cannabisnews.com: M. Marijuana Refugee Ordered Deported Immediately





M. Marijuana Refugee Ordered Deported Immediately
Posted by FoM on February 09, 2000 at 17:09:38 PT
Begins long appeal process
Source: Canoe
An American woman seeking refugee status in Canada after she was arrested at a medical marijuana grow operation in the United States was ordered extradited Wednesday to face charges. But there are several appeals left for Renee Boje and she will not be sent back to California for "quite some considerable period of time," said her lawyer, John Conroy. 
 "It would be unjust and oppressive to send a young woman like this back into the clutches of the United States to be dealt with by the U.S. federal government." There will be an automatic review of the case by Justice Minister Anne McLellan. There can also be a judicial review of McLellan's decision and Conroy immediately appealed Wednesday's B.C. Supreme Court decision. Boje, 30, was taken into custody and later released on a $5,000 bond. Her passport and birth certificate have been confiscated and she cannot work in Canada. Boje faces drug manufacturing, distribution and conspiracy charges in California. The New York artist faces a minimum 10-year prison term if convicted. She has a refugee claim pending because she says she is the victim of political persecution. Boje was arrested in 1997 along with several medical-marijuana advocates after federal officials found thousands of marijuana plants growing at a Bel-Air mansion and three other leased locations in Los Angeles County. Boje was arrested after police claimed to have observed her and another woman watering some of the pot plants one day. They also observed her smoking a pot pipe, according to police reports. Police say they planned to sell the drug to the Los Angeles Cannabis Buyers Club, which has dispensed marijuana since Californians voted in 1996 to legalize it for medical use. Proposition 215 allows the personal use of marijuana for medical purposes. But there is no matching federal legislation and drug offences are within federal jurisdiction. "They're having a dispute with their own federal government," Conroy said outside court. "The U.S. federal government... is out of step with many of the people in the various states in the United States, especially those states that have passed compassionate use acts." Boje came to Canada in 1998 on advice from her lawyer after the U.S. charges were briefly withdrawn. She was arrested last February when RCMP raided a Sechelt, B.C., marijuana-grow operation where she was staying. When the arrest came to the attention of U.S. authorities, they filed for her extradition. There can be a judicial review of the minister's decision as well as the appeal of the extradition order. Boje's friend Maury Mason is organizing a letter-writing campaign calling for her to remain in Canada. Mason said he is still hopeful she will be allowed to stay, although it is rare for Canada to deny U.S. extradition requests. "I trust Canada will do the right thing," Mason said outside court. "They have been helping Americans caught in the middle of social change since slavery." Vancouver (CP) Published: February 9, 2000 Copyright © 2000, Canoe Limited Partnership.CannabisNews Articles on Renee Boje:http://www.alltheweb.com/cgi-bin/asearch?type=all&query=cannabisnews+Renee+Boje
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Post Comment


Name: Optional Password: 
E-Mail: 
Subject: 
Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]
Link URL: 
Link Title: