Eddy Lepp in court Monday 3/14 10am

Who: Eddy Lepp, Eddy's Medicinal Gardens
What: Hearing to determine competency/ Appeal bail denial
When: March 14, 2005 Monday 10:00am
Where: SF Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate 16th Floor Judge Patel's
courtroom

San Francisco, CA March 3, 2005 -- Eddy Lepp was indicted today on six
federal charges including possession with intent to distribute,
manufacturing a controlled substance with intent to distribute,
distribution of one pound or more of marijuana, cultivating 6,000 or
more marijuana plants, and maintaining a place to manufacture and
distribute marijuana. The first four counts carry potential life
sentences with a ten year mandatory minimum sentence and a four million
dollar fine. The fifth and six counts carry possible twenty year to life
sentences.

The charges were presented as part of a superseding indictment.
Magistrate Joseph Spero denied a request from Lepp's attorney to have a
judge review an earlier ruling which denied Lepp release on bond.

Daniel Barnes, who was arrested with Lepp, was also indicted charges of
possession with intent to distribute, distribution of one pound or more
and manufacturing with intent to distribute 6,000 marijuana plants. He
is also facing potential life sentences. Both Lepp and Barnes plead not
guilty. "When they throw that much time at you, that would scare the
strongest person," said Barnes.

According to Barnes, he was hanging insulation at Lepp's house one day
when Lepp asked him to drive a man named Ken to the nearby town of Upper
Lake. The government alleges that "Ken" was transporting one pound of
marijuana given to him by Lepp which was intended for a third man
revealed to be an undercover DEA agent. According to Barnes, the under
cover agent's name is Lt. Cashe. Lepp denies the government's charge
that he sold the man a pound of cannabis without mentioning any medical
or religious concerns.

Barnes and Lepp are scheduled to appear next in front of Judge Marilyn
Patel on March 14 at 10 am. Lepp says he plans to mount a religious
defense and is eager to present his case to Patel who released him on
bond after his last DEA bust in August. Lepp was represented in court
today by his federal defender David Fermino. But Tony Serra, Omar
Figueroa and Shari Greenberger have agreed to represent Lepp on the
charges pro bono. They have asked that Lepp and his supporters raise
$10,000 for legal research expenses. According to Stacey Swimme of ASA,
$1,500 has so far been raised and dispensary operators are being asked
to contribute.

--
Stacey Swimme
Field Manager
Americans for Safe Access
1700 Shattuck Ave. #317
Berkeley, CA 94709
510-486-8083
888-929-4367
http://www.SafeAccessNow.org

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