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4:20 Drug War NEWS + Century of Lies! From 90.1 FM in Houston 60+ radio affiliates in the US, Canada and Australia & at www.kpft.org. Today Marks 36,595 Days of DRUG WAR! Century of Lies, 04/19/09: Mike Gray, chairman of Common Sense for Drug Policy regarding his recent OpEd in the Washinton Post, Radley Balko of Reason Magazine, Bill Moyers speaks to writer David Simon of the Wire + The Abolitionists Moment LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/2379 4:20 Drug War NEWS 04/20/09 to 04/26/09 now online (3:00 ea:) Select online at www.drugtruth.net Sun - Bill Moyers interviews David Simon, writer for "the Wire" Sat - Radley Balko of Reason, 2/2 Fri - Radley Balko regarding Reason article: "Obamas Demented Drug Policy" Thu - Mike Gray, Chairman of CSDP, 2/2 Wed - Chairman of Common Sense for Drug Policy, Mike Gray discusses his recent OpEd in Washington Post + "What Will It Take To Motivate" Tue - Terry Nelson reports for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Mon - Mexican Ambassador to US on Face the Nation + Abolitionists' Moment Next - Century of Lies on Sunday, Cutural Baggage on Wednesday: - Cultural Baggage 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 MT & 9:30 AM PT: Law Professor Buford Terrel - Century of Lies 8 PM ET, 7 PM CT, 6 PM MT, 5 PAM PT: Guest: Tony Newman of Drug Policy Alliance Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, and www.audioport.org. Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker. Please become part of the solution, visit our website (www.endprohibition.org) for links to the best of reform. "Prohibition is evil." - Reverend Dean Becker, Drug Truth Network Producer, 713-849-6869, www.drugtruth.net

MEDIA ADVISORY Americans for Safe Access For Immediate Release: April 21, 2009 DOJ: Policy Statements on Medical Marijuana Don't Affect Federal Sentencing Advocacy group to argue at 4/23 sentencing hearing that Lynch did not violate state law Los Angeles, CA -- Legal counsel for the advocacy organization Americans for Safe Access (ASA) will appear on behalf of Charles C. Lynch at his federal sentencing hearing on Thursday, April 23rd to challenge the federal government's claim of state law violations. Even though defendants are prevented from using a medical marijuana defense in federal court, they can argue state law compliance at sentencing. ASA Chief Counsel Joe Elford will argue that Lynch in no way violated state law, something that U.S. Attorney Thomas O'Brien has alleged in his sentencing recommendations. At Lynch's previously scheduled sentencing hearing on March 23rd, federal district court Judge George H. Wu asked for written clarification from the U.S. Attorney General as to whether recent statements by that office would impact Lynch's sentencing. In a brief filed Friday, U.S. Attorney O'Brien stated that "the Deputy Attorney General has reviewed the facts of this case and determined that the investigation, prosecution, and conviction of defendant are entirely consistent with the policies of DOJ and with public statements made by the Attorney General with respect to marijuana prosecutions." Lynch's sentencing, which was originally postponed until April 30th, was changed by Judge Wu to April 23rd. What: Sentencing hearing for Charles C. Lynch at which state law compliance will be argued by Chief Counsel for medical marijuana advocates Americans for Safe Access When: Thursday, April 23rd at 10:30 a.m. Where: Los Angeles Federal Court, 312 N. Spring Street, Courtroom 10 "It's bad enough that the Justice Department is accusing Lynch of violating state law in order to sentence him in federal court," said ASA Chief Counsel Joe Elford. "But, there is not even any evidence that state law was violated." Despite a March 2008 public statement by then-Senator Obama that he was "not going to be using Justice Department resources to try to circumvent state laws" on medical marijuana, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has since stated that the DOJ would still "go after those people who violate both federal and state law." Advocates contend that the federal government should not even be prosecuting violations of state medical marijuana law. "It's disingenuous to accuse people of state law violations and then prosecute them under federal law, thereby denying them an adequate defense in federal court," continued Elford. Because of the June 2005 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Gonzales v. Raich, federal medical marijuana defendants are prohibited from entering evidence related to medical marijuana or their compliance with local and state laws. With more than two dozen pending federal medical marijuana cases, advocates are demanding that the government cease prosecutions or remove them to state court where evidence can properly be heard. Defense attorneys are seeking time served for Lynch, but he faces a mandatory minimum of 6 years and the possibility of up to 20 years in federal prison. Before his medical marijuana dispensary was raided by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents in March of 2007, Lynch had operated for 11 months without incident, and with the blessing of the Morro Bay City Council, the local Chamber of Commerce, and other community members. Two months after Lynch closed his dispensary, Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers, he was indicted and charged with conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute marijuana and concentrated cannabis, manufacturing more than 100 plants, knowingly maintaining a drug premises, and sales of marijuana to a person under the age of 21. None of the federal charges constitute violations of local or state law. Further information: DOJ Response to Judge Wu's request for clarification: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/downloads/DOJ_Lynch_Response.pdf Charles C. Lynch Interview with John Stossel: http://www.friendsofccl.com/johnstossel.htm Friends of Charles C. Lynch website: http://www.friendsofccl.com # # #

California: Court Justices Uphold Disenfranchisement, Senator Supports Banning More Voters The California Supreme Court let stand a ruling upholding California's absolute ban on voting by incarcerated persons and parolees, the Metropolitan News-Enterprise reported. The justices unanimously declined to review a ruling of the First District's Div. Two, where plaintiffs, representing people in prison and parolees, stated that the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution only permits disenfranchisement of persons convicted of common law felonies. California currently disenfranchises incarcerated individuals and parolees, but allows those on probation and formerly incarcerated to vote. An initiative was submitted last week, however, that would ban individuals from voting while on probation, the Sacramento Bee reported. Washington: A Long Time Coming The state Senate passed a bill that would automatically restore voting rights to individuals no longer "under the authority of the department of corrections." The bill, HB 1517, will become law once adopted by the House, which passed another version of the bill last month. Under the amendment, the right to vote is automatically restored, but may be revoked if an individual willfully fails to pay legal financial obligations three times within a 12-month period. Under current law, Washington residents with felony offenses are barred from voting until they have completed their sentence including parole or probation, and have paid all restitution and other court fees, the Associated Press reported in the Seattle Times. "We want to give men and women coming out of prisons a chance to go in a new direction," said Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, who sponsored the amendment and voted for the bill. International: Voting in Prison is a Civic Right Commenting on The Independent's recent editorial supporting voting in prison, a writer's letter to the editor stated that the English government should reconsider its stance on disenfranchisement following a recent European court ruling. "...[T]he Council of Europe advocates a general stance of normalisation - making the position of prisoners as close as possible to that of people in the community as is consistent with the blunt realities of incarceration. The message to prisoners should be that they have responsibilities as well as rights, and voting, both a civic right and a responsibility, should be made available to them and encouraged." - - - - - - Help The Sentencing Project continue to bring you news and updates on disenfranchisement! Make a contribution today. Contact Information -- email: [email protected], web: http://www.sentencingproject.org