cannabisnews.com: Criminal Charges Against Guru of Ganja Tossed Criminal Charges Against Guru of Ganja Tossed Posted by CN Staff on March 14, 2007 at 14:05:06 PT By Jim Herron Zamora, Chronicle Staff Writer Source: San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco, CA -- A federal judge threw out criminal charges today against an Oakland man accused of growing medical marijuana, ruling that authorities had vindictively prosecuted him because of remarks he made after he successfully appealed an earlier conviction. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco dismissed charges of tax evasion and money laundering against Ed Rosenthal, an author and activist who has been dubbed the "Guru of Ganja." In an unrelated ruling today that also involved medical marijuana, a federal appeals court said a Butte County cancer patient had no right to avoid possible prosecution under federal drug laws on the ground of medical necessity. In the Rosenthal case, Breyer declared that the government had improperly refiled the tax-evasion and money-laundering case last fall after Rosenthal successfully appealed his 2003 conviction for marijuana cultivation. "The reasonable observer will interpret the government's conduct as demonstrating that if defendants successfully appeal, the government will ensure that they face more severe charges and more prison time the next time around," Breyer said. "The government's deeds -- and words -- create the perception that it added the new charges to make Rosenthal look like a common criminal and thus dissipate the criticism heaped on the government after the first trial," Breyer said. The judge said he based his decision in part on the comments by a prosecutor during a hearing on the case. The prosecutor, according to transcripts, explained the decision to re-file charges, saying, "The purpose is this: Mr. Rosenthal, after the verdict, took to the microphone and said, 'I didn't get a fair trial.' ... So I'm saying, this time around, he wants the financial side reflected, fine, let's air this thing out. Let's have the whole conduct before the jury: Tax, money laundering, marijuana." Breyer's ruling is the latest twist in the five-year legal saga of Rosenthal, a former columnist for High Times magazine who has written more than a dozen books about growing cannabis. Snipped:Complete Article: http://tinyurl.com/2jhfgjSource: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)Author: Jim Herron Zamora, Chronicle Staff WriterPublished: Wednesday, March 14, 2007Copyright: 2007 Hearst Communications Inc.Contact: letters sfchronicle.comWebsite: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/Related Articles & Web Site:Ed Rosenthal's Pictures & Articles http://freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htmJudge To Decide Validity of Case Against Advocatehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22705.shtml Marijuana Guru Pleads Not Guiltyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22290.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #9 posted by cannaman on March 16, 2007 at 08:26:05 PT It figures They...The Government, Feds, were too stupid to get it right the first time around...Now think they can regroup and give it another try...what a joke they are!!! They could spend our money alot better dont you all agree. I mean they could be buying valuable paper clips 1500.00 a pop or new mouse pads for the president if he new how to operate a computer without help. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on March 15, 2007 at 07:52:41 PT Federal Attempt To Jail Pot Grower Shot Down By Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff WriterThursday, March 15, 2007CA -- The federal government's five-year effort to throw one of the nation's most prominent advocates of marijuana in prison appears to be all but dead after a judge ruled that prosecutors had vindictively piled on charges against the Oakland man after he successfully appealed his pot-growing convictions. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled Wednesday that prosecutors had illegally retaliated against Ed Rosenthal, 62, last fall when they added tax-evasion and money-laundering charges to his previous indictment for growing marijuana for medical patients. The new charges were based on old evidence, the judge said, and appeared to be aimed at punishing Rosenthal for winning his appeal and for complaining publicly that his trial had been unfair. Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/15/MNGSDOLLA71.DTL [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by The GCW on March 14, 2007 at 20:08:01 PT Toker00 Thanks for the Public Health Committee member list. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on March 14, 2007 at 18:45:37 PT Toker00 I want to see Texas go for it! Good luck to you. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Toker00 on March 14, 2007 at 18:41:54 PT Action Page for Texans for Medical Marijuana. It's our turn, guys!http://www.texansformedicalmarijuana.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=144&Itemid=29Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Toker00 on March 14, 2007 at 18:35:51 PT OK, Texans! Let's Tell 'em like it is! Dear People,I am happy to announce that Representative Garnet Coleman, a Democrat from Houston, has signed on as a joint author of House Bill 1534! Representative Coleman’s support is especially appreciated as he is a member of the Public Health Committee, the committee HB 1534 has been assigned to.Our bill author has asked the committee chair, Representative Dianne White Delisi from Temple, to schedule HB 1534 for a hearing, however as of this week it has not been scheduled. Will you please take a few minutes to email Chairman Delisi and ask her to schedule HB 1534 for a hearing as soon as possible? It would also be very helpful if you will email the other members of the Public Health Committee and ask them to urge Chairman Delisi to schedule HB 1534 for a hearing. Click HERE to visit the Take Action page on our website where you can access sample letters to personalize and send.Here is Chairman Delisi’s email address: dianne.delisi house.state.tx.usHere are the other Public Health Committee members addresses: Ellen Cohen – ellen.cohen house.state.tx.usGarnet Coleman – garnet.coleman house.state.tx.usVeronica Gonzales – veronica.gonzales house.state.tx.usJim Jackson – jim.jackson house.state.tx.usSusan King – susan.king house.state.tx.usJodie Laubenberg – jodie.laubenberg house.state.tx.usDora Olivo – dora.olivo house.state.tx.usVicki Truitt – Vicki.truitt house.state.tx.usThank you for taking action!Noelle Davis Executive Directorwww.TexansforMedicalMarijuana.orgToke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by danimalman on March 14, 2007 at 18:32:02 PT: Oh really? "A federal judge threw out criminal charges today against an Oakland man accused of growing medical marijuana, ruling that authorities had vindictively prosecuted him because of remarks he made after he successfully appealed an earlier conviction."The feds vindictively prosecute medical marijuana?Do you think? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by mayan on March 14, 2007 at 18:24:30 PT SMACK!!! "The government's deeds -- and words -- create the perception that it added the new charges to make Rosenthal look like a common criminal and thus dissipate the criticism heaped on the government after the first trial," Breyer said.We all knew that the feds were just out to get Ed. Looks like they got their hands smacked! Serves them right.THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...The Truly Distracting 9/11 Conspiracy Theory - by David Ray Griffin: http://www.lmd.no/index.php?article=1408Is There A Secret To The 9/11 Insurance Battle? http://infowars.net/articles/march2007/140307Silverstein.htmWhat’s behind the CNN and the BBC’s premature announcement of the WTC7’s collapse? http://tinyurl.com/2z62sx9/11: Looking for Truth in Credentials: The Peculiar WTC “Experts”: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=RYA20070313&articleId=50719-11: The Truth Matters: http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Mar07/Petersen13.htm9/11 - Suspicious Evacuations and PowerDowns prior to 9/11: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsb1R42XzMUPower Downs in the week before 9/11: (sub-clip) opportunity to plant explosives? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9YjOQ076F4&mode=related&search=September 11 Television Archive: http://www.archive.org/details/sept_11_tv_archiveNew Music Video: "9/11 Building 7": http://911blogger.com/node/6900 [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on March 14, 2007 at 14:42:15 PT question for corrupt judge In today's ruling, Judge Harry Pregerson wrote that "although changes in state law reveal a clear trend toward the protection of medical marijuana use, we hold that the asserted right has not yet gained the traction on a national scale to be deemed fundamental."What about from 5000 BC to 1925? Medical marijuana WAS a fundamental right, then it was taken away arbitrarily by the government, and now has been restored again for other 1/3rd of the US population.apparently "fundamental" really means at the whim of the current government. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment