cannabisnews.com: Feds Jail Elderly Medical Cannabis Caregiver





Feds Jail Elderly Medical Cannabis Caregiver
Posted by CN Staff on January 05, 2007 at 07:25:23 PT
By Luke Thomas 
Source: Fog City Journal 
San Francisco -- An elderly woman began a 41-month jail sentence in federal prison yesterday after turning herself in to federal authorities.Stephanie Landa, 60 and a mother, began her sentence at noon following an 11:00 a.m press conference outside the San Francisco federal building. In July, 2003, on advice of counsel, Landa plead guilty to a charge of 'maintaining a place for the manufacturing of marijuana' and was subsequently sentenced by Federal Judge William Alsup to 41-months in federal prison.
Landa appealed the decision and was released on her own recognizance pending a ruling from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court, but was remanded back into custody last month by Alsup to begin her sentence yesterday.Organized by advocacy groups and activists and attended by several local elected officials including Supervisors Tom Ammiano and Chris Daly, the mid-morning press conference was held to condemn the federal government's continued persecution of medical cannabis patients and caregivers, and to bring attention to a widely held belief that a "rogue" SFPD narcotics inspector is involved in assisting federal authorities in the identification and prosecution of caregivers, in direct contravention of the City of San Francisco's declared sanctuary status.In a Patient Advocacy Network press release, Axis of Love Executive Director Shona Gochenaur says, "Lt. Martin Halloran has an established pattern and practice of harassment of qualified patients in San Francisco which is in direct conflict with out city's sanctuary status."The press release states Halloran 'conducted the raid on the patient garden in 2002, later cooperating with feds arguing his status with the DEA required him to do so.'"It is ridiculous that in the City of San Francisco we should have to tolerate rogue cops persecuting the medical cannabis community to get promoted," stated Julian Davis of the San Francisco People's Organization.Police Commissioner David Campos, who attended the press conference to express his dismay at San Francisco authorities for expending city resources to incarcerate a 60-year old medical cannabis patient, called the action "shameful"."As a police commissioner, I will do everything within my power to make sure that the police department has no role going forward in the federal government's failed drug enforcement policy," Campos said.Dale Gieringer Ph.D., spokesperson for CaNorml, an organization dedicated to the reform of marijuana laws, said California has 14 times as many prisoners incarcerated for marijuana related offences today than 20 years ago."What is shameful is we have people going to prison because of medical marijuana after California voters voted to legalize medical marijuana," Gieringer said.District 6 Supervisor Chris Daly, who presides over a district with a disproportionate number of patients living with HIV/AIDS, said of Landa's incarceration, "The raindrops here this morning are the tears of injustice.""The federal government is using its resources to lock up someone who is non-violent but they can't find the resources to house people who are homeless. They can't find the resources to feed those who are hungry. They can't find the resources to provide health care to those who are sick, but they can find the resources to lock someone up who is helping people and is coming from a place of compassion."That is the definition of injustice."Note: SFPD inspector said to be assisting federal prosecutions in contravention of City sanctuary status.Source: Fog City Journal (CA)Author: Luke Thomas Published: January 5, 2007Copyright: 2007 Fog City JournalContact: editor fogcityjournal.comWebsite: http://www.fogcityjournal.com/California NORMLhttp://www.canorml.org/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #31 posted by mai_bong_city on January 06, 2007 at 12:44:29 PT
Amen to that, FoM
Amen to that.
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Comment #30 posted by FoM on January 06, 2007 at 11:15:13 PT
mai_bong_city 
I don't like how divided we are now but someone has drawn the lines and the future will be tough but necessary. No more time to waste. We need to fix our country. Politics are opinions but Our Country is all of ours and we should remember what we are fighting with each other about. America was beautiful and it can be again if we care enough to commit to the change.
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Comment #29 posted by mai_bong_city on January 06, 2007 at 10:52:31 PT
re: number 28
make that 'debilitates'. my bad.
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Comment #28 posted by mai_bong_city on January 06, 2007 at 10:49:11 PT
wise words as always, FoM
some level of fear is healthy, i think - yet not to the point it debiliates from doing what's neccessary to care for one's needs or others, or standing up against those who instill that fear.
we are well-versed in this war of oppression on our people, and have learned to maneuver wisely in regards our 'enemies' - which is our own countrymen, sadly. i am bothered greatly by the divisiveness in the country now, all this 'us and them' business in politics, religion, cannabis, etc. but it really is true - it feels almost feudal times, to me - with the lords commanding the serfs....
all i know is that we have the truth in our hearts and i would never trade this place for anything in the world, not any amount of money or fame or anything is worth a dark heart.
our fear teaches us to be aware, and to become even more clever in bringing the fearmongers down, in time. peacefully, as we will treat them i know with far more respect than they've ever held for us.and coincidentally, i was just listening to emmylou harris singing 'the darkest hour is just before dawn'!
