Tag Archive for news

August 5th, 2009
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Beaverhead County Decides to Defer Prosecution of Summer Day in Medical Marijuana Case

In February of 2008, I reported on the arrests of Scott and Summer Day. Scott and Summer were doing what so many Americans are finding themselves doing these days: growing their own medicine in the form of cannabis. Scott suffered from a rare condition that usually took the lives of its victims at around age 12. Because of this, he required upwards of $40,000 worth of treatment every month; cannabis provided a relief the costly medicines could not provide.

Almost a year ago, I regretfully extended that report with the loss of a good man: Scott Day. He and his wife found their lives wrapped up in the turmoil of the drug war; the stress of which, ultimately aided in the untimely death of Scott.

In that report, I pleaded for anyone and everyone to contact the appropriate departments in Beaverhead County, Montana to try and halt the prosecution of Scott’s wife, Summer. She was still facing 2 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 after having to deal with the blow of losing her husband.

Now, I am pleased to report some wonderful news! According to Patients & Families United, Summer Day has had her prosecution deferred! Here’s the quote:

We are very pleased to announce that Beaverhead County has decided to defer its planned prosecution of Summer Day.

Many of you know Summer well, from past gatherings we’ve held, and also knew her husband, Scott Day, who died last September. They became cherished members of the Patients & Families United network from the moment we met them, soon after the western Montana drug task force invaded their home and destroyed Scott’s medicinal garden. At the time, they were medical marijuana patients – but unregistered with the state health department.

In our view, the county’s unnecessary but relentless prosecution of Scott and Summer Day contributed mightily to the worsening of Scott’s health and his premature death. The county attorney’s continued attempt to prosecute Summer, even after Scott had perished, was unfounded and especially unconscionable.

We congratulate Summer on having this legal cloud finally dissipate, and we thank her attorney, public defender Jon Moog, for all his hard work on Summer’s (and Scott’s) behalf. It’s been a pleasure and an honor to know and work with both of them, and gratifying to see another patient cleared of punishment at the hands of our overzealous “criminal justice” system.

Depending on the type of deferment, this means that the charges against her could, eventually, be dismissed.

This is a wonderful bit of news in a long struggle.

ILoveBonnie.net would like to personally congratulate Summer and extend a thanks to her public defender, Jon Moog for his hard work.

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Category: Misc | Tags: , , ,
April 2nd, 2009
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Reported Shooting at Radford University (Story Emerging)

There has been a shooting reported shooting at Radford University. At the building known as “the Bonnie.” The suspect was seen at the Bonnie. The initial shooting is reported to have occurred on Calhoun and Madison.

Students received calls and text messages letting them know that they should seek shelter and that the city was looking for a black male with a do-rag, no shirt, and a camo jacket. I spoke to a University student who is currently seeking shelter in her dorm room at the University. On her way back from the 7-11, there was apparently a long line of cop cars which seemed odd to her, for a Thursday evening. Police have not confirmed what they were investigating but it is almost certain, at this time, that it was a shooting.

She confirmed that a friend of hers was nearby when it occurred and that he was very shaken up by it.

“I can’t believe our school doesn’t send an email out.”

“Think of how many parents are freaking out right now.”

Students and parents are turning to their University web site and finding no information. At this time, both the alert section on the University website and the alert section in the University police website have no alerts of any kind listed.

The shooter is, apparently still loose as students have not received any indication from the University that it is safe to leave their shelter.

“There are still people walking around campus that have no idea. Some people didn’t even get notified.”

More as the story develops.

10:29pm EST: sources say that there was one victim shot nine times and that the suspect was last seen in or near the Bonnie. This has not yet been confirmed by any officials.

10:54pm EST: sources say two more people have been shot, though this has not been officially confirmed. The University still has no information posted to their alerts on their website. News sources say tactical teams were deployed in a couple of University buildings. Students reporting that a building check will be occurring. The initial shooting is reported to have occurred on Calhoun and Madison. Confusion and distress evident as students turn to their University website and find no information.

11:04pm EST: text message received by students form the University:

“Command center established. no further sightings of supspect[sic]. stay in rooms and lock doors. Further updates to follow.” Still no updates on the University website.

