Pubdate: Fri, 28 Sep 2007
Source: Siskiyou Daily News (CA)
Copyright: 2007 Siskiyou Daily News
Contact:  http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/668
Author: Dale Gieringer

SISKIYOU PATIENTS HARASSED

To the Editors:

Cal NORML continues to receive disturbing reports of widespread 
harassment of Prop 215 patients in Siskiyou County.  Sheriffs' 
deputies are reportedly searching out patients' gardens and violating 
everyone who is even slightly over the limit set by state law SB 420. 
Felony charges are being pressed. Physician's exemptions from the SB 
420 limits are not being respected, even for very sick patients. 
Patients who are within the limits are having plants chopped down if 
cops think they are too big.  Hashish is being treated as a violation 
of SB 420, contrary to an opinion by the Attorney General. Patients 
are being indicted through a grand jury rather than a preliminary 
court hearing, an unusual proceeding for marijuana cases. Sheriffs 
appear to be making use of the membership list of a co-op that was 
raided last year. Co-op members were told that they would be 
protected from arrest by the sheriff, but this has not proven to be the case.

Local patients say they feel terrorized by the dragnet. "I am 60 
years old with Polio and Diabetes and suffered a stroke a month ago," 
says one patient who has seen many acquaintances arrested. "Now I am 
worried that I am going to be arrested along with my wife who has her 
own health issues. I have done everything to be completely legal but 
that doesn't seem to make a difference in Siskiyou County."

Surely the sheriff has better things to do than harass small-scale 
patient growers.  This is a sorry waste of law enforcement resources.

D. Gieringer, Director, Cal NORML
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake