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SEQUENCE:18329425
CREATED:20061024T232500Z
DESCRIPTION: For Immediate Release\n\nContacts: Clark Sullivan 415 424 0125 Shona 
 Gochenaur 415 240 5247\n\nWho: Axis of Love, HempEvolution.org, Harvey Milk 
 Club - Cannabis Caucus\n\nWhat:  Rally and Press Conference for Ed 
 Rosenthal and Richard Watts\n\nWhen: 1 PM; Wednesday, October 25, 
 2006\n\nWhere: Phillip Burton Federal Building; 450 Golden Gate Ave; San 
 Francisco, CA\n\nWhy:  Seeking to 'save face' over it's failed prosecution 
 of  Ed Rosenthal, the U.S. Government still refuses to acknowledge that it 
 has failed in it's  campaign against medical marijuana patients.  Wasting 
 taxpayer resources on an expensive witch hunt, overzealous Assistant U.S. 
 Attorney George Bevan, who has been called "Mr. Marijuana for the 
 Government", is maliciously persecuting Mr. Rosenthal, Rick Watts and 
 medical cannabis patients everywhere despite the fact that nine of twelve 
 jurors would have recanted their verdict at the first trial had they known 
 it was about medical cannabis.\n\nEmploying a grand jury to intimidate two 
 witnesses, who refused to testify, the U.S. Attorney's Office indicted Ed 
 and Rick on a bevy of groundless new charges, including tax evasion and 
 money laundering on an insubstantial amount of money.\n\nFour years later, 
 the federal government is finally prosecuting Mr. Watts, who is in poor 
 health and excruciating pain, in what can only be called 'justice delayed'. 
  Isn't Mr. Watts being punished enough already, having been on federal 
 pretrial probation since 2002?  Isn't he guaranteed the right to a speedy 
 trial by the Constitution?\n\nEd, who was deputized by the city of Oakland, 
 was sanctioned under city and state laws to grow marijuana and sell the 
 plants to dispensaries. He believed he was acting legally due to continued 
 support from local officials.  Now, Mr. Rosenthal faces life in prison and 
 millions of dollars of fines.\n\nAt Mr. Rosenthal's bail hearing, Bevan 
 sought to raise Ed's bail and take away his passport, despite over forty 
 previous appearances without incident, Magistrate Judge Vaughn remarked 
 that he assumed Mr. Rosenthal would fight his case "to the bitter end" and 
 that he was not a flight risk.\n\nEd vows to continue his battle against a 
 vindictive federal government,  "Most people considering their 
 circumstances for one reason or another are forced to give in under the 
 weight of government pressure. I'm not only standing up for dispensaries, 
 but for all these people who've been harassed and hounded by the 
 government."\n\nWe demand that the U.S. Attorney's Office cease their 
 prosecution of Ed Rosenthal, as well as those currently awaiting trial for 
 medical cannabis.  We demand cease the Drug Enforcement Agency immediately 
 cease their arrest, investigation and harassment of regulated medical 
 cannabis dispensaries.  We also demand the federal government release all 
 medical cannabis prisoners currently in custody and grant them general 
 amnesty. \n https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/10/24/18323047.php
SUMMARY:Rally and Press Conference for Ed Rosenthal and Richard Watts
LOCATION:450 Golden Gate Ave
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/10/24/18323047.php
DTSTART:20061025T200000Z
DTEND:20061025T213000Z
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