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Minister Faces 4 Life Sentences For Religious Beliefs

by Craig Lemire
It has been 48 days in jail for Rev. Charles Eddy Lepp since
the February 16th raid on his ministry and medicinal marijuana farm
called Eddy's Medicinal Gardens and Multi-Denominational Ministry of
Cannabis and Rastafari.
Minister Faces 4 Life Sentences For Religious Beliefs

It has been 48 days in jail for Rev. Charles Eddy Lepp since
the February 16th raid on his ministry and medicinal marijuana farm
called Eddy's Medicinal Gardens and Multi-Denominational Ministry of
Cannabis and Rastafari. This was the 3rd raid in the past 4 years on
the Ministry located in Upper Lake California. Rev. Charles Eddy
Lepp is facing 4 life sentences plus two 20 year sentences, 17
million dollars in fines, and 600 dollars in special assessments for
the combined charges on the 2004 and 2005 raids.

Rev. Lepp was the first person tried and acquitted under
California Law Proposition 215 in 1998 for cultivating approximately
150 plants. In 2002 The Ministry was raided for around 250 plants,
but no one had formal charges brought up against them. Then, on
August 18th 2004 the Ministry was raided again, this time for over
32,500 medicinal marijuana plants alongside California Highway 20.
Rev. Lepp was out on bail pending trial for the medicinal grow when
the DEA entered the Ministry with their guns drawn on February 16th
2005, again seizing their sacrament and medicine.

Thanks to a 10,000 dollar donation by Joe Rogan from Fear
Factor and The Man Show Rev. Lepp was able to retain Tony Serra, Omar
Figueroa, and Shari Greenberger for the case. The 10,000 dollar
donation is for the projected research and other related court costs.
All three attorneys for Rev. Lepp's case are working pro-bono.

There is a 500,000 dollar bail on Rev. Lepp that is to be
obtained in the form of property that will be quick deeded back at
the end of the case. Any individual wanting to help with property for
the bail or donations to the Ministry or the defense fund to save the
land and house that forfeiture attorney Brenda Grantland is trying so
hard to save contact the Ministry through
http://www.eddysmedicinalgardens.com

Rev. Lepp holds true to his religious and state rights under
Proposition 215, SB 420, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to
grow and use cannabis for spiritual and medicinal reasons. His
defense will push these issues. He is being tried under Judge Patel
in the 9th circuit in San Francisco California. His next court date
is on May 31st 2005 at the San Francisco federal court building.

Press Release BY:
Craig Lemire

For Information Contact:
Linda Senti or Craig Lemire

Primary 707-275-8879
Secondary 707-319-1773
Fax 707-275-9717
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