Pubdate: Wed, 7 Dec 2005
Source: Ukiah Daily Journal, The (CA)
Copyright: 2005 The Ukiah Daily Journal
Contact:  http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/581
Author: Laura Clark, The Daily Journal
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Les+Crane (Les Crane)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)

REWARD OFFERED IN CRANE KILLING

Friends and relatives of the late Les Crane are offering a $3,800 
reward to anyone with information leading to the conviction of his killer.

Crane, 39, owner of Mendo Spiritual Remedies in Laytonville and Hemp 
Plus Ministry in Ukiah, was shot to death at his Laytonville home Nov. 18.

Mendocino County Sheriff's Detective Commander D.J. Miller said Crane 
was killed about 2:30 a.m. that day in the home invasion. "The 
investigation has disclosed it appears to be robbery motivated. An 
undisclosed amount of currency and processed marijuana was stolen," 
Miller said at the time.

Patrick Duff, who referred to himself as a close friend of Crane's, 
is putting up $2,000 of the reward money, and Crane's son, Jeremiah, 
is putting up $1,000. A man from Indiana who Crane used to work with, 
as well as various other donors, are also contributing to the reward, 
Duff told The Daily Journal Tuesday in a phone interview from "Him 
(Herer/Hemp Information) Ministries" in Los Angeles.

Duff said he and Crane "worked together for three months; I knew him 
for about six months. Ever since I met him we had the same mission 
and the same way to do it. We don't take no for an answer, but we 
also do it openly and lovingly. That is why Hemp Plus Ministry wasn't 
closed off - so you could see inside. That was for a purpose, so you 
could see we are not criminals and there is nothing wrong with what 
we are doing," Duff said, noting he worked at Hemp Plus Ministry 
before moving to Los Angeles.

Asked how he would describe their activities, Duff said: "We were 
ministering and administering love, information and sacraments -- 
meaning cannabis.

"Les and I brought together 32 cannabis ministries from everywhere, 
from New Jersey, to Florida to Hawaii -- and almost every state in 
the union -- to Laytonville, and what we did was a meeting of the 
minds to bring together people who had the same mission -- that 
mission being to legalize hemp fully and teach people the spiritual 
aspects that were hidden."

Duff said he thinks offering a reward will bring somebody forward.

"If you have four to six people that commit a robbery and they are 
obviously criminals, the criminal mind is going to come into play 
when they are dividing the loot. So I have a feeling that when they 
sat down to do this somebody got shorted and this (reward) would help 
them come forward. I call this, for the person who comes forward, 
$3,800 and immunity. I don't think that somebody is going to come 
forward unless they are kind of baited," he said.

Anyone with information regarding the crime can contact the MCSO at 
463-4086, or Duff at 818-225-2426. Callers to either number may 
remain anonymous.

Miller on Tuesday said leads are still being developed.

"However, to date no solid suspect information has resulted," he 
said. "We are working on obtaining additional information from 
persons previously interviewed, however, success will depend on those 
individuals. We are still pending evidence analysis results on 
evidence collected at the crime scene by the California Department of 
Justice. The crime lab has the capability of processing much of the 
evidence through automated systems, however, manual analysis will 
likely have to occur with some of the evidence," Miller said.

Sonoma County has experienced several home invasion robberies over 
the last few months, similar to the Crane incident, according to law 
enforcement officials.

However, the Sonoma County robberies did not result in a homicide, 
local sheriff's detectives said. And, while there are similarities 
between the home invasion robberies they aren't necessarily related 
to the Crane incident, detectives said.

Speculation and comment surrounding Crane's killing can be found 
online at Hightimes.com.

A memorial service for Crane is planned for noon Saturday in 
Westport. Directions from Laytonville: Take Branscomb Road to Highway 
1 and turn right. There will be direction signs within one-half mile. 
For more information, call Hemp Plus Ministries at 468-1478. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake