Ed Rosenthal retrial - Closing Arguments & Deliberation

by Vanessa Nelson

Closing arguments in the re-trial of Ed Rosenthal were heard today, and they
appropriately followed a familiar pattern that was established early on in
the case -- the government managing a slow, methodical tedium and the
defense employing an escalation of outrageous language that eventually
earned reprimand.

It was nothing out of the ordinary when compared to the rest of the trial,
but spectators nevertheless packed the courtroom beyond capacity. The
audience squeezed together on the unyielding wooden pews, while wheelchairs
jammed the aisleways and late arrivals lined the wall. Quickly, the
courtroom of Judge Charles Breyer had become a standing room only venue.

With this impressive show of support fresh in their minds, the jurors
retired to deliberate on the five criminal counts that Rosenthal is facing.
They gave no indication of their progress until the end of the afternoon,
when they sent out a note with a question for the judge. On review of the
document, however, the defense team expressed dismay and made grave
predictions about the verdict.
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Read the rest of this report along with in depth reports from each day of
the trial online at
http://www.medicalmarijuanaofamerica.com/content/view/84/1/