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Pot Guru Ed Rosenthal To Be Retried Even Though Jail Off the Table

When we last checked in with marijuana activist Ed Rosenthal (background here), a federal judge had thrown out added money laundering and tax charges against him finding them based on prosecutorial vindictiveness. That left the Government with a few cultivation charges, on which he had already served his sentence.

Yesterday at a hearing, the Government announced it would stick with the case and re-try Ed even though he couldn't be sent to jail.

The Judge demanded to know who made this decision. It was newly appointed U.S. Attorney Scott Schools. I guess he's one of those U.S. Attorneys who just follow Administration marching orders.

Digby weighs in on this incredible waste of prosecutorial resources.

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  • Display: Sort:
    Good thing (none / 0) (#1)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 04:32:17 PM EST
    there's no war on terror to fight.

    Meanwhile, clinic fights subpoena, gag. (none / 0) (#2)
    by Ben Masel on Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 07:11:18 PM EST
    In the diaries

    This subpoena says, "Provide the below described documentation pertaining to the following named parties: ," This subpoena then names 17 people from Oregon and Washington state, along with each person's date of birth. After the list of names, the subpoena continues: "Any and all documents including, but not limited to : * Documentation of Medical Authorization to Possess Marijuana for Medical Purposes in the State of Washington; * Medical Statements and or Reports; * Correspondence; * Reports of any violation and or termination of the Authorization; * Written Applications."

    The subpoena says, "You are required not to disclose the existence of this request. Any such disclosure could impede the investigation being conducted and thereby interfere with the enforcement of the law."

    To date, Fed action has been overwhenmingly against California providers. Seems they're moving into Oregon and Washington, and preparing to go after patients as well as providers.

    it's good (none / 0) (#3)
    by cpinva on Sun Apr 15, 2007 at 03:42:46 AM EST
    that the education, immigration, budget and iraq/afghanistan war issues have been dealt with, so we have the time, energy and money to handle this grave danger to our society.

    There is a real danger to society here.... (none / 0) (#4)
    by kdog on Sun Apr 15, 2007 at 08:06:42 AM EST
    his name is Scott Schools, and the rest of the US Attorneys.

    I guess they will never leave this poor guy alone.

    It wouldn't be any different under a Dem administration either...which is why I'm third party all the way.  If Steve Kubby were elected president, sh*t like this would not happen, and thats enough of an improvement for me.

    Parent

    It's the "Revenge of the Dweebs" (none / 0) (#5)
    by SeeEmDee on Mon Apr 16, 2007 at 07:55:44 AM EST
    I recall well the derision that many Fundies in college in the early 1980's received from those they were so earnestly trying to convert to their particular brand of Christianity, and how isolated they became on campus as a result of continual rejection of their proselytizing.

    The stoners were the ones most often in the vanguard of being critical of them and their beliefs, and for intellectual as well as spiritual reasons. The frustration that caused the Fundies must have been enormous.

    That some of those nascent culture warriors should gravitate to positions where they might be able to inflict their religious beliefs (via authoritarian legislation like drug laws) upon those they hated for ostracizing them should have surprised no one.

    The culture warriors, unable to win through (their version of moral) persuasion, now seek to convince via force. They still think a rolled-up copy of the law stuffed down the front of their pants is a substitute for the real thing. Nothing much has changed; still a bunch o' dweebs...