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Comment #27 posted by FoM on January 06, 2007 at 08:52:20 PT
mai_bong_city
Thank you for sharing your story. Fear in this time is wise. We have much to be afraid of. As we gain momentum they will be more aggressive I think. It really is the darkest just before dawn.
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Comment #26 posted by mai_bong_city on January 06, 2007 at 08:36:52 PT
no guilt
i agree that this woman had bad representation. i was charged once with possession of 'dangerous drugs' and of paraphenalia. i refused to plead guilty, because in my heart i am not - in truth we are not guilty.....and when the prosecutors offered me a deal to 'defer prosecution' if i agreed to comply fully with the law i could not sign, because i knew that i would have to continue to violate their 'laws' by using medical marijuana. my attorney relayed this sentiment to the prosecutor - who in turn declared that my use was indeed a medical issue and that i would not be in violation of the law as far as they were concerned. they won't pursue prosecution of me - ever, as far as i can tell - at this local level or state, now that we have our medical use law in place. this was prior to our getting the law in place to protect us. in no instance whatsoever would i plead guilty to using a plant of nature - to growing it for medical purposes and for others' medicinal needs.
i am sad that now this lady who was trying to help others will suffer so much for her valiant efforts - like so many others before her and i know more to come.....
the feds scare the crap out of me. just sayin'.
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Comment #25 posted by FoM on January 06, 2007 at 07:41:16 PT
afterburner
Thank you so much for the Christmas Card. I haven't tried to e-mail you because I wasn't sure if your computer was doing ok since the virus scan so once again thank you. 
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Comment #24 posted by afterburner on January 06, 2007 at 07:25:24 PT
These Disgusting Incidents Are Lightning Rods...
for Activism. The Fed government's nasty treatment of aging and ill Americans is a crime against humanity. I will write to my Representative and Senators as soon as my computer is safe again and my long work day is completed.
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Comment #23 posted by ekim on January 05, 2007 at 19:37:41 PT
obama fought off ptsd with cannabis 11yrs ago
i sent this story to Diane Rehm {NPR}today when she was talking bout Obama to Clarance Page on Her Weekly news hour today.
The panel was talking about how the Sen. smokes tobaco and used cannabis and coke. To which Diane said that the Sen. should get all of this out in the open and stop smoking to which Clarance Page said that he himself smokes but was down to four a day. 
--------------------------------------------Dear Diane,With you saying that Sen. Obama should stop smoking do you also suggest that
because he used Cannabis that he join the ranks of the failed prohibition
enforcers.Feds Jail Elderly Medical Cannabis Caregiverwith the whole story here.
http://www.blog.leap.cc/
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Comment #22 posted by FoM on January 05, 2007 at 15:37:54 PT
Toker00 
Very good!
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Comment #21 posted by Toker00 on January 05, 2007 at 14:28:38 PT
We have to tell our neighbors.
We have to tell our friends.We have to tell the whole damn world,Prohibition's Failed again.We have to tell our Doctors, We have to tell our Nurses,We have to tell the Preacher Man,"Include it in your Verses."We have to tell our Daughter,We have to tell our Son,We'll have to tell the Police ManTo put away his Gun.We have to stick together,And keep our voices strong,We'll have to tell the DEAThey've been wrong all along.We have to tell Joe Six-pack,We have to tell Joe Blow.We'll have to tell the World my Friends,So EVERYONE will know."THE DRUG WAR HAS ARGUABLY BEEN THE SINGLE MOST DEVASTATING, DYSFUNCTIONAL, HARMFUL SOCIAL POLICY SINCE SLAVERY." 
__ Norm Stamper, former Seattle Police ChiefWage Peace on war. END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW!
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Comment #20 posted by laduncon on January 05, 2007 at 14:21:43 PT
re: Sam Adams' Comment # 12
The hikers from Dallas who died on Mt. Hood were not idiots. Save your hate for something worthy of it. In fact, one of those hikers was a soccer coach for my cousin. If you had known any of them, I bet you wouldn't be so callous.Perhaps if they had died in another run-of-the-mill car wreck or from obesity, that would have been more noble? RiiiightDon't condemn the hikers for what our little warped bubble society of American news media chooses to obsess over.
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Comment #19 posted by museman on January 05, 2007 at 10:53:21 PT
never never
Plead guilty to a crime that is being committed against you!
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on January 05, 2007 at 10:48:50 PT
OT: The Full Text of Pelosi and Reid's Letter
Dems to Bush: Troop Surge Plan Dangerous and Flawedhttp://www.capitolhillblue.com/news2/2007/01/dems_to_bush_tr.html
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Comment #17 posted by FoM on January 05, 2007 at 10:35:33 PT
What's On The TV News?
