cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Guru Ed Rosenthal Faces Sentencing Marijuana Guru Ed Rosenthal Faces Sentencing Posted by CN Staff on June 04, 2003 at 10:09:36 PT By The Associated Press Source: Associated Press San Francisco – Ed Rosenthal, the self-proclaimed "Guru of Ganja," goes free after judge sentences him to one day in prison for marijuana conviction. He could have been sentenced to as much as 60 years.The case was viewed as one that pitted state medical marijuana laws against a federal ban on cannabis. Rosenthal, 58, was arrested last year and convicted in February of growing more than 100 plants in an Oakland warehouse. Rosenthal said his actions were legal under a 1996 law passed by California voters that permits marijuana use for medical purposes. He also said he was acting as an agent for the city of Oakland's medical marijuana program. But U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer did not allow the jury to hear those arguments. The jury found Rosenthal guilty of marijuana cultivation, but several jurors later said they would have acquitted him if they had known he was growing the plants for patients in Oakland. "I think it was wrong," Rosenthal said from his home Tuesday. "Once the jury found out the whole truth, they agreed. They repudiated their decision." Rosenthal's case is being watched closely by marijuana advocates who support the drug's use by the sick and dying. California is one of nine states that have passed laws to allow patients to grow or smoke marijuana with a doctor's recommendation. In May, Breyer denied requests by Rosenthal's attorneys for a new trial. Last week, California Attorney General Bill Lockyer asked Breyer for leniency in Rosenthal's sentencing, citing the California Compassionate Use Act of 1996. The federal probation department recommended a 21-month prison term. The maximum sentence is 60 years. Rosenthal said Tuesday he hoped the judge would allow him to stay free on bail while he appealed the case. "This is a tipping-point case because it puts the issue in stark black and white," said Rosenthal, who has written magazine articles and books about marijuana cultivation. "It's a question of whether patients will be able to get the medicine they require." Source: Associated PressPublished: Wednesday, June 4, 2003Copyright: 2003 Associated Press Related Articles & Web Site:Ed Rosenthal's Pictures & Articles http://freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htmMarijuana Advocate is in Court Todayhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16518.shtmlPassions High as Ganja Guru Awaits Sentencing http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16512.shtmlFederal Persecution - New York Timeshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16464.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #12 posted by FoM on June 05, 2003 at 18:11:38 PT mom of 7 I wish you and your husband the best results. I hope what happened with Ed Rosenthal's case will be able to help you. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by mom of 7 on June 05, 2003 at 07:39:31 PT: hope for the rest of us Tomarrow my husband is supposed to take the deal! I think this changes everything and we'll take our chances with the court. It gives me real hope for the first time in the last two years that there is some compassion for sick and injured people. We can't let the DA just stick it to him because he's my husband and I am a medical user. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by afterburner on June 04, 2003 at 12:24:48 PT: What Do These People Have in Common w/ Martha: Valerie and Mike Corral, Peter McWilliams, Steve and Michelle Kubby, Steve Tuck, Michael Patriquen, Marc Emery, Tim Felger, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Tim Leary, Loretta Nall, Renee Boje, Steve McWilliams, Jim Wakeford, David Malmo-Levine, Alison Myrden, William Palmer, John Turmel, Terry Parker, Richard Cowan?All in the public eye, like Martha Stewart. According to a CNN commentator or a US Attorney interviewed on CNN today this makes all of them likely candidates for government prosecution. The difference: Martha, alleged insiderer trading and cover-up; all others, the offense, but not a sin of cannabis activism. If the US federal government applied the same disdain toward the lies of John P. Walters as they do toward the alleged lies of Martha Stewart, the drug war would be over and done.ego transcendence follows ego destruction as the victims of this multi-generational madness refuse to lie down and take it but stand up for their rights and the rights of the sick and dying! [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on June 04, 2003 at 11:06:35 PT I'm Happy Now I've been so prepared for really bad news that it has taken me until now to really be happy! This really is good news. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on June 04, 2003 at 10:47:52 PT afterburner and druid I'm glad I'm not alone with these feelings. I am very happy but reserved. I wonder what this all will mean to the reform community?Here's another AP article. Marijuana Guru Ed Rosenthal Freed : http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread16521.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by afterburner on June 04, 2003 at 10:38:27 PT: FoM - Still Outraged, But Relieved As outraged as I was and still am at the federal DEA raids on WAMM, Ed Rosenthal, and many other medical cannabis providers, and on the State of California's Compassionate Use Act, and the voters who passed it, I am relieved that after the kangaroo court trial that a draconian sentence was not levied. We are winning. We just keep on pushing and the federal government is starting to realize that the are losing more and more public support. I am happy for Ed and for his family that they will still be together. Ed must appeal to clear his good name and in his compassion to help all cannabists oppressed by the failed prohibition of these many decades of state terror on its own citizens.ego transcendence follows ego destruction after many years of stalling and propaganda as the scientific truth looms too large to ignore and the informed voter base reaches critical mass. Woo-hoo! [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on June 04, 2003 at 10:21:06 PT Another AP Article Marijuana Guru Ed Rosenthal Freed after Serving One-Day Sentence Kim Curtis, Associated Press Writer Wednesday, June 4, 2003 Ed Rosenthal, the self-proclaimed "Guru of Ganja," walked free Wednesday after a federal judge sentenced him to one day in prison for a marijuana conviction. Rosenthal, 58, was found guilty in February of growing more than 100 plants in an Oakland warehouse and could have faced as much as 60 years behind bars. Rosenthal had argued his actions were legal under a 1996 law passed by California voters that permits marijuana use for medical purposes. He also said he was acting as an agent for the city of Oakland's medical marijuana program. But U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer did not allow the jury to hear those arguments. The jury found Rosenthal guilty of marijuana cultivation, but several jurors later said they would have acquitted him if they had known he was growing the plants for patients in Oakland. "I think it was wrong," Rosenthal said from his home Tuesday. "Once the jury found out the whole truth, they agreed. They repudiated their decision." California Attorney General Bill Lockyer had asked Breyer for leniency in Rosenthal's sentencing. The federal probation department had recommended a 21-month prison term. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by druid on June 04, 2003 at 10:20:57 PT Another article on this http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2003/06/04/rosenthal.DTL [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by druid on June 04, 2003 at 10:19:30 PT FoM I agree. He is still going to go through with the appeal process though right? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on June 04, 2003 at 10:15:47 PT druid I agree it is excellent news. I guess I am upset because this should never have happened at all but it did so this is great news! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by druid on June 04, 2003 at 10:13:57 PT but it's the news we've been waiting for! 1 Day!wooohooooo!That's great. :D [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on June 04, 2003 at 10:10:31 PT Here's The First Article It isn't great but it isn't bad either! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment