cannabisnews.com: Jury Finds California Marijuana Guru Guilty 





Jury Finds California Marijuana Guru Guilty 
Posted by CN Staff on January 31, 2003 at 16:35:46 PT
By Adam Tanner
Source: Reuters 
A San Francisco jury on Friday convicted a pro-marijuana movement guru on charges of growing the drug -- a verdict that could land him in prison for life even though California deems his actions legal.Ed Rosenthal, 58, an outspoken columnist who has written many books on marijuana, was charged with three counts of growing the weed in a case that pitted a strict federal law against more liberal California rules that allow the cultivation and use of the drug for medicinal uses.
Rosenthal's family and adolescent daughter, who on Thursday told Reuters her life would be ruined if her father was convicted, sobbed as the verdict was read. He faces a maximum life in prison when he is sentenced for the marijuana cultivation and conspiracy charges."Rosenthal is the first sacrificial lamb here," Peter Keane, dean of Golden Gate University Law School told local KCBS radio. "It is a very harsh sentence."The U.S. federal court case marked the latest battle over medical marijuana between the nation's most populous state and the federal government, which has recently been cracking down on California clubs providing the drug to ill patients.Federal agents late last year also arrested the husband and wife team instrumental in drafting the trailblazing 1996 California law that allowed patients and their care-givers to grow marijuana for their own medicine. DEFENSE HAMSTRUNG Nine states, including California, allow medical use of marijuana under state law as the drug can relieves pain and nausea and increase appetite. Yet it is outlawed in most of the United States because of the high it produces.Rosenthal's attorney had appealed to the jury's "sense of justice" to reject the charges, earning a rebuke from the judge and the prosecution in the case."Is this really a case of getting dangerous drugs off the street? Of course not," defense attorney Robert Eye said."Cultivation of marijuana is a federal offense, period. Nothing else matters," responded Assistant U.S. Attorney George Bevan in closing arguments on Thursday.The author of "Marijuana Grower's Handbook: The Indoor High Yield Guide" and "Marijuana Question? Ask Ed," Rosenthal was charged with growing more than 3,000 marijuana plants for distribution to medical marijuana clubs.His defense, however, was hamstrung in part by the judge's ruling that Rosenthal was unable to tell the jury he was cultivating marijuana with the blessing of the city of Oakland for its medical marijuana program."What the government wants to do is put a saw via the court through the whole medical marijuana movement," he said on Thursday. "I think to the government I was a trophy."The jury deliberated less than a day with the evidence -- six sealed boxes filled with marijuana plants -- placed in their jury room at the defense lawyer's request.Source: Reuters Author: Adam TannerPublished: January 31, 2003 Copyright: 2003 Reuters News ServiceWebsite: http://www.reuters.comContact: http://about.reuters.com/custhelp/Related Articles & Web Sites:Green-Aid.comhttp://www.green-aid.com Americans For Safe Accesshttp://www.safeaccessnow.orgEd Rosenthal's Trial Pictures & Articleshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htmGuru of Ganja Convicted of Marijuana Cultivation http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15341.shtmlGroundbreaking Pot Trial Wraps Uphttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15335.shtmlPot Guru Could Face Life in Jail http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15332.shtml 
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on February 01, 2003 at 10:55:17 PT
Thanks So Much Richard
Thank you for letting me know about the picture page. I really find it good therapy for me to dig in to doing pages when I am upset. I work better in my worst moments it seems. I can't make a web page unless something triggers it for me. This sad event in Cannabis Prohibition history is just one more example of how far things have turned on us and it all started with 9-11. What a world we live in now.I've been watching CNN and didn't see it live but my husband told me when I woke up this morning what happened. The space race and all of it's wonder, adventure and disaster. It sure has gone much further then landing on the moon. I don't know Ed but I feel I do when I do so many articles about him. I don't have to meet someone to feel I know them since the Internet and I feel so bad for everyone.I updated the page.Ed Rosenthal's Trial Pictures & Articles:
http://freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htmPS: Could you send the CRRH list to my yahoo email I use for newsgroups? I had it before but I lost it when I stopped getting email for CNews. Thanks so Much!