11:16pm EST: University finally updates their website with alert:

Radford University Police are asking that all RU students stay indoors and lock their doors. The RU community is urged to refer back to this page, radford.edu, for instructions and updates. Radford University police are patrolling the campus seeking a suspect involved in a shooting earlier this evening. Two connected alerts have been issued and the campus is now considered “locked down.”

All media are encouraged to report to Lot ZZ, adjacent to the Dedmon Center where further information will be made available.

11:24pm EST: no further reports on any additional shootings beyond the first. Currently, one victim was confirmed to be shot in the chest. The victim was taken to the hospital and reports indicate that they did not survive the shooting, though no official word, yet.

12:13am EST: CNN has confirmed the death of the victim in the shooting.

Another TXT update from University@11:34pm EST:

“No further sigtings[sic] of the suspect at this time. Building searches are ongoing. Stay in your room and lock doors.”

Website updated:

RADFORD — The following message was distributed by the ConnectEd system to campus subscribers at 11:34 p.m.: “Attention. RUPD and the Radford City Police have established checkpoints and a command center. No further sightings of the suspect at this time. Buildng searches are ongoing. Stay in your room and keep all doors locked. Updates to come.”

11:30 p.m. — Attention — RUPD and Radford City Police have established checkpoints and a command center. SWAT teams will be entering academic buildings to continue the search for a suspect involved in an off-campus shooting incident who may now reportedly be on the RU campus. All Radford University students are asked to shelter in place by staying in their rooms and keeping their doors locked.

All media are encouraged to report to the Joint Information Center in the Dedmon Center, which can be accessed from the Administrative entrance off of University Drive.

1:30am EST: another update from the University that there are still no sightings of the shooter.

2:53am EST: another txt message update from the University@2:10am EST:

“Police are still checking and clearing buildings. Stay indoors with the door locked. updates to continue”

The school’s website was also updated earlier:

RADFORD — Attention. RU PD and Radford City Police are continuing their search and clearing operations of academic buildings. There are no further sightings of the suspect to report. Further updates will be issued on the RU cable television system. Students are reminded to stay in their rooms and keep doors locked.

Please be advised that there are students on campus who are sheltering in place in secure academic buildings at this time.

Category: Uncategorized | Tags:
November 22nd, 2008
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No “Hope” In Sight to End the Drug War

Recently the news has been inundated with news about the many different appointments that Obama has been recommending for his upcoming cabinet.

There are quite a few choices that are very good. Some, however, are being overlooked. Possibly because the news seems to keep itself involved with a certain someone above all of his other choices:


(Source)

Well, I for one, think some of those choices need to be looked at. It doesn’t seem that I’m alone in thinking this.

If you’ve read my blog before, then you know that one of the things that concerns me most in this country, and around the globe, is the war on drugs.

Please don’t think this is going to be another post loaded with statistics about how the war on drugs is terrible and destroys countless lives every year.

Instead, I’d like to explore a few of the recent choices that President Elect Obama has in regards to drug control.

Obama was known by many to be a friend to the medical cannabis and legalization movement that is occurring within our country and around the world.

“I got high for just the opposite effect, something that could push questions of who I was out of my mind, something that could flatten out the landscape of my heart, blur the edges of my memory. I had discovered that it didn’t make any difference whether you smoked reefer in the white classmate’s sparkling new van, or in the dorm room of some brother you’d met down at the gym, or on the beach with a couple of Hawaiian kids who had dropped out of school and now spent most of their time looking for an excuse to brawl. You might just be bored, or alone. Everybody was welcome into the club of disaffection. And if the high didn’t solve whatever it was that was getting you down, it could at least help you laugh at the world’s ongoing folly and see through all the hypocrisy and bullshit and cheap moralism.”

Source: Dreams from My Father – Barack Obama, p. 87 Aug 1, 1996

While Barack Obama may not have all the kindest things to say about cannabis, he was outspoken in his support for the end of federal raids on patients and dispensaries alike:

“I don’t think that should be a top priority of us, raiding people who are using … medical marijuana. With all the things we’ve got to worry about, and our Justice Department should be doing, that probably shouldn’t be a high priority.”

