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In The Trenches

Pannagh receives cannabis plants from the Spanish police

[Courtesy of Joep from ENCOD] Dear friends, Herewith I send you the translation of this excellent news from Spain: Last Wednesday 25 april the Bilbao Cannabis Social Club Pannagh received the cannabis that was confiscated from them by the police on 3 October 2005.
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What Do Cops Think About the Atlanta Indictments?

What do police officers have to say about the indictment of three Atlanta police officers -- two of whom have now pled guilty -- in the murder of Kathryn Johnston? Well, not much.

Officer.com has a thread on this topic, which consists primarily of debate over the facts of the case. There are a few factually incorrect statements, and several corrections, but what you won't find is any substantive discussion of the systemic drug war corruption that made this tragedy inevitable.

The only exception is this comment from the ubiquitous Howard Wooldridge of LEAP:
The 'facts' will probably always remain murky. I blame the Drug War for the entire incident and grandma was simply more collateral damage. This is far f/ the first oops which caused death and won't be the last. Until we become as wise as our grandparents and end this New Prohibition, our profession will continue to suffer, as does the community we protect. Someone tell me one advantage, one good outcome of this policy after we have spent a trillion taxpayer dollars and arrested some 36 million people...Hiway Howie
Sadly, no one even responds to Howard. It is really quite disappointing to find that one of the most shocking revelations of police misconduct in recent years provokes such shallow discussion from law-enforcement officers.

Until police take interest in the numerous lessons to be learned from such tragedies, the list will just continue to grow.
In The Trenches
In The Trenches

Drug Truth Update: April 30, 2007

Drug Truth Network Update: Cultural Baggage + Century of Lies + 4:20 Drug War NEWS Half Hour Programs, Live Fridays... at 90.1 FM in Houston & on the web at www.kpft.org. Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, www.audioport.org and at www.radio4all.net. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates in the US and Canada.,
In The Trenches

ASA's Medical Marijuana in the News: Week of 4/27/07

ASA ACTION: Challenging Butte County Ban FEDERAL: Public Health Official Fighting Forfeiture AUSTRALIA: Lawmaker to Introduce Medical Measure RHODE ISLAND: Legislature to Vote Soon MAINE: State Law May be Expanded
In The Trenches

Update: Bernie Ellis and the "Save Bernie's Farm" Effort

[Courtesy of David Steele] Subject: To Bernie's friends and family -- an update on his situation To everyone -- Bernie has asked me to communicate with all of you since he cannot do so himself. Last Tuesday, Bernie met with the staff of the halfway house to request permission to attend the "Save Bernie's Farm" benefit, being held to raise money to offer the government a settlement to drop their effort to confiscate his farm. Instead of receiving permission to attend, Bernie has been detained at the halfway house ever since. He has not been allowed to work and it looks like he will not be allowed to return to work (costing him $1,000 in salary). He will also not be allowed to attend his weekly support group and his monthly pass to visit his farm has been denied. He has been put on double work details at the "house", and his only opportunity to leave the "house" will be to attend church services at St. Ann's Episcopal Church (419 Woodland Street; he attends the 10:30 am service).
In The Trenches

FAMM eGram: U.S. Sentencing Commission votes for changes to crack cocaine guidelines

[Courtesy of Families Against Mandatory Minimums] WASHINGTON, D.C.: For the first time in 12 years, the U.S. Sentencing Commission has approved guideline changes to federal crack cocaine penalties, tonight by a 6-1 vote. The amendment affects approximately 78 percent of defendants convicted of crack cocaine offenses, reducing their sentences by an average of 16 months. It will now be sent to Congress on May 1, 2007, along with other proposed sentencing amendments.
In The Trenches
Blog

Analysis of Hurwitz Verdicts Online...

... in Alex DeLuca's War on Doctors / Pain Crisis blog. In case anyone was wondering, I disagree with the guilty verdicts. But based on what I've read so far, I can't be too harsh on the jurors this time. The following is an uncomfortable thought to have to state: It's not clear to me that a jury is a competent body for reliably evaluating the extremely complex facts at work in medical care, especially when it intersects with criminal law and the "drug war." This case, and dozens more like it, should never have been brought in a criminal venue. A prominent civil liberties attorney told me a couple of years ago he is working on a book about the unwarranted extension of federal power into civil matters where they have no business, including pain control -- I think I will check back with him to see how it is coming along. The main point is, whatever one thinks of Hurwitz's decisions in this matter, having them reviewed by juries in criminal cases brought by federal prosecutors seeking hard time is an absolutely disastrous scenario for pain patients. The under-treatment of chronic pain is a quiet but widespread tragedy afflicting our country today. Prosecutors deserve the lion's share of the blame -- that profession is desperately need of some housecleaning if any is. Click here -- an article posted in a newsletter we published in DRCNet's early days -- for some history from the first chapter of the Hurwitz saga.