New staff for DA reverses pot policy

[reality checker]

she better read this

*Sacramento, CA*-- The California Supreme Court yesterday refused to review /County of Butte v. Superior Court/, a landmark appellate court ruling that protects the right of medical marijuana patients and their primary caregivers to collectively cultivate. The landmark ruling by California's Third Appellate District Court also affirmed a patient's ability to take civil action when their right to collectively cultivate is violated by law enforcement. The /Butte County/ case involved a private 7-patient medical marijuana collective in Paradise, California.

The nationwide medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) filed a lawsuit in May 2006 on behalf of 56-year-old David Williams and six other collective members after Butte County Sheriffs conducted a warrantless search of his home in 2005. Williams was forced
by law enforcement to uproot more than two-dozen plants or face arrest and prosecution. Contrary to state law, Williams was told by the Sheriff that his collectively cultivated medical marijuana was illegal.

"By refusing to review this case, the California Supreme Court sends a strong message that local law enforcement must uphold the medical marijuana laws of the state and not competing federal laws," said Joe Elford, ASA Chief Counsel and the attorney that litigated the case on
behalf of Williams. The appellate court ruling from July 2009 concluded that, "[T]he deputy was acting under color of California law, not federal law. Accordingly, the propriety of his conduct is measured by California law."

In its landmark decision, the appellate court asserted that the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 is not simply an affirmative defense to criminal sanctions: "[W]e see an opportunity for an individual to request the same constitutional guarantee of due process available to all individuals, no matter what their status, under the state Constitution. The fact that this case involves medical marijuana and a qualified medical marijuana patient does not change these fundamental constitutional rights or an individual's right to assert them."

The appellate court ruling upheld Butte County Superior Court Judge Barbara Roberts' ruling from September 2007, in which she states that seriously ill patients cultivating collectively "should not be required to risk criminal penalties and the stress and expense of a criminal trial in order to assert their rights." Judge Roberts' ruling also rejected Butte County's policy of requiring all members to physically participate in the cultivation, thereby allowing collective members to "contribute financially."

ASA filed the Williams lawsuit after receiving repeated reports of unlawful behavior by Butte County law enforcement, as well as by other police agencies throughout the state. After uncovering Butte County's de facto ban on medical marijuana patient collectives, ASA decided to pursue the case to show that collectives and cooperatives are protected under state law

[jackhole]

Times are really tough all over; restore DA staffing level to prosecute more marijuana cases; this is obsurred and again there are many more pressing issues in this area; quit wasting our time and money paying for extra help in the office; not to mention court, petty pot trials and all the other ways to rip us off in this county we call home.

[Parks and Rec]

Hmmmm wrote:

<quoted text>
I've seen in patient rehab centers just for marijuana on that TV series "Intervention." Some people just can't stop smoking dope on their own and they lead doped up non-productive lives. Some people are addicted to the feeling pot gives them, the escape from reality, they don't want to face life... it doesn't have to be a chemical addiction to be a real addiction. People are addicted to food, and that's not a chemical addiction.

Should we make food illegal then... Or should we get help to those that suffer from that addiction.
Should we make everything that could be addictive illegal? That's pretty much everything my friend.

[Mendo Local]

anonymous wrote:

<quoted text>
F U A - hole.
I am a patient with a serious medical condition, and i take care of my 70 year old cancer patient mother that is also a legal patient.
The DA and Police do not uphold the law, they subvert it at every turn.

What condition is that...did you suffer from personal motivation? Yep yer weed cured that fer sure. You have posted on here many times that you are for COMPLETE Legalization. There were those during the 215 campaign who said that YOU and others like YOU wanted 215 passed as a stepping stone to full legalization. I, like many others were hoodwinked, we believed in the good of people and that this was not the case, so I voted for 215....Today, I would spearhead a campaign against it. Knowing what I now know, which is the medical LIE you hide behind and the sleaze and filth and the cartels flooding to the once "Best small town in America" which is now a dirt hole, I saw some of your dreaded out unbathed dirt bags in townm the other day. The only reason these dirt balls are here is to collect OUR tax dollars thru Welfare and to make an easy buck trimming and to hopefully create a few more addicts by giving weed to 4th and 5th grade children!
So, I say, NO!...F. U. A Hole dirt bag druggie former member of the human race!

[woodbutcher]

[I hope it hits 10K per pound in Mendocino County. At over $600 per lid fewer stoners will be able to afford their dope.]

I am pretty sure we all know there is no shortage of any kind of drug's in this or any other country.
In fact from what ive seen over the past 30+ yrs of drug use in america is much more plentiful supply's and much better quality with decreases in prices for many diff. drugs.That is probably why most country's are now moving towards decrim and legalizing drugs rather than the lets see how much more we can piss away on a complete failure attitude towards prohibition.It sure would be nice for the state to be able to afford to keep violent offenders in prison instead of being forced to release thousands to keep low level drug offenders locked up because the prohibitionists in this country and state cant admit that their agenda has failed so badly that it will take years and billions more to fix.

[OHBOY]

Maybe the feds should pay growers not grow weed like they have in other sectors of agriculture. For example corn and wheat some marketing orders and growers assocations have also done this. Another example is the peach industry. They pay there growers to pull out trees. The reduction of a crop almost always help in price increase and demand. In the pot industry the law enforcement methods of late crop pulls works in the same way. It increases demand and thus increases price. If i where a small time grower and the sheriff was hitting only large organized growers crops I would support him. Not only in my vote but also during campaign time.

[Mendo Local]

anonymous wrote:

<quoted text>
Seriously, are you retarded?
Most people that smoke pot for fun are not "dirty dreaded out unbathed (not even a real word, and redundant considering you started out with dirty....moron) dirt bags".
Just because i am for full legalization doesn't mean i do not have a valid medical need.
Apples and Oranges butt-hole, Apples and Oranges.