Source: June 2, 2007, town hall meeting in Laconia, New Hampshire

Indeed he, like others, has said he understands and realizes the legitimacy of the medical uses. However, he would want stringent rules:

“My attitude is if the science and the doctors suggest that the best palliative care and the way to relieve pain and suffering is medical marijuana then that’s something I’m open to because there’s no difference between that and morphine when it comes to just giving people relief from pain. But I want to do it under strict guidelines. I want it prescribed in the same way that other painkillers or palliative drugs are prescribed.”

Source: November 24, 2007 town hall meeting in Iowa

The Marijuana Policy Project even had enough material to put together a video showing Barack Obama speaking about the matter on numerous occasions:

So, it would appear, that Barack Obama would be ready to lead our country forward out of this terrible hole we’ve gotten ourselves into.

It would appear…

Actions, however, speak louder than words. So far, the actions are not holding up President-elect Obama. The actions I am referring to are the recent appointments you have made concerning drug policy in this country.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy is a very important organization in this country as it helps to determine a national attitude towards drugs and the enforcement, punishment, treatment and education associated with them. So far, Obama has managed to select a person who was already in the position, and is looking towards an opponent of the drug war for his selection for drug czar.

Beyond that, however, you have the Attorney General; who would be a key figure in helping the end of medical cannabis arrests and raids. So, who does Obama select? Eric Holder Are you serious? This guy:


(Source)

“The truth of the matter is that marijuana is a significant problem for the city. Crack cocaine still drives most of the violence in this city, but marijuana violence is increasing. We need to nip it in the bud.”

That was in the Washington Times in 1996.

Another person in Washington who thinks that crack and marijuana are to be uttered in the same breath.

4 years later, the Washington Post reported that he had won his battle:

“The D.C. Council voted yesterday to toughen the maximum penalties for the distribution of marijuana, making it a felony subject to a five-year prison term rather than a one-year misdemeanor”

So, we’ve got an Attorney General with a track record of pushing for harsher punishments for marijuana possession and distribution.

Wonderful. It just gets worse. Now, there is news that Obama will be selecting an ex-alcoholic Congressman Jim Ramstad for the top position in the O.N.D.C.P..


(Source)

The same Jim Ramstad who voted for H.R. 2586 which helps to allow the military to assist in operations with, and even divert tracking equipment towards, the drug war. Here’s a little piece of that wonderful text:

“(a) ASSIGNMENT AUTHORIZED- Upon submission of a request consistent with subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense may assign members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps to assist–

`(1) the Immigration and Naturalization Service in preventing the entry of terrorists and drug traffickers into the United States; and

`(2) the United States Customs Service in the inspection of cargo, vehicles, and aircraft at points of entry into the United States to prevent the entry of weapons of mass destruction, components of weapons of mass destruction, prohibited narcotics or drugs, or other terrorist or drug trafficking items.”

In addition, he’s voted against clean needle exchanges, which have been shown time and time again to aid in preventing the spread of HIV and other infections.

Clearly: he’s not the person to lead us out of the darkness.

Let’s look at one last decision that Obama has made: Dr. Donald Vereen.


(Source)

It may just be me, but I feel like anyone who has already tried to serve this country in the O.N.D.C.P., should not be allowed to be involved in it again. That’s like asking the ex-executive of a failed corporation to help make financial decisions…

He’s got a weird view on medical marijuana as well. Instead of being against it, he has decided to fit himself in a niche so he can deflect questions about it. This niche I’m speaking of is the small group of those spoken out against medical marijuana because there “is no suitable means” to introduce cannabis into the patient and therefore, he’s against it until everyone can figure out a better way than smoking.

Well, we’ve got pills, vaporization, food… would you like us to come up with an anal solution for medical marijuana as well? Is that the last nail in the coffin?

Then again: that’s just what he’s said recently. Now that he’s got a nice excuse to hide behind, you probably won’t hear him saying stuff like this again:

“It doesn’t matter what the excuse [for using marijuana is,] … you are going to get arrested just as fast. Individuals and individual doctors don’t make medical policy, and that’s what this is.”

Thanks President-elect Obama. Looks like you’ve given us a great group of guys to “hope” with.

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Category: Life | Tags: , ,
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