We watched a program on The French Revolution and another one about Hitler's rise to power. I was amazed at the similarities in those two documentaries and us. The news keeps showing us people killing people and trying to keep us angry at anything and everything but the stories that are good and would make us smile only get a little air time. Pelosi sent a letter to Bush and said no more troops. That's a good beginning but I can't find it on the NYT or Google News yet. Thank God for the Internet. We all are suffering with what I call righteous indignation. We are getting angry and rightfully so. 
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Comment #16 posted by OverwhelmSam on January 05, 2007 at 10:32:00 PT
Stop Cutting Deals People!
At least you have a chance that the court will err and overturn on appeal or that the Jury will nullify the law. If you cut a deal, you're certainly screwed and may get the same sentence anyway, and might even get a lesser sentence.
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Comment #15 posted by museman on January 05, 2007 at 10:25:35 PT
hard truths
"The federal government is using its resources to lock up someone who is non-violent but they can't find the resources to house people who are homeless. They can't find the resources to feed those who are hungry. They can't find the resources to provide health care to those who are sick, but they can find the resources to lock someone up who is helping people and is coming from a place of compassion."That is the definition of injustice."Well Duh!!!What's it gonna take? how many mothers, grandmothers, fathers, & grandfathers suffer the effects of the status quo insanity that is manifested in this unconscionable prohibition? How many criminals does it take to run the US Governmment? I'm not sure but I think each state has two or three representatives of them. Each township has an army of 'em carrying badges and guns. Hell even the forests aren't safe any more, they got guns and badges too.America is a police state. It is run by wealth fascists, and stupid xtians (meaning not all xtians are stupid, just the ones who throw their lot in with the criminals).There is no 'justice' in America, unless it is accompanied by the appropriate monetary tribute to the current Roman Regime. This is not a 'democratic' Republic, it's just your usual run-of-the-mill garden variety tried and failed Republic that hasn't changed since Plato tried to kiss the Kings ass back when he wrote "the Republic."The words that come out of the mouths of those things who dress up like 'perfect humanity', no hairs out of place, waxed limosines, and 'the public eye' are nothing but obfuscations, pretty words to fool the idiot Americans who keep voting for them. Those 'reps' aren't going ot move in any direction that they are not forced to move. THEY DO NOT SERVE THE PEOPLE, and they certainly do not serve God. Who do they serve? Why themselves of course.The best food, the best wine, the best linen, the best of all materiality, paid for by the people, for the 'special people' the f-in politicians, who debate the lives of young men and women in Iraq like it was a high school forensic project. The time has come to get real America. In fact this may be our last chance before things have gone so far over the edge into the abyss of oblivion that there is no return.TAKE BACK AMERICA NOW, OR FOREVER ACCEPT THE HORRORS THAT THIS NATION HAS WROUGHT.
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Comment #14 posted by BGreen on January 05, 2007 at 10:25:23 PT
This is happening right in Pelosi's district
Nancy Pelosi must be aware of such a high profile case in her own district in California.It's just not politically advantageous for her to do anything about this horrible injustice in our free country.She has, just as a matter of fact, openly pledged her alliance to Israel, and is apparently more aware of the plight of the Israeli people than of those she serves (or who at least elected her.)Let's just hope and pray she adopts that alliance for our own country ... before it's too late.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #13 posted by dongenero on January 05, 2007 at 10:21:17 PT
Sam
You just pointed out why it is below the radar, and I couldn't agree more.The mainstream media isn't going to help us get attention so, if people want change they need to make noise and let their elected officials hear about it.
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Comment #12 posted by Sam Adams on January 05, 2007 at 10:15:26 PT
dongenero
Why do you think medical MJ atrocities are "below the radar"?  We all just spent a week hearing about 2 idiot hikers from Dallas lost on Mt. Hood, you think they couldn't publicize a 60 year old mother being beaten down and jailed by the feds? Dozens of people die every year in the US in the winter backcountry. There are a handful of huge media corporations and consulting firms that decide what becomes news in the US.  Their control is absolute. Don't underestimate the power of media & propaganda. The whole Social Revolution in the 60s and 70s was driven by a generation of media that was very progressive & reform-minded. That's why the right-wing, rich elite set out in the late 70s to consolidate and buy out the media, and they've been spectacularly effective.  They repealed anti-trust laws to allow it, and then took over. 
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on January 05, 2007 at 10:05:34 PT
Sam
I'm not sure I understand your connection between Clinton and Bush and I'll try to look for an article later to help me understand in the archives.As far as Dems voting for the war what else could they do with all the intelligence being thrown out about WMD? They would have been considered terrible if Iraq had WMD and they didn't stand with the president and his information. The Buck stops with Bush.
