cannabisnews.com: Cannabis Clinic Raid Raises Concerns





Cannabis Clinic Raid Raises Concerns
Posted by CN Staff on March 30, 2005 at 17:52:17 PT
By Rosanna Mah, The Independent Staff Writer
Source: Los Angeles Independent
California -- When Los Angeles police raided and shut down his Wilshire area cannabis clinic earlier this month, owner Scott Fiel thought he was going to be a lone voice in the uphill battle against local authorities. But when news of the raid and closure of the cannabis clinic hit the Internet and was broadcast from a Christian radio station, his clinic — which serves around 15,000 people living with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses — was soon flooded with thousands of calls from concerned patients and medical marijuana activists, Fiel said.
“You know I thought I was alone in this whole thing but there were so many people who stood behind me,” said Fiel during a phone interview on Monday, the day before he re-opened his clinic located on 4520 Wilshire Blvd.According to investigators, police entered the United Medical Caregivers’ Clinic on March 15 around 3 p.m. after receiving a resident’s complaint about people smoking marijuana joints along Wilshire Boulevard and Muirfield Road, not far from the location of the clinic.Police said they obtained a search warrant and confiscated 200 pounds of packaged marijuana and $180,000 in cash after discovering that the cannabis club had no legal permit or license to sell the drug.Two of the clinic’s staff members were arrested on felony charges of illegal possession of marijuana for sale and released on $20,000 bail each the next day. It has been just over two weeks since the raid but the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office has been reluctant to file charges against the two staff members, citing a lack of evidence. “We did not make a case against them because there was insufficient evidence,” said Sandi Gibbons, spokesperson for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.According to Gibbons, the case is still under an ongoing police investigation.Like other supporters of medical marijuana laws, Fiel has defended the integrity of his clinic and his goals to serve the community — and feels confident that the controversy resulting from the raid will soon blow over.“There should never have been charges, it is in the books,” he said, referring to Proposition 215, also known as the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, a state law which allows the distribution and sale of marijuana for medical use.Others have also denounced the LAPD raid as a form of police harassment.“It is not acceptable for state or local law enforcement to go in and raid dispensaries, let alone arrest its operators and seize their property,” said Kris Hermes, legal director of Americans for Safe Access, an Oakland-based group that advocates medical marijuana use. Fiel, who was in Northern California at the time of the raid, flew down to Los Angeles the following day and bailed out his two employees who claimed their attempts at explaining to police about their right to sell medical marijuana without a permit fell on deaf ears.Source: Los Angeles Independent (CA)Author: Rosanna Mah, The Independent Staff WriterPublished: March 30, 2005Copyright: 2005 Los Angeles Independent Newspaper GroupContact: editor laindependent.comWebsite: http://www.laindependent.com/Related Article & Web Site:American's For Safe Accesshttp://www.safeaccessnow.org/ Cannabis Club Raidedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20396.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml 
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on March 31, 2005 at 10:50:56 PT
The GCW
I'm sorry I missed that you posted the article or you know I would have named you Newshawk. I was watching Mrs. Schiavo's case. I'm sure it doesn't matter to you that I missed it and you won't hold it against me.Bless Your Heart!
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Comment #6 posted by OverwhelmSam on March 31, 2005 at 03:42:35 PT
GCW, Don't Be Surprised
Good Christians everywhere are ashamed of the way the US Government is treating it's own Citizens over pot.Overwhelm Uncle Sam
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Comment #5 posted by The GCW on March 31, 2005 at 03:17:38 PT
This morning's news...
US CO: Marijuana proposal stirs debate on campusPubdate: March 31, 2005Source: Rocky Mountain Collegian, The (CO Edu)Viewed at: http://www.collegian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/03/31/424bb4c529e3c 
Marijuana proposal stirs debate on campusBy Stephanie LindbergStudents hoping to see a referendum supporting less severe university sanctioned penalties for marijuana use on the ballot for next week's Associated Students of CSU elections may not see it come to fruition.Volunteers with SAFER (Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation) Choice, a nonprofit organization supporting alcohol-use awareness, have been collecting signatures from students in an effort to get the referendum on the ballot for the elections to be held April 4 through April 6.The referendum would not change the consequences of marijuana use on campus. If it passes, it would be a recommendation by the student body to the university that penalties for marijuana use be reduced to match those of alcohol use.Questions were raised by an anonymous source about the validity of some of the signatures. There needs to be 2,085 valid signatures from full-time, fee-paying students in order for the referendum to be placed on the ballot."Our organization feels the punishments for marijuana are too tough right now," said Dylan Bieniulis, a freshman biochemistry major and one of the student volunteers. "We just want to get it out there to see what the students think. Now we're experiencing difficulties getting it on the ballot."Election rules stipulate that a written protest may be filed and should be given to those who are trying to place the referendum so they know their accuser, a rule Mason Tvert, executive director of SAFER said ASCSU has violated."As of right now, ASCSU hasn't followed the election rules," Tvert said. "Halfway through the election they decided to change the rules. It's an obvious effort to keep it off the ballot. We're going to protest to the full extent."Tvert said he has not been able to get the name of the person who was complaining about the signatures."They said the person was going to remain confidential," Tvert said. "Apparently a few people thought they were able to sign but they weren't."Since it was an anonymous person expressing concern over the validity of the signatures, it was not a formal contestation in writing that falls under these rules, said Elections Committee Manager Brian Hardouin."There was an agreement made that the person would not make a contestment if it was verified," said Cord Brundage, interim executive elections adviser.Hardouin said because of the concerns they have begun verifying the signatures in an effort to get the referendum on the ballot by Thursday so students can vote on it."The individual had legitimate concerns and some of those are emerging," Hardouin said.Brundage said it was within the rights of the election manager to verify the signatures."We had people here all night," Hardouin said of trying to certify the referendum. "It's definitely not a lack of effort. There would be no contestment if it was certified."The last time there was a student referendum discussed was 1995, when the student fee review board was formed, Brundage said.Tvert said that could be part of the problem."There's no precedent for anything like this," Tvert said.If all signatures are certified by noon today, Hardouin said the referendum would definitely be on the ballot for the election.
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on March 30, 2005 at 19:05:50 PT
ekim
Misty's a pretty little pinto mare. She looks in good condition and her feet are in good shape. She looks fit and well cared for. I hope he has a good and safe ride.
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Comment #3 posted by ekim on March 30, 2005 at 19:00:06 PT
FoM -- some nice shots of Misty 
http://leap.cc/howard/weblog.htmlseeing how the nice people are treating Howard and Misty I hope more people have the chance to hear what he has to say. Like the lady horse trainer said so well. 
http://www.leap.cc/events
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Comment #2 posted by ekim on March 30, 2005 at 18:27:17 PT
please if anyone can help Howard --give it a try
http://1100kfnx.com/?cgdc 
Mar 31 05 The Charles Goyette Show 09:00 AM Howard Wooldridge Phoenix Arizona USA Board Member Howard Wooldridge will be a guest on The Charles Goyette Show on radio station 1010 KXXT. Howard will be discussing the mission of his cross country trip and also specifics related to America's failed drug prohbition policies. Visit Mr. Goyette's web site at: http://www.charlesgoyette.com/ Listen live on the net at: http://1100kfnx.com/?cgdc Follow Howard's journey at: http://leap.cc/howard/ http://www.leap.cc/events 
http://www.hashbash.com
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Comment #1 posted by The GCW on March 30, 2005 at 18:13:58 PT
We're moving on UP.
"...news of the raid and closure of the cannabis clinic was broadcast from a Christian radio station,..."WOW.Very good.
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