cannabisnews.com: Will Foster To Spend Another Christmas Behind Bars Will Foster To Spend Another Christmas Behind Bars Posted by FoM on December 23, 1998 at 09:16:57 PT Will Foster To Spend Another Christmas Behind Bars, Medical Marijuana Patient Remains Incarcerated Despite Parole Board's Plea For Early Release "Will Foster is a loving husband and father of two children who has been wrongly imprisoned for his efforts to treat a painful and debilitating condition with medical marijuana," NORML Executive Director R. Keith Stroup, Esq. said. "It is unconscionable for Gov. Frank Keating to allow Will to spend another Christmas apart from his family after a parole board moved to correct this injustice. It is time for Will Foster to come home." An Oklahoma jury sentenced Foster in 1997 to 93 years in jail for cultivating marijuana in a 25-square foot underground shelter and other lesser marijuana-related charges. Foster maintains that he grew the marijuana to alleviate the pain of rheumatoid arthritis; however, Oklahoma law does not accept the defense of medical necessity as a basis for acquittal on a marijuana charge. This fall, an appeals court judge found Foster's sentence excessive and reduced the term to 20 years. At Foster's first parole board hearing days later, officials unanimously voted to release him on parole upon approval from Gov. Frank Keating. Keating has thus far refused to act on the parole board's request despite thousands of phone calls, e-mails, and letters from Foster's supporters. Several of Foster's prison supervisors have also written Keating urging his release. They each label Foster as an exemplary inmate who deserves to be reunited with his family. Danny Earls, Unit Manager at North Fork Correctional Facility, writes on Foster's behalf: "I have worked in prisons for a many number of years. I rarely intervene on any inmate's behalf. Mr. Foster and his case are definitely an exception." Unit Manager Tim Brown agrees. "I believe Mr. Foster should be given a second chance to resume his life with his family ... and start a new and better life ... for himself." "Everybody who has reviewed this case, including the appeals court and the parole board, has concluded Will Foster's sentence was a miscarriage of justice," Stroup summarized. "Governor Keating must do what is right and grant Foster's parole." The NORML Foundation urges concerned parties to contact the governor and demand parole for Will Foster so he may be reunited with his family. Contact Gov. Frank Keating at the following address: Gov. Frank KeatingState Capitol Building, Room 212Oklahoma City, OK 73105(P) (405) 521-2342(F) (405) 521-3317 or (405) 523-4224 For further background on the Will Foster case, please visit the May 1997 issue of Reason Magazine online at: www.reasonmag.com/9705/col.smith.html. For more information, please contact either Keith Stroup of NORML (202) 483-5500 or Adam Smith of the Drug Reform Coordination Network (202) 293-8340. Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by FoM on December 23, 1998 at 16:39:47 PT Let him go! This nightmare must stop! Don't they get it at all anymore! Freedom, Oh how precious a word and one I wish we all would be able to experience! Let the people be in control of their own destiny, like a free nation should be! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Rainbow on December 23, 1998 at 13:46:29 PT Release Will Foster Go to the OK gov't page and get keatings email address as well as his wife's email address. Send them a note about the meanspirited action they are taking.I actually asked them to remove their smiling faces from the web as they were phony and very misleading.I ask " How can a person do something like this to another person and still feel good?This and the other atrocities are unbelieveable.What is wrong with our government? It is not of the people nor for the peope in many situations.Cheers [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by UaN on December 23, 1998 at 11:20:48 PT Release Will Foster and Get a new Gov. Maybe at the next Gov election the people can let this jerk know exactly what they think of him!!!!!"Power to the Voice of the People" [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: