Please visit FriendsofCCL.com!

Here’s video of Charlie speaking with reporters before this morning’s hearing.

From the New York Times:

A federal judge here Monday postponed the sentencing of a man convicted of running a [...]]]> Exclusive footage of Charles Lynch from this morning’s sentencing hearing in Los Angeles. The hearing was postponed by Judge George H. Wu until April 30, 2009.

Here’s video of Charlie speaking with reporters before this morning’s hearing.

From the New York Times:

A federal judge here Monday postponed the sentencing of a man convicted of running a medical marijuana dispensary and asked the Department of Justice to clarify its revised position on such cases.

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said last week that federal authorities would not seek to prosecute medical marijuana dispensaries if the operations complied with state and local laws, a departure from the Bush administration policy that federal narcotics laws held sway. California is one of 13 states that allow the growth and sales of medical marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation.

“The judge said this statement raises more questions than it answers,” said Reuven Cohen, a lawyer for the defendant, Charles Lynch. “He said he needed an explanation, and he needed it from the Department of Justice, not the local prosecutor.”

Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the United States attorney in Los Angeles, said that he could not comment on the specifics of the request by Judge George H. Wu, but that prosecutors “do believe that Mr. Lynch violated state law.”

Charles C. Lynch is the former owner and managing Caregiver for Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers in Morro Bay.

The dispensary opened on April 1 2006 with the blessing of the city [...]]]> Court Support Needed for

Federal Sentencing of Charles C. Lynch

March 23, 2009 at 10:30am

312 Spring Street, Los Angeles CA

From the Friends of Charles C. Lynch website:

Charles C. Lynch is the former owner and managing Caregiver for Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers in Morro Bay.

The dispensary opened on April 1 2006 with the blessing of the city and even joined the Chamber of Commerce.  In July 2006 the dispensary was granted a Conditional Use Permit from the City of Morro Bay to include a Medical Cannabis Nursery at the dispensary.

The Dispensary operated for almost one year without any major problems or complaints to the owner. On March 29, 2007 the Local Sheriff and DEA agents raided the Dispensary and Home of Charles Lynch. Lynch was not arrested at the time and reopened the dispensary on April 7 2007 with the blessing of the City of Morro Bay. A week after reopening the dispensary the DEA called the Landlord and threatened him with Forfeiture of his property unless he evicted the Dispensary from the building.  On May 16, 2007 the Dispensary closed permanently.

On July 17, 2007 Lynch was arrested at his home and charged with Federal Marijuana Distribution. Lynch pleaded not guilty and went on trial July 22, 2008 in Los Angeles. Lynch was not allowed to discuss state law or mention ‘medical marijuana’ during the trial. Also large amounts of evidence including Lynch’s compliance with State and Local laws could not be considered as factual by the jury. Before opening the dispensary Lynch called the DEA and asked about thier policy regarding medical marijuana dispensaries. The DEA told Lynch it was up to the Cities and Counties to decide how to handle the matter. This was Lynch’s only defense in Federal Court and is called entrapment by estopell when a government agent says something is ok when in fact it might not be. Click here for more information.

On August 5, 2008 Lynch was convicted in Federal Court for operating the Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers. On January 6, 2009 Lynch appeared before Judge Wu to request a new trial on the grounds that he was not allowed to get his defense before the jury and other new evidence. The request was denied. Charles has been out on a $400,000 bail posted by his loving and trusting family and was under house arrest for over nine months.

During March 2009 United States Policy regarding Medical Marijuana changed in favor of states as long as the dispensary complied with state law. Lynch’s dispensary complied with all state and local laws during the time it was open. Click here to read the San Francisco Chronicles report of the new policy. On Friday March 13, 2009 John Stossel and ABC News 2020 aired he story of Lynch on National Television. On Sunday March 15 Al Roker did a documentary entitled Marijuana Inc. Al Roker reporting and focused in on the case of Charles C. Lynch.

Despite the recent policy changes Charles C. Lynch will be sentenced on March 23, 2009 at the Federal Court House in Los Angeles.

