Please Write Judge on Bryan Epis Resentencing

Many DRCNet readers know the case of Bryan Epis, a medical
marijuana patient and provider who was sentenced to ten years
after being convicted in federal court in 2002
(http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/258/bryanepis.shtml). Bryan
was released last year, pending re-sentencing, following the US
Supreme Court's Blakely ruling. DRCNet participated in a major
demonstration in Sacramento on the day of his sentencing, and we
have also gotten to know Bryan personally after he was released,
two years later, pending re-sentencing after the Supreme Court's
rulings in Blakely and Booker began to change the way federal
sentencing works.

A victory in the recent Raich medical marijuana case would have
given Bryan a new trial, during which he presumably would have
been allowed to present evidence that he was providing medical
marijuana to patients in compliance with California law.
Unfortunately that didn't happen. But the Supreme Court rulings
now give Judge Frank Damrell the power to give Bryan a shorter
sentence this time, toward which the two years Bryan has already
spent behind bars would count. Judge Damrell will pronounce his
new sentence on August 1, 9:30am. Prosecutor Samuel Wong has
asked that the same ten year sentence be imposed again.

We are writing you today to ask that you send letters to Judge
Damrell in support of Bryan -- especially those of you who have
conditions for which medical marijuana is an effective
treatment, those of you who have seen loved ones with painful
medical conditions gain some relief from medical marijuana, and
those of you who know Bryan personally and can attest with
concrete examples as to what a good and kind person he is.
Bryan's attorney thinks that Judge Damrell probably does not
believe that marijuana is a legitimate medicine, and your
personal testimonials could help to persuade him otherwise.

Regardless of what you have to say, please be sure that your
letters are respectful. Judge Damrell has the power to sentence
Bryan to as much as ten years or as little as time served. This
is not a moment when righteous anger will help our cause -- save
it for the next time when it will. The same request applies to
any of you who attend the hearing to show support in person, as
well as to dress conservatively. Letters should be addressed to:

The Honorable Frank C. Damrell, Jr.
US District Court
501 I Street, Suite 4-200
Sacramento, CA 95814

Please write on the envelope and at the top of the letter: "Re:
Sentencing of Bryan Epis, #97-381." Please also send copies of
your letter to us at drcnet [at] drcnet.org or by fax to (202)
293-4414, and to Bryan's attorney, Brenda Grantland, at (415)
381-6105 or brenda1 [at] fear.org. Also, if you are interested you
can read Bryan's Sentencing Memorandum at
http://www.bestlodging.com/sentencing.pdf online. (The web site
http://www.bestlodging.com is also Bryan's online travel
business -- another way you can support an activist if you have
bookings to make.)

Thanks for considering this request to help a fellow activist
who took a great risk and has paid a great price.

Sincerely,

David Borden, Executive Director
StoptheDrugWar.org: the Drug Reform Coordination Network
P.O. Box 18402
Washington, DC 20036
http://stopthedrugwar.org

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