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Comment #10 posted by Sam Adams on January 05, 2007 at 09:54:10 PT
Bush
FOM you're right about Bush- Clinton allowed the DOJ to prosecute doctors that recommended medical MJ, but his administration did stop them from arresting actual patients and caregivers.My point is just that if the Dems really want to start kicking butt for long term, they should seize on issues like this. Put this woman's picture on the front page of every newspaper in the US.That's the sad part about the Iraq war. It replaced the need for real dialogue or progress on other issues. Maybe that's why all the Democrats voted for it at first.  They knew they'd be forgiven for all other domestic issues once the war dominated the news. And, because it was an incredibly foolish war, they know eventually they could use it to embarrass Bush and the Rebuplicans later.It's easy to forget that most Americans still feel that the greatest threat to their well-being is terrorism (despite the fact that car crashes kill 48,000 every year, terrorism: 3000 every 10 years).  As long as that is true, neither political party is going to sacrifice anything - power, tax money, you name it. The mindless fear of the masses can be exploited to get anything they want. They won't give up an inch on the WOD until they're forced to. And since the two parties are 100% in control and both love the WOD, the only other thing that could stop them is being broke. Which is why I've predicted that the WOD is going to run full steam ahead until the next Great Depression. The good news is, that could happen within the next 5 years.
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Comment #9 posted by doc james on January 05, 2007 at 09:48:22 PT
just another number
unfortunately and just plain wrong! Regardless of what grannie was doing at the grow site, if it was one, this should not happen in san fran of all places. Imagine what can happen to one of us that lives in hickville georgia........ We'd get 40 years in the bible belt south. 
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Comment #8 posted by dongenero on January 05, 2007 at 09:40:03 PT
Sam
This sentencing is way below the radar in Washington....with the exception of a handful of devious DEA thugs who are behind it. Why not write to Pelosi, Kerry, Gore and the Times and bring it to their attention? I doubt if the fog city journal has a high enough profile to get noticed in Washington.People should be outraged and their representatives in federal government should hear about it. I would hold out much more hope for positive response from Pelosi, Kerry, Gore or The Times than I would from Frist, Hastert or the Bush Administration.
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on January 05, 2007 at 09:07:31 PT
Sam
I can tell you don't like Democrats but this war was established as far as how bad it has gotten under the Bush Administration. I wonder how many people got arrested between when Prop 215 passed and Bush was put in the White House. I can't think of any major busts from that time compared to now. 
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Comment #6 posted by Sam Adams on January 05, 2007 at 09:01:36 PT
Democrats
Where's Nancy Pelosi now? Where's the New York Times? Where's Kerry? Where's Al Gore?  Silence.
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Comment #5 posted by Max Flowers on January 05, 2007 at 08:53:23 PT
She shouldn't have gone for a deal
In July, 2003, on advice of counsel, Landa plead guilty to a charge of 'maintaining a place for the manufacturing of marijuana' and was subsequently sentenced by Federal Judge William Alsup to 41-months in federal prison. That may have been a mistake. After seeing what happened in Ed Rosenthal's case, I'm not so sure that I would plead guilty if I were in her position. In fact, I'm quite sure I would go to a jury trial... being a 60-year-old lady, it is likely that jurors would put two and two together, as she would certainly not look like the "drug dealer" the charges make her out to be. Also, nearly every potential juror out there knows about the Rosenthal case at this point, and it would only take one deciding she is not guilty to get her off.I think her lawyer sold her out.
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Comment #4 posted by Had Enough on January 05, 2007 at 08:47:38 PT
The Front Pages
“Police Commissioner David Campos, who attended the press conference to express his dismay at San Francisco authorities for expending city resources to incarcerate a 60-year old medical cannabis patient, called the action "shameful". 
"As a police commissioner, I will do everything within my power to make sure that the police department has no role going forward in the federal government's failed drug enforcement policy," Campos said.”This Police Commissioner has it right. It’s about time we heard verbiage like this. Didn’t’ hear this a few years ago.We will hear more of this in the future.Yes, the front pages are changing…But look at the price that has, and yet to be paid…
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Comment #3 posted by BGreen on January 05, 2007 at 08:41:32 PT
San Francisco
can kiss my lily white ass.If people wonder why Mrs. Green and I only vacation outside of this God-forsaken country, they need only look at the barbarism such as that perpetrated upon Ms. Landa and our own beloved heart patient, runruff.There's not a place in this country or Canada that I would want to travel to just to spend my hard-earned money.Just to let all of you in California know, if this is the kind of $&!^ happening to you, then you'd better believe it's a whole lot worse here in the middle of this disgusting country.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on January 05, 2007 at 07:55:35 PT
mai_bong_city
It makes me sick too. When will this war stop? Something must change.
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Comment #1 posted by mai_bong_city on January 05, 2007 at 07:52:10 PT
what new year? 
this makes me sick and very, very sad. 
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