* Fort Collins, Colorado – A Fort Collins couple wants the police to reimburse them $200,000 for their 39 cannabis plants, which were confiscated and died from neglect while in police custody. The LA Times says that , “a year later, the case against the Masterses — who claimed [...]]]> Cannabis news in the other 49 states:

* Fort Collins, Colorado – A Fort Collins couple wants the police to reimburse them $200,000 for their 39 cannabis plants, which were confiscated and died from neglect while in police custody. The LA Times says that , “a year later, the case against the Masterses — who claimed they used the drug for medical purposes — fell apart, and a judge ordered the police to return their property.”

The LA Times with a quote from ASA: “Of the 12 states that have legalized marijuana for medical use, Colorado stands out for its law specifying that police must not “harm, neglect or destroy” seized plants in such cases, said Noah Mamber, legal services coordinator for Americans for Safe Access, an advocacy group.

* Boston – Six people were arrested at a pro-marijuana rally.

* Port Orchard, Washington – The Seattle PI reports that a Kitsap County man has been convicted of growing pot, despite having a doctor’s authorization for medical marijuana under state law.

* USA (general)

The FBI says:

• Marijuana arrests now comprise a shocking 47.5 percent of national drug arrests, up from 43.9 percent in 2006.
• Marijuana arrests in the United States rose 5 percent last year to a record 872,721.
• The 2007 total was more than 43,000 above the previous year’s 829,627 marijuana arrests.

The OC Register confirms that this is [...]]]> The OC Register with the story of Orange County man James Spray, a 52 year old medical cannabis patient who finally got his 4 ounces of seized medical marijuana back from the police today, after Huntington Beach police had seized his stash and held it for over three years!

The OC Register confirms that this is the second time in 2008 that Huntington Beach police have been ordered to return medical cannabis to a patient, “after court rulings stated that the marijuana should not have been seized in the first place.”

I encourage you all to read the article in it’s entirety here. However, if you’re in the zone and don’t feel like clicking anywhere else, here are the key highlights:

It has been almost three years since Huntington Beach officers confiscated Spray’s estimated 4 ounces of marijuana and a $1,000 growing system, which included special lighting and a water-timing system.

While police had destroyed most of the growing equipment, officials returned Spray’s marijuana today after an order from Orange County Superior Court Judge Thomas Borris.

The order came nearly nine months after the 4th District Court of Appeal ruled that the city must return Spray’s marijuana and equipment taken from his home in Nov. 2005. Spray was represented by attorneys with medical marijuana advocacy group, Americans for Safe Access.

The Huntington Beach Police Department doesn’t have a policy regarding medical marijuana, officials have said in the past. Officers interpret the Compassionate Use Act as protecting medical marijuana recipients from prosecution, not arrest.

The 1996 law allows people to use medical marijuana in California. Federal law, however, outlaws all marijuana use.

On Aug. 25, state Attorney General Jerry Brown developed guidelines for the first time since the passing of the act. The most notable guideline upholds the legality of medical marijuana dispensaries that operate as nonprofit cooperatives or collectives.

In addition, the new directive essentially tells law enforcement officials that they cannot take marijuana from medical marijuana patients in the first place and are not allowed to charge them if they are carrying less than 8 ounces.

Agencies, such as Huntington Beach, however, are still trying to figure out what to make of Brown’s directive since it is opinion and not law, officials said.

About six months ago, Dave Lucas of Huntington Beach also retrieved his purple urkel – a higher end marijuana – and a couple of smoking pipes officers confiscated from him more than a year ago.

Lucas retrieved his medical marijuana in April, after waiting for the California Supreme Court to decline to review an appellate court ruling, which ordered Garden Grove police to return seized medical marijuana to Felix Kha.

In November, Kha won the right to get his medical marijuana returned to him. A month later, the same court also ruled in Spray’s favor.

“Hopefully they’ll stop taking people’s medicine away,” Spray said today out loud in the police lobby.

Spray said he plans to file a claim against Huntington Beach because of his destroyed marijuana growing equipment. Medical marijuana advocates Bill Britt and Marvin Chavez Sr., who were there for support, helped Spray with the about half a dozen bags of once-seized pot.

“Do you know how much of a pleasure it is to take medicine from the department?” Chavez, a medical marijuana patient and advocate, said. “It’s such a victory.”