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Comment #6 posted by Richard Lake on February 01, 2003 at 10:19:08 PT:
Word gets around, FoM
The CRRH http://www.crrh.org/ email list, one of the largest cannabis email lists (because it is moderated strictly) with over a thousand subscribers, just posted this short message:Rosenthal Trial Pic's and News Articleshttp://www.freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htm------Last night on Hemp Talk, the large Washington State email list someone asked how they could donate to support Ed. Here is my response:To donate for Ed's case go to http://www.green-aid.com/ and click onHow to Help - Support Green-Aidon the left hand side of the page. The organization and website was created specifically to help Ed. The board of directors are all folks Ed and I know and trust.Richard-----FoM, the news got to me so much last night I just had to give up and take a break. I first met Ed the summer of 75 or 76 when Gatewood Galbrath and I went to a cannabis rally in a state park in southern Indiana due north of Lexington, KY, where the three of us spoke. I count Ed as a friend. I have his books, and all his columns (yes, I have complete collections of High Times and Cannabis Culture). I don't trust this judge at all, but hope the delay in sentencing is a good sign, and that Ed will be allowed to remain free at least until then.Then I got up at 9, saw that the shuttle was going to land at 9:16 (Eastern) and thought I would watch. Saturday Morning news network anchors are not their brightest bunch, for sure. When 9:16 came and went, it was like "we wonder where it is?" when anybody should have know that it either lands or something very bad must have happened, with no hope left. To their credit, CNN figured it out the fastest by far.Bad News on the Door Step....*sigh*Richard
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on January 31, 2003 at 22:16:25 PT
Hi Richard
You're welcome for the pictures. I am sad and quiet as I said in my earlier comment. That's how I get during hard times like today. We have made progress but people being hurt like this is the ultimate denial of freedom. The same thing when WAMM got raided. The people who are the leaders in California because of Prop 215 are the victims. God Bless them all for fighting the good fight. 
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Comment #4 posted by Richard Lake on January 31, 2003 at 21:43:40 PT
Thanks for the Pictures, FoM
I will provide the link in the current MAP news articles.Sad day. Depressed folks in the DrugSense Chat RoomRichard
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on January 31, 2003 at 18:54:20 PT
Pictures of Today's Verdict
Hi Everyone,When I'm upset I get very quiet and try to vent my frustration by updating or making a web page. I have all the articles about Ed on this page towards the bottom and the pictures and captions I just added from the AP and Reuters. Here it is.Ed Rosenthal's Trial Pictures & Articles:
http://freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htm
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Comment #2 posted by mayan on January 31, 2003 at 18:26:01 PT
Ruined Lives
"Rosenthal's family and adolescent daughter, who on Thursday told Reuters her life would be ruined if her father was convicted, sobbed as the verdict was read. He faces a maximum life in prison when he is sentenced for the marijuana cultivation and conspiracy charges."Are you happy yet you federal, fascist swine? You have ruined more lives with your insane war on people & plants! I just can't wait until their ship sinks and the Drug-War Crimes Tribunal commences.The way out is the way in - 16-Month Study of 9/11 Attacks Begins: 
http://www.wset.com/showstory.hrb?f=n&s=72114&f1=natFirefighter Says Bombs In WTC! 
http://people.aol.com/people/special/0,11859,174592-3,00.htmlWHAT DID THE GOVERNMENT KNOW AND WHEN DID IT KNOW IT?
http://whatreallyhappened.com/govknow.htmlTHE "CONTROLLED" COLLAPSE OF WTC-7:
http://whatreallyhappened.com/wtc7.html
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Comment #1 posted by boppy on January 31, 2003 at 18:00:07 PT
it's To Kill A Mockingbird all over again
The federal goverment has just reinacted "To Kill A Mockingbird" all over again in California. Atticus Finch has lost this battle against an all white jury based on predjudice and lies. Hopefully, Boo Radley is around the corner to set things straight...right?   
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