The problem is, dirt bag, that there are not enough dirt adjectives to describe you without being redundant. I think you have listed your three favorite foods above: apples, oranges and nutt-hole. Just because you have a faux medical card does not make you legit!

[bingo]

It's about time!!! Now we need the IRS to do audits on everybody that is in the county to get the dopers not paying taxes!!!

[ELNIXON]

Non Civility In Action wrote:

A NorCal phenomenon. Happens everytime... Clever ways to spell cuss words. Semi- and completely ridiculous points of view on display. The same Usual Suspects having a P1ssing match online, because they are powerless in their personal lives....
BOTTOM LINE: If people were comfortable and taken care of by their Sh*tstem of a Gov't, or had suitable and rewarding employment, they would take less risks....
PROMOTE MORE LIVING WAGE JOBS, and your Society will improve...
So Simple, the Economy of Mendo Cty is - and has been "Circling the Bowl" forever..!!

Well don't forget our "Sh*tstem has dropped the ball on education and the constant bombardment of materialistic philosophy...and......ect.

[OHBOY]

Look at he wine industry and the markert. It seems that high priced wine market is going down. The the thirty dollar bottle stuff is hardly moving. In contrast the 5 dollar bottle of wine is ahead of the past years BIG TIME and it appears that the future is in lower priced wines. Guess what Mendocino county pot is like Napa wine. It could be that consumers will move to less expensive pot grown from other places. Quality I am told is comparable to ours growing throughout the United States,Canada and Mexico , and the consumer has no real loyality to any given region nor non member. It is the bottom line any given growing area can out price themselfs out of a market and when buyers find a Quality product and better profit margin they take there bussiness there. It is like gallo winery first they bought much of there needs (grapes)from other growers but know they produce a line share of there own product. Soon organized crime will have total control of the market and when so will squeeze other commercal growers out. Legalize it tax it and regulate it say no to organized crime.

[ELNIXON]

OHBOY wrote:

Look at he wine industry and the markert. It seems that high priced wine market is going down. The the thirty dollar bottle stuff is hardly moving. In contrast the 5 dollar bottle of wine is ahead of the past years BIG TIME and it appears that the future is in lower priced wines. Guess what Mendocino county pot is like Napa wine. It could be that consumers will move to less expensive pot grown from other places. Quality I am told is comparable to ours growing throughout the United States,Canada and Mexico , and the consumer has no real loyality to any given region nor non member. It is the bottom line any given growing area can out price themselfs out of a market and when buyers find a Quality product and better profit margin they take there bussiness there. It is like gallo winery first they bought much of there needs (grapes)from other growers but know they produce a line share of there own product. Soon organized crime will have total control of the market and when so will squeeze other commercal growers out. Legalize it tax it and regulate it say no to organized crime.

I don't think it's that simple;you mentioned the wine industry as an example;yet many small independant wineries exist;or microbrews for that matter;you will simply have the quantity market and the quality market that's all....

[B4D4SS]

Ex-Ukiahian-Alaska wrote:

<quoted text>
Stand up slowly, walk out side and take several slow deep breaths through your nostrils, let it out slowly. Feel better? Now please show us where I wrote that these people are in treatment for marijuana addiction. I fear that over the years too many bong hits may have impacted your reading comprehension.

You said that the "weed addicts" care more about their dope than their kids.

[B4D4SS]

Ex-Ukiahian-Alaska wrote:

<quoted text>
Stand up slowly, walk out side and take several slow deep breaths through your nostrils, let it out slowly. Feel better? Now please show us where I wrote that these people are in treatment for marijuana addiction. I fear that over the years too many bong hits may have impacted your reading comprehension.

"....was such an "idiot", that I didn't know that weed drug addicts would rather smoke the dope than to put food on the table for children,pay the mortage etc. I thought that was in the realm of alcoholics, heroin and crack users..."

[anonymous]

Mendo Local wrote:

<quoted text>
The problem is, dirt bag, that there are not enough dirt adjectives to describe you without being redundant. I think you have listed your three favorite foods above: apples, oranges and nutt-hole. Just because you have a faux medical card does not make you legit!

As a mater of FACT it does.
Mr internet tough guy.
Threatening the disabled and calling them names.
Real big man.
A-HOLE.

[hello friends]

first let me say that policy that was reversed never really existed it was a ploy just to sound good but never followed through on. She was tougher then ever from the gitgo. So question things and also read this. many people should look up the stanford prison study...it shows that 90% of people who put on a uniform will do what ever they're told and if left to their own devices will do evil...this means that most police men and women will break people's civil rights and their normal morals go out the door. this is scary when yo think about it. This is why we have abuses every day by uniformed people every day almost all of which do not get accounted for. But don't let me confuse you with facts. People must start questioning more, thinking more openly not just thinking what they are told to think. This applys to all avenues of life...weather it's food, vaccines, a supposed threat from terror, health, war, wars on anything for that matter, religion, drugs ect. I would like you all to start watching TEDtalks they are speeches from professors, scientists, musicans, writers, poets, techs, and so forth all of which are pioneers in there field. I think will all are interested in educations on one level or another especailly when it's interesting, thought provoking, funny, moving, and innovative. you can find them at youtube or www.TEDtalks.com

[shesrighton]

DAs Office wrote:

"F" for attempted face-saving. Lintott has succeeded in pushing out/firing experienced DDAs and has hired brand new lawyers to portray efficiency. Truly a joke on the citizens of the county.

Well we run that AZZH*LE DA out of our town and hes In Tehama county lawing it up again..and I understand he is stil up to his old tricks...Lintott is awesome and its got all the tokers fired up!!! YOU GO GIRL!