cannabisnews.com: Hallinan Takes The Stand for Medical Pot Grower Hallinan Takes The Stand for Medical Pot Grower Posted by FoM on March 31, 2001 at 07:27:00 PT By Daniel Evans of The Examiner Staff Source: San Francisco Examiner San Francisco District Attorney Terence Hallinan tried to scuttle the case of a fellow prosecutor Tuesday, testifying in a Sonoma County courtroom on behalf of a man arrested in 1999 for growing nearly 900 marijuana plants. Hallinan, testifying in a packed courtroom, said he regarded defendant Kenneth E. Hayes as the primary caregiver for medical marijuana for members of a San Francisco club. As such, his actions are protected by Proposition 215, the voter-approved initiative that allows sick people and their caregivers to possess and cultivate pot. Hallinan's unusual appearance, which started in the morning and concluded in mid-afternoon, pits the top prosecutors of two counties against one another. While Hallinan has long publicly supported cannabis clubs, Sonoma County District Attorney Michael Mullins has stated just as strongly that the clubs are illegal. Mullins has expressed annoyance that San Francisco cannabis clubs are using Sonoma County land for their farms, once suggesting that if the San Francisco residents want medical marijuana so bad, "let them grow it in Golden Gate Park." "I feel these are caregivers who are vitally important to San Francisco," Hallinan said outside the courtroom. "I do not think this prosecution is right, and I am willing to come up here and testify because of that." Under direct examination by Hayes' attorney, Bill Panzer, Halinan testified that he was satisfied the club was operating properly, and acknowledged that Hayes had told him of his plans to grow the marijuana. Hayes, he said, wanted to grow the plants in order to keep the prices low and to ensure that the marijuana would not contain pesticides or insecticides, which could cause bad reactions in already-ill patients. The afternoon testimony grew quite contentious when Sonoma County Deputy District Attorney Carla Claeys cross-examined Hallinan. Panzer, who co-authored Prop. 215, issued many objections to Claeys' questioning. Hallinan acknowledged that Prop. 215 only applies to individual patients and their caregivers, not buyers' clubs. The district attorney added, however, that individual patients could elect the club as their caregiver. Hayes, executive director of the club, and Michael S. Foley, a general manager, were arrested May 1999 after investigators found 899 plants in a greenhouse near Petaluma. Also seized were 14 pounds of processed marijuana, more than a pound of hashish and $3,700 in cash. The men told investigators that they were growing the plants for the 1,200 member club called CHAMP -- Californians Helping Alleviate Medical Problems. The club is near Market Street in the Castro.E-mail Daniel Evans a: devans sfexaminer.comSource: San Francisco Examiner (CA)Author: Daniel Evans of The Examiner StaffPublished: March 31, 2001Copyright: 2001 San Francisco ExaminerContact: letters examiner.comWebsite: http://www.examiner.com/Related Articles & Web Site:C.H.A.M.P.http://www.champsf.org/Hallinan Testifies At Medical Pot Growers' Trial http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9184.shtmlPot Trial Focuses on Reason for Growing http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9005.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #1 posted by Neutrino on March 31, 2001 at 08:13:57 PT Costs........ This is becoming an extremely costly mess. Sooner or later the prohibitionists are going to figure it out....this is not going away. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: