Feature Archives

On October 22nd, Riva Love of the Watsonville Brown Berets interviewed Romaine "Chip" Fitzgerald, the longest incarcerated Black Panther Party member. Chip discusses his early days in the streets, how he came to join the Black Panther party, and his words for young people oppressed by the current power structure. Currently housed at Imperial Valley State Prison in Southern California, he has had two parole hearings scheduled in the past six months, but neither have taken place.

5000 nurses walked off the job at 15 Northern California hospitals on Wednesday, October 10 in a strike that's being called the largest in a decade. The California Nurses Association organized the 2-day strike after negotiations broke down with hospital operator Sutter Health. Nurses say they are striking to improve patient care and to protect their healthcare and retirement benefits.

The San Diego Indymedia website has been down since late August because of tech problems, but a temporary newswire dedicated to San Diego related content has been created on Indybay. SDIMC volunteers are hoping to unveil a new website with a different content management system, drupal, sometime in late October or November.

On September 19th, after more than two full days of deliberation, a 12-person jury informed Judge Jeffrey Miller they were hopelessly deadlocked and determined that further deliberation would not deliver unanimity. Outside the courtroom, attorneys were informed that the majority was voting for acquittal of the environmental and animal rights activist on trial for a speech he gave in San Diego in 2003.

On Thursday, August 23rd, California's Fourth Appellate District in Santa Ana will hear oral arguments in a contentious case related to the return of medical cannabis patients' medicine following interactions with the police. Garden Grove patient Felix Kha may finally see the return of his wrongfully confiscated 8 grams of medical marijuana; an Orange County Superior Court judge in 2005 ordered the return of Kha's medicine after the case against him was dismissed. Kha's case will be heard alongside the case of Jim Spray, a Huntington Beach patient.

After almost six years of persecution, Dr. Mollie Fry and her husband, Attorney Dale Schafer finally had a chance to defend themselves in court, On August 16th, a federal jury found them guilty of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute over 100 plants. While they awaited trial, Fry and Schafer were forbidden from using cannabis, although it has been recommended by their physicians.

On July 25th, the Los Angeles City Council voted to move forward with the regulation of medical cannabis dispensaries. On the same day, federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents conducted raids on at least six dispensaries in the LA area. After patients and advocates blockaded the California Patients' Group, the DEA and LAPD released those who were being detained inside. Five protesters were arrested on various charges. Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is calling for statewide protests to be held on Friday, July 27th.