Will Foster Needs Your Help Now!

<http://www.norml.org> January 18, 2006
<http://www.norml.org>norml.org

From NORML.ORG:

Will Foster Needs Your Help Now!

Many of you are familiar with
<http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3935>Will
Foster and the 93-year sentence he received a few
years ago in Oklahoma for growing medical
marijuana plants at his home! Although Will’s
sentence was eventually reduced to 20 years, he
served more than 4 and 1/2 years of his sentence
before he was finally paroled. Will transferred
his parole to California, where he has been
living for the last few years. Some of you may
have met Will at a NORML conference or
fundraising party.

After nearly three years of spotless probation
reports, Will was eventually assigned to a
California probation officer who was hostile
about having Will added to his caseload. The
officer accused Will of failing to maintain
contact with him and asked Oklahoma to take him
back. A warrant was issued and at the end of
2005. Will was arrested solely because he had
remained in California.

Will is currently in jail awaiting his possible
extradition to Oklahoma, where they indicate they
want to require him to serve the 16-year balance
remaining from his original sentence. It is worth
noting that Will is a medical use patient in
California, and it would be legal (under state
law) if he were to grow marijuana in California.
Nonetheless, Oklahoma wants him back.

Will has severe arthritis, and his health
problems will be exacerbated by the Oklahoma
prison conditions. Sending him back to prison
would constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
Considering Will’s medical condition and the
antagonism of the Oklahoma prison authorities,
there is a serious concern for Will's welfare
should he be returned to serve a long prison
sentence.

In addition, Will has rebuilt his life in
California. His family is here and he has no
support system in Oklahoma. Any additional parole
time he may have should be served in this state,
not Oklahoma, where he no longer has any ties.

Please write a letter today urging the judge to
keep Will Foster in California, and to refuse to
send him back to Oklahoma to serve a sentence
that would be considered cruel and unusual
punishment in California. Those letters should be
addressed to California State Judge Elliot Daum
and faxed to Will's attorney (and former San
Francisco District Attorney) Terence Hallinan at
(415) 474-3748. If you have questions, Terrence
can be reached at
<mailto:terencehallinan [at] sbcglobal.net>terencehallinan [at] sbcglobal.net

Please act quickly, as the letters on Will's
behalf must be received by Terence Hallinan by
Monday, January 23. The hearing on this matter
has been scheduled for Wednesday, January 25.

Thanks in advance for your efforts to come to the aid of Will Foster.

<http://www.norml.org>NORML and the
<http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3380>NORML
Foundation: 1600 K Street NW, Suite 501,
Washington DC, 20006-2832
Tel: (202) 483-5500 • Fax: (202) 483-0057 •
Email: <mailto:norml [at] norml.org>norml [at] norml.org



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