Marijuana Jury Hoodwinked

The Washington Times ^ | 2/11/2003 | Clarence Page

[jayef]

It is not every day that a jury apologizes to a man it has just convicted. So Ed Rosenthal should feel honored that seven of the 12 jurors that convicted him on three federal counts of marijuana cultivation and conspiracy are now apologizing to him and calling for their own verdict to be overturned on appeal.

[jayef]

Restarting the Rosenthal debate, again. Drug warriors take notes. These tactics by the government are doomed to failure. The people aren't buying it. Oh the times, they are a changing.

[KC_Conspirator]

Hmmmm, this may be the first case ever where Clarence Page, a raging leftist, says that state law should supercede federal law. Usually, Page wants as big and oppresive government as possible. I doubt Page would say the same thing about, oh lets say, education standards or local education rules being preferred over the ridiculous standards of the DOE.

[AdA$tra]

They wanted to let the world know that they felt misled by the federal judge and prosecutors...

Federal judges and prosecuters would never mislead anyone to get a conviction.

[dirtboy]

Hmmmm, this may be the first case ever where Clarence Page, a raging leftist, says that state law should supercede federal law. Usually, Page wants as big and oppresive government as possible. I doubt Page would say the same thing about, oh lets say, education standards or local education rules being preferred over the ridiculous standards of the DOE.

Well, on the flip side, lots of conservatives preach about the 10th Amendment and the proper powers reserved to the states ... until their own personal pet cause comes along and all that talk goes right out the window in their zeal to outlaw something they don't like. So that criticism cuts both ways.

[hoot2]

"California is one of eight states (Oregon, Maine, Washington, Hawaii, Alaska, Nevada and Colorado are the others) that have passed laws to allow the sick and dying to smoke or grow marijuana with a doctor's recommendation."

what is this? legalize drugs day?
why not legalize drugs on "indian reservations"....
druggies could go there....o.d., n not bother normal people.

[Dane]

Then you might as well contact the person who is probably the most symapthetic to one of her constituents(Ed Rosenthal's) plight.

Nancy Pelosi's website

[bigfootbob]

"I doubt Page would say the same thing about, oh lets say, education standards or local education rules being preferred over the ridiculous standards of the DOE."

You're correct, the leftist love affair with big government has gotten us into this mess. I think he should be congratulated for getting it right, once.

I do believe I heard him recently say he was in favor of education "choice". I almost choked.

[Lexington Green]

DOJ should replace the eagle on its logo with a more appropriate symbol - a kangaroo riding a railroad.

[MrLeRoy]

what is this? legalize drugs day?

It's Freedom Day, like every day on FR.

why not legalize drugs on "indian reservations"....

Why not legalize them everywhere?

[MrLeRoy]

Wod_list ping

[society-by-contract]

what is this? legalize drugs day?

End prohibition is a better wat of saying it. For instance no one speaks of legalizing christianity. As an adult owner of my body I may ingest what I choose; any other perspective suggests that we are all slaves of the state.

[CWOJackson]

Kind of like the French aren't they.

[jayef]

Maybe you should contact Bob Barr.

[blackdog]

Exercising states rights when they conflict with federal laws is a risky endevor. I am sure that those who had decided to go full steam ahead on this issue fully understood the federal risks at hand. The mistake is when they were planning on states rights to bail them out. Since the same people at risk for federal charges for growing/distributing pot are the same ones who spit on any other states rights issue, in favor of some sweeping federal legislation, I see a certain irony that the beast they worshipped actually ate them first instead of last.

A hint to the pot crowd......If you secure your states rights regarding guns, property rights, taxation, environmental rules, ammunition, spotted owls, equal protection concerns, and similar issues FIRST, You will find the uphill climb for states rights regarding weed a little easier!

The federal government can do absolutely nothing for you but provide for a national defense. Any other function which they deliver to you is going to make your life miserable. To want the feds to be there to satisfy your every whim for the past 75 years, and then be concerned because the King Kong got too big for his cage is just too funny! It takes a lot of firepower to deal with King Kong. A lot of mess too. Maybe you should have never brought him to California to feed, grow, and flourish in the first place?

[canuck_conservative]

You CANNOT o.d. on marijuana - it's simply not possible.

Let's remember, we're talking about seriously sick and dying people here. Do you have any idea what it's like to like in constant pain every day? (For your sake, I hope not.) These people aren't smoking weed to enjoy a Grateful Dead album; they're trying to alleviate a continual physical oppression. What's next - cutting off heroin and morphine to people in pain?

You with your healthy life - show a little compassion.

[jayef]

What are you talking about? A hint to the pot crowd? What about those of us in the Liberty Crowd? Do we need a hint?

[blackdog]

Jee, I really don't know? Seeing how the fine federal judge was railroading someone from the pot legalization crowd, I thought I might mention them. When a fine federal judge railroads someone in the Liberty Crowd over conflicting legislation, I'll guess I'll include them too.

My point was that securing certain basic liberties is fundamental BEFORE championing Cheech and Chong.

[LibertarianInExile]

Amen, jayef. I was wondering the same thing.

[Mr. Bird]

The problem here is that the law is an ass. But that doesn't make it ok to ignore it. We can all cry over the "injustice" here, but everything I have read indicates the judge (and the prosecution) were completely correct in their procedures.

I'm not going to be the one that thinks that perjury by a POTUS is serious stuff but circumventing federal laws is ok. Rosenthal's defenders seem to be saying "it's all about pot, what's the big deal?", much like everyone was saying that Clinton's crimes were about sex. Well, it's against the law.

I think that defenders of decriminalization will find this to be a monumental incident in their behalf. Hopefully that will provide some solace to you, even if it doesn't help Rosenthal.

[DAnconia55]

All of those jury members must have been blowing dope :)