S.D. Caregiver Eddie Lugan Pleads

>From: Eddie Lugan <eddielugan at yahoo.com>
>Subject: Court Outcome
>
>To whom it may concern,
>I write you this email with much regret, I wish I had some
>groundbreaking good news for you but I don't. I'm writing to inform
>you about my Court Case and the outcome of it, as you may know I
>went to Court last Wednesday 01/24/07 for charges of transportation
>and sales. I was carrying medical marijuana (A little under 2
>ounces) for myself and a few other patients that I was caring for
>and I got arrested for it "To keep it short" and I went to my trial
>date. When I got there the D.A. had informed me that he was filing a
>motion to make me defenseless against him by saying that I didn't
>meet the legal guidelines for being a caregiver and that if he
>prevailed then I would be prosecuted for sales of marijuana, just
>like a criminal I guess. My lawyer was going to Counter Motion on
>the grounds that I'm allowed a defense under Prop.215 but I think it
>could have gone either way in Court, who's to say? The D.A. took me
>and my public defender aside and spoke with us before the trial, he
>made me an offer that I thought was reasonable considering the
>circumstances. It was a plea bargain that dismissed the 2 felonies
>and gave me the charge of 11357(a) possession of concentrated
>cannabis a misdemeanor. I'm on 3 years summery/informal probation
>and I will be eligible to get the charges expunged after probation,
>I have to pay a $100 lawyers fee or a fine in other words. I'm still
>able to be a medical marijuana patient (Thank God) as long as I stay
>within the States Guidelines stated in S.B.420 except the fact that
>I'm no longer able to be a provider/caregiver for other patients.
>They basically don't want me selling or giving away any marijuana
>but I'm still allowed to carry for my own medical needs.
>Unfortunately I got screwed out my bail amount of $2,500 of my own
>hard earned cash along with $125 that the Oceanside Police took out
>of my wallet, my medicine a little under 2 ounces, my scale, my
>personal and patient files, my hookah, my bubbler, my pipes and
>rolling papers and my back pack. The D.A. refused to grant me a
>return of property request in the plea bargain. I'm glad though that
>I'm not in jail or that I didn't get a felony and lose my Real
>Estate License but I regret not fighting for it full force and
>setting some sort of ground in San Diego. I wish I would have risked
>it in some sense but I really wanted to get the whole thing over
>with, sorry if I let anyone down. It's hard to risk it when you have
>something to loose, it's still something I'm getting used to. I want
>to thank everyone who was there supporting me through that difficult
>time in my life, I really appreciate it very much. May God Bless you
>all and I wish you all the best. I hope I helped the cause in a good
>way, thanks again.
>
>Eddie Lugan-Real Estate Agent & Realtor
>Medical Marijuana Patient
>Ex-Caregiver & Ex-Owner/Operator of
>North County Medical Caregivers Delivery Service
>
>