cannabisnews.com: Stop Snitching





Stop Snitching
Posted by CN Staff on June 05, 2007 at 16:28:10 PT
By Eliza Strickland 
Source: SF Weekly 
San Francisco, CA -- Our local medical marijuana activists have been engaging in some heavy peer pressure recently. This spring, as the second federal trial against pot guru Ed Rosenthal approached, the activists went on a bullying campaign to keep witnesses from testifying against Rosenthal by whatever means necessary. The often farcical trial ended last week, with convictions on several charges of violating federal drug laws (although under state law his medical marijuana operation was entirely legal). Rosenthal faces no punishment beyond the one day of jail time he served after his first conviction in 2003. But activists still believed that the trial had high stakes and intimidated witnesses.
Two who planned to cooperate with the government started feeling the heat in April. Angry and sometimes vicious e-mails circulated regarding Rick Watts and Bob Martin, who were both involved with several cannabis clubs back when Rosenthal was busted. When Watts organized a Cannabis Freedom Day celebration, the activist group Axis of Love declared a boycott. A press release from the group's executive director, Shona Gochenaur, castigated those testifiying against Rosenthal as traitors to the medical marijuana community, cooperating with the feds "in order to save their own hides." Apparently, it was enough to convince Watts. He didn't appear in court on the scheduled day, and the judge had to send the cops to bring him in. When he took the stand as a hostile witness, he was no help to the prosecution. He insisted that he had merely been a carpenter at the cannabis clubs in question, and was too busy pounding nails to notice what was being grown and sold there. Bob Martin, however, was another story — he testified willingly in 2003, and did so again last week. He and Rosenthal have an antagonistic history involving one lawsuit, and Rosenthal once threw Martin out of a NORML conference, "because he was a snitch," says Rosenthal. Martin, the owner of two active cannabis clubs, has become the green devil to many activists. Lynnette Shaw, who runs the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana, says that Martin "sold everybody out for a comfortable little place selling pot." She notes that the federal government is clearly aware of Martin's two businesses, but allows them to operate with impunity. We tried to reach Martin for comment, but no one answered the phone at either of his clubs. So we'll blithely assume that he's either hiding from the wrath of his fellow potheads, or sharing a bowl with the feds. Note: Medical pot activists haze the traitors who ratted out Ed Rosenthal.Source: SF Weekly (CA)Author: Eliza Strickland Published: June 6, 2007Copyright: 2007 New Times Inc.Contact: feedback sfweekly.comWebsite: http://www.sfweekly.com/Related Articles:Ganja Guru' Re-Convictedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23018.shtmlFederal Jury Convicts Guru of Ganja http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23017.shtmlPot Advocate Convicted on Three Charges http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23016.shtml 
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Comment #6 posted by mykeyb420 on June 09, 2007 at 10:26:52 PT
pot going to pot
I cant understand why they call Bob Martin a snitch. The SNITCH if you all rememeber was Father Nazarine. It was he that started this whole thing in 2002. This Martin guy is just an innocent pawn in this mess.
 Also, Ed could of presented the fact that he was growing under state law,,but he decided not to take the stand in his own defense. If I was on trial and I knew that I was not guilty,,I would be the first one on the stand.
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Comment #5 posted by Arthropod on June 07, 2007 at 16:43:06 PT
Funny you should mention
I know a little bit about that... I was nailed with a felony for a minor falling out the side door of my van. The door flew open, and he was pulled out trying to close it.
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Comment #4 posted by Hope on June 06, 2007 at 05:49:17 PT
   Ed
The prohibitionists and their government want to hang the letter F on as many as they can...it boosts the profits from the prisons they invest in, too.Being a felon these days, sure isn't what it was in years past. I think there are about two thousand laws that can turn you into a felon in the State of Texas...and they keep adding more and more every opportunity they get. Ah...the system is so full and well fed....and plump...no, packed...with victims...I mean "People"....I mean "Felons".Who can remember all the things that could cause you to be branded with and carry the Felon label for the rest of your life and... forever? Probably not even the ones who make them and enforce them. I'm glad the Lord didn't tell Moses to take two thousand commandments written in stone down the mountain.
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Comment #3 posted by Hope on June 06, 2007 at 05:37:01 PT
Learning to ponder....in childhood.
First thing I really remember "pondering"..."If I should die before I wake...I pray the Lord my soul to take."Another thing I remember pondering as a small child..."Tattletale, Tattletale...Hanging on a bull's tail!"I "pondered" that "Hanging on a bull's tail"...until I realized (the "Ah hah!" moment), it meant "poop".Of course, it could have meant a sticker or burr, or the possibility of the sheer bad choice of actually hanging on to a bull's tail with both hands or even one hand, I suppose...but I think I nailed it.Poop, stuck and hanging on a bull's tail, is what a tattle tale is. 
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Comment #2 posted by mayan on June 05, 2007 at 18:28:20 PT
Lost Rights
Will Ed be able to vote? To travel freely? How many liberties has he lost? He has been harassed enough!Go figure...Experts cast doubt on credibility of JFK terror plot:
http://tinyurl.com/2y4qwhTHE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...Biden Admits Post-9/11 Meeting With Hijacker's Financier:
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/june2007/050607bidenadmits.htmAshland Coverage of Griffin Event--Holes in the Story:
http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=2007060583541551Danny Bonaduce Meets Mark Dice...again:
http://www.jonesreport.com/articles/040607_bonaduce_dice.html9/11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB - OUR NATION IS IN PERIL:
http://www.911sharethetruth.com/
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Comment #1 posted by RevrayGreen on June 05, 2007 at 17:03:58 PT
Too Much Descension
going on right now, in all ranks. Best thing was that Ed was guarunteed no jail time.......this Martin guy doesn't sound like he's playing on the same field.
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