Jury Nullification It is a legal defense originally put in place by our founding fathers.But over the years, it has fallen out of disfavor with the legal system, and in New Jersey, it is illegal to inform a jury of their jury nullification rights.Need I say more?The role of the jury is now to rubberstamp the judge and prosecutor, and to get defendants to plead guilty to avoid the lengthy sentences obtained at trial. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by njweedman on August 17, 2002 at 04:38:20 PT: COMCAST KILLED THE AD'S AFTER THE NEWSPAPERS WROTE ABOUT THE AD'S, AND MADE CALLS TO VERIFY THAT THE AD'S WERE ABOUT THE RUN COMCAST KILLED THEM. - This is absolute "censorship". I'm now looking for a lawyer! -- These ad's were made with the specific intention to conform to standards. Nothing is wrong with these ad's other than I represent a different veiw than the government position.--SEE STORY IN TODAY'S PAPER. ________________________________________________________________'Weedman' TV ad yanked by Comcast JEFF EDELSTEIN, Staff Writer August 17, 2002 Ed "NJWEEDMAN" Forchion's commercials dealing with free speech and the first amendment have been barred from the airwaves. "Comcast killed it," Forchion said. "They elected not to air them and they won't tell me why."But Comcast's vice-president of corporate communications, David Shane, offered an explanation."There's a paragraph in our standard advertising contract that prohibits drugs or other illegal products from appearing on air via a commercial," Shane said. "It's pretty cut-and-dried."But Forchion's commercials, which were seen by The Trentonian, do not have the dreadlocked Forchion advocating the use of marijuana.Instead, he talks about free speech, the First Amendment and how the war on drugs is a losing battle."The Partnership for a Drug-Free America can put out their opinions on drugs," Forchion said. "It's the same thing I'm doing, except from the opposite perspective."Forchion was recently let out of prison after a 17-month stint on marijuana charges.He was released into the Intensive Supervisory Parole system, which placed a load of restrictions on Forchion's behavior, including a clause that prohibits him from openly advocating the use of marijuana.A longtime pot activist, Forchion sought to circumvent that restriction by plopping himself in front of the Burlington County Courthouse earlier this summer and speaking about the drug war.For his troubles, he was arrested and spent five days in jail."I wasn't advocating drugs," he said. "I was simply stating my opinion."After his release, once again, from jail, Forchion decided to take his message to the airwaves.It was approved, and Forchion was busy raising the $5,000 needed to cover the costs of the spots.He receives donations through his website, njweedman.com.But Thursday, Forchion said, he was called into the cable giant's local Mount Laurel offices to be told the commercials would not run."They have no legal ground to stand on," Forchion said. "Now I just need a lawyer."In addition to trying to uphold the First Amendment, Forchion is also busy trying to upend the judicial system via jury nullification.Jury nullification, in it's purest sense, is when a jury decides that a law is unjust and refuses to convict on those grounds.It is a legal defense originally put in place by our founding fathers.But over the years, it has fallen out of disfavor with the legal system, and in New Jersey, it is illegal to inform a jury of their jury nullification rights.Forchion is appealing the decision in his earlier marijuana case, and if granted, plans on pursuing the nullification defense with the help of a Texas lawyer.Forchion will be risking more than just a point of law if he gets a new trial -- he also faces up to 20 years in prison if he is found guilty. SUPPORT WEEDMAN COMMERCIAL EFFORT [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by NJWeedman on August 16, 2002 at 21:48:38 PT Just a Test This is FoM [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 15, 2002 at 16:12:15 PT JR , Does This Help? I went into his web site I put in the article and found his email. E mail him and ask him. Maybe Pot TV could get it online for us to see. Contact: njweedman yahoo.com [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on August 15, 2002 at 16:07:58 PT Where can I see Weedman's ads? There has to be a way to see these ads online, either now or when they start to air. I love seeing stuff like this - like the commercial at the website below, which is a great ad. (It's in the left column, under the navigation, in various formats.) http://www.randforcongress.com/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Zero_G on August 15, 2002 at 15:17:17 PT Freedom Dealers Of Course!Everytime a prosecutor says "it'll be easier for you if you co-operate with us - want to be a snitch?"It has happened here, over and over again. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by john wayne on August 15, 2002 at 14:56:02 PT parole deal wait, he got a parole deal?so that means the authorities are dealers?But...at least they're not drug dealers! Lucky us!No, they're freedom dealers, constitutional rights dealers, jail dealers. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Zero_G on August 15, 2002 at 12:36:19 PT RealSpeak Part of Forchion's parole deal, according to authorities, was that he could not openly promote the use of marijuana. Should read:Part of the agreement by which Forchion was released from brutal captivity, was that he illegally relenquish his First Amendment Rights.Thanks FoM [ Post Comment ] Post Comment