cannabisnews.com: Camp Drew Line in Blood Camp Drew Line in Blood Posted by FoM on September 07, 2001 at 10:30:01 PT By Shawn Windsor, Free Press Staff Writer Source: Detroit Free Press More than two years ago, Grover (Tom) Crosslin, the owner of Rainbow Farm campground in southwest Michigan, foreshadowed the standoff that ended with his death this week, along with that of his partner, Rolland Rohm.After receiving a letter from the Cass County prosecutor in March 1999 threatening the campground's forfeiture if marijuana-smoking festivals didn't stop, Crosslin replied in writing: "Our friends at the Michigan Militia have their ideas of how we should handle your threats, but as I said, we are pursuing a peaceful change to the laws.... I have discussed this with my family, and we are all prepared to die on this land before we allow it to be stolen from us."The two-page letter was released Thursday by Cass County Prosecutor Scott Teter in an effort to detail the farm and farm owner's troubled history with his office.Teter, who stood before a few dozen journalists and Rohm's father, who was there videotaping the news conference, came under scrutiny during the past week for his office's prosecution of Crosslin and Rohm, and the fatal standoff.Authorities say Crosslin was fatally shot Monday evening after he leveled a semiautomatic rifle at an FBI agent. Rohm was fatally shot Tuesday morning by state troopers after pointing a rifle at one of them, officials said.Protesters, friends and some family members have kept vigil all week under a canopy on M-60, a few miles from the farm."It was unarmed murder," said Trena Moss, who knew Crosslin and Rohm and who runs the Hillsdale County chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. "Teter was out to destroy this place."Teter disagreed. He stood almost an hour at a Cassopolis senior center telling his side. He was stoic and, at times, somber."No one wanted this to happen," he said.Speaking of the investigation of drug activities at the campground, he said: "We haven't handled this one any differently than any other."Teter also said he thought the two men weren't bad people, but rather people who made bad choices."This is not about whether marijuana should be legalized," he said. "You can't ignore the laws you don't agree with."Crosslin, through his farm, Web site and flyers, long advocated the legalization of marijuana, particularly for medical purposes."You have the opportunity to help us change the world in a positive direction," Crosslin wrote to Teter in the 1999 letter, "or you have the opportunity to continue the path your (sic) on and have the blood of a government massacre on your hands."Teter's office began getting complaints about the campground in 1998. By 1999, a State Police undercover team was buying drugs at the property during festivals. Teter said investigators bought marijuana, acid, cocaine, mushrooms, amphetamines and prescription drugs.But Crosslin and Rohm were never caught selling, Teter said, so he couldn't charge anyone."We didn't want to raid the festivals," he said of the 3,000-strong gatherings. "We didn't want another Kent State."Teter said a quirk in the drug law made it difficult to prosecute because drugs were used and sold outdoors.It wasn't until May 9 that his office got a search warrant for Crosslin's house on the campground, but it was for suspected tax-code violations. When investigators got there, Teter said, they smelled pot and saw paraphernalia on a table.They came back a few hours later with another warrant. Crosslin and Rohm were arrested that day and later charged with manufacturing marijuana -- more than 200 plants -- and maintaining a drug house. Crosslin was also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon -- he'd been convicted of attempted assault with a deadly weapon in 1995.In August, the two men held more festivals, Teter said. This violated the condition of their bond. A court date was set for Aug. 31. When they didn't show up, another warrant was issued, deputies were sent to the campground and the standoff ensued."We aren't talking about people smoking a couple of joints, though that's illegal, too," Teter said. "We had no choice but to investigate. There were kids at these festivals. There were flyers advertising them in our high schools."Teter said it will take at least three weeks for all the agencies' reports to come together so the whole affair can be reviewed. He asked the Michigan Attorney General's Office to review it also.Whatever is found, many still won't agree the men had to die."This is a tragedy that was directed by the FBI under their rules of engagement and official protocol that only includes a shoot-to-kill option with a show of lethal force," said Dori Leo, Crosslin and Rohm's attorney.Crosslin predicted as much in his letter to Teter 2 1/2 years ago: "It's your choice. If you choose to send out your secret police, I hope you are standing there on the front line to witness the results of your actions."Wednesday, at the news conference, Teter answered questions about those actions. Then he listened to Rohm's father, John Livermore."I forgive you," Livermore said, voice trembling. "That's between you and God."Note: Slain man said he'd rather die than give up land. Newshawk: William D.Source: Detroit Free Press (MI)Author: Shawn Windsor, Free Press Staff WriterPublished: September 7, 2001Copyright: 2001 Detroit Free PressWebsite: http://www.freep.com/Contact: letters freepress.comRelated Articles & Web Sites:NORML: http://www.norml.org/Rainbow Farm Campground: http://www.rainbowfarmcamp.com/ Tom Crosslin & Rolland Rohm Memorial: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/rb.htmAuthorities End Watch on Rainbow Farm: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10846.shtmlCannabis News Articles - Tom Crosslin: http://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=Crosslin Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by kaptinemo on September 07, 2001 at 11:48:58 PT: "We didn't want another Kent State." Might wake the sheeple, and we can't have that, now can we?Too late, Teter. Too late.Donald Scott. Esequiel Hernandez. Alberto Sepulveda. Ismael Mena. Peter McWilliams. Patrick Dorismond. And God knows how many others, less well known, lives taken and their murders covered up by third rate LEO's in little hamlets and towns across America, dirty little secrets like skeletons discovered at recently discovered crime scenes decades after the fact. And now, Crosslin and Rohm.More blood. More anger. More reason for hate and distrust of anyone wearing a badge, uniform and weapon and calling him/herself a 'peace officer'. More reason for paranoia about a government that swears up and down that it's concerned for your welfare.'Kent State' is right. And despite their best(?) efforts, they may well have thrown the switch to start the very thing they hoped to silence with bullets and lies. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Morgan on September 07, 2001 at 11:02:19 PT Yes you can "This is not about whether marijuana should be legalized," he said. "You can't ignore the laws you don't agree with."Th reality of the world is that millions of people around the world do just that, ignore the law. In Natural Law, a law that is unenforcable stops being a 'law'. And those that continue to live in the illusion of man-made law, are to be considered mentally ill, and should be given 'treatment', before they hurt somebody else.To reflect this reality, marijuana should be legalized. This is ALL about this.********************************************************** [ Post Comment ] Post Comment