cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Reform Group Files Suit Marijuana Reform Group Files Suit Posted by CN Staff on September 04, 2002 at 07:22:40 PT By Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff Correspondent Source: Boston Globe There's no place like Stone Park to hold a rally for legalizing marijuana, organizers say, but Ashland officials aren't buying it. ''I had a rally in Framingham Common, but it's just not the same as Stone Park,'' said James Pillsbury, coordinator of the MetroWest chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. ''It's a great name.'' State and local advocates of decriminalizing marijuana are accusing Ashland officials - for the second time in a decade - of violating free speech rights by prior restraint. The Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition and the MetroWest NORML chapter contend that the town created a $1 million liability insurance requirement only after the group submitted an application to use the park on Memorial Day, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court late last month. The policy, the advocates say, restricted their right to free speech and other activities in a public forum. ''They want to keep me out of town,'' said Pillsbury, a plaintiff in the suit against Ashland and a Libertarian candidate for state representative. ''It's absurd. It just blows everybody away that they would be doing this again.'' Ashland Town Manager Dexter Blois and Dale Morris, an administrative assistant named in the suit, declined to comment. Pillsbury's problems with the town date back nearly a decade. The Framingham resident held two rallies at Stone Park in 1993, and although no arrests were made, reports from a town official that he witnessed marijuana smoking at the events prompted efforts to block Pillsbury when he sought a permit for another event later that year. Town officials informed him that a new policy restricted the use of public facilities by nonresidents to one time per year. Pillsbury then filed suit against Ashland, and a judge ruled in favor of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition. The town was ordered to reimburse the group $30,000 in legal fees after the town lost its court appeal in 1995. ''The leaders of Ashland just don't seem to understand they can't discriminate against people for their political beliefs,'' said Bill Downing, president of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition. ''How many tens of thousands of dollars will Ashland have to pay until the leaders understand what the Constitution stands for?'' According to the lawsuit, filed on Aug. 23, town officials informed Pillsbury days after he submitted an application to use Stone Park that he would need $1 million in liability insurance to hold an event at the park, even though that wasn't indicated on the application form. When pressed on the regulation, Morris told Pillsbury that it was Ashland's policy to require $1 million in insurance from everyone who used Stone Park for an event, the complaint said. But according to past permit applications obtained by Pillsbury's attorney, and previous interviews town officials gave to the Boston Globe, there is no record of such a policy. Blois told the Globe the town typically requires about $100,000 to $300,000 in general liability, and $50,000 in medical coverage for groups that use public facilities. Officials from the Recreation Department said the town is developing a policy to address insurance issues. Dennis A. Mannone Jr., the former director of the Ashland Recreation Department, declined to comment on liability requirements, but said he gave one-time requests for the use of public facilities to the town attorney and town manager to handle. ''I didn't really handle it,'' said Mannone, who is named in the suit. After Pillsbury failed to secure liability coverage, the town returned his application and denied the permit. Barry Bresnick, a former selectman, said he witnessed marijuana smoking at the 1993 event, but does not believe there is any particular effort to stifle Pillsbury or restrict free speech. A transcript from a May 1993 selectmen's meeting, however, shows that the members discussed the coalition event and talked about ways to prevent another pro-marijuana activity from happening. According to court documents, one selectman said, ''Can we have a policy, develop a policy where we could keep individuals or groups from extolling illegal activities? ... We don't want inappropriate things going on next to a playground.'' The selectmen suggested limiting use by nonresidents - a regulation the town enforced weeks later when the coalition applied for another permit. That move ultimately cost Ashland $30,000. For decades, the coalition has held rallies throughout the state - including in Worcester, Fall River, and Salem - and encountered only one major flap with Boston in 1998. City officials refused to issue a permit without certain restrictions in an effort to control the annual Freedom Rally - which had attracted 100,000 people and led to 150 arrests the previous year. A Suffolk Superior Court judge refused to block the rally, but allowed the city to impose some regulations. Downing called that ruling a victory, and described Ashland's latest efforts to curb the coalition's activities as extremely upsetting. ''They just never seem to learn,'' he said. This story ran on page B2 of the Boston Globe on 9/4/2002. Note: Members allege violation of their free speech rights.Complete Title: Marijuana Reform Group Files Suit Against Officials Source: Boston Globe (MA)Author: Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff CorrespondentPublished: September 4, 2002Copyright: 2002 Globe Newspaper CompanyContact: letter globe.comWebsite: http://www.boston.com/globe/Related Articles & Web Site:MassCannhttp://www.masscann.org/Ballot To Include Pot Question http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13903.shtmlS. Shore Voters To Face Pot Questionhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13900.shtmlMarijuana Questions On Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13760.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by FoM on September 04, 2002 at 21:46:20 PT freedom fighter Isn't it something how an article can get lost in breaking news? All the news comes practically at one time and sometimes I wish there were a few days between important stories but I don't write them, just post them.The great north east is rough territory at least from my experiences being there. Very conservative folks. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by freedom fighter on September 04, 2002 at 21:42:53 PT Mission Impossible Your mission is to diguise yourself as Anti-Drug Coordinator. Apply for a permit to do a rally at Ashcroftland.Wanna bet it will be approve without these so-called requirements??ff [ Post Comment ] Post Comment