cannabisnews.com: Truth and Trials





Truth and Trials
Posted by CN Staff on April 16, 2003 at 08:10:42 PT
Editorial
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal 
More than two dozen House members have introduced a bill which might prevent future Ed Rosenthal-style prosecutions. Permanently. Mr. Rosenthal, a medical marijuana activist from Oakland, was convicted in January on three felony counts of violating federal drug and conspiracy laws. Throughout the trial, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer refused to allow jurors to know that the self-styled "pot guru" was warehousing medical marijuana, intended to treat sick Bay Area residents ... and legally permissible under California's Proposition 215. 
The jurors, left willfully ignorant of Mr. Rosenthal's legal activities, convicted the 58-year-old on all three counts. He faces up to 85 years in jail. If the so-called Truth in Trials Act passes both houses of Congress, future Ed Rosenthals will have a fighting chance in court. The bill would amend federal law to allow defendants arrested on marijuana charges to introduce evidence that their activities "were performed in compliance with state law regarding the medical use of marijuana." Individuals who grow, warehouse or distribute marijuana for medicinal purposes in states which allow the practice -- including Nevada -- could offer an "affirmative defense" of their actions based on state laws. Both houses of Congress should act quickly to protect the hundreds of Ed Rosenthal's fellows who are engaged in legitimate, legal acts of compassion.Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)Published: Wednesday, April 16, 2003Copyright: 2003 Las Vegas Review-JournalContact: letters lvrj.comWebsite: http://www.lvrj.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Ed Rosenthal's Pictures & Articleshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htmBill Would Allow Medical Defense in Trials http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15937.shtmlBill Allows Medical Marijuana Defense http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15930.shtml Bill Would Allow Medical Marijuana Defense http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15929.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by Richard Paul Zuckerm on April 17, 2003 at 08:01:33 PT:
TELL THE JURY THE HISTORY OF THE POT LAWS
Defense counsel should be permitted to advise the jury during summation, closing statements to the jury, that the judge will lie to them when the judge instructs them that they MUST follow the trial judge's instructions of law even if they disagree with the law. Defense counsel should also be permitted to advise the jury about medical necessity defense. Defense counsel should also be permitted to give them a lesson on the history of the Marihuana laws as described in SHADOW OF THE SWASTIKA, www.sumeria.net/politics/shadv3.html.
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Comment #1 posted by Truth on April 16, 2003 at 14:38:38 PT
deception
The thing about deception is it has a way of revelling itself, the truth always remains.
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