Pubdate: Fri, 25 Jan 2013
Source: Chico Enterprise-Record (CA)
Copyright: 2013 Chico Enterprise-Record
Contact:  http://www.chicoer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/861
Note: Letters from newspaper's circulation area receive publishing priority
Author: Ryan Olson

JUDGE DECLINES TO DETAIN MOTHER FACING MARIJUANA CHARGES IN TWO COUNTIES

OROVILLE - A judge has declined to take a woman facing marijuana
charges into custody after she was arrested in a new case Tuesday.

Daisy Jean Bram was arrested with Jayme Jeff Walsh at their Red Bluff
residence Tuesday on suspicion of cultivating marijuana, possessing it
for sale and child endangerment. Their three young sons - Thor, Zeus
and Invictus - were removed and placed into protective custody.

Bram was able to post bail in Tehama County, but Walsh was in custody
Thursday.

Butte County deputy district attorney Jeff Greeson asked Superior
Court Judge James Reilley on Thursday to remand Bram into custody for
violating the terms of her release in two pending local cases.

Bram and Walsh are charged with allegedly cultivating marijuana and
possessing it for sale at their Yellow Wood Road residence in Concow
on Sept. 29, 2011. Bram faces an ongoing preliminary hearing for
felony child endangerment from the same incident.

Thursday, Greeson said the conditions included being available for
searches and testing, obeying all laws, no drug use without a
prescription, no marijuana use even under Proposition 215, attend a
12-step program, notify the court of address changes and follow the
orders of Child Protective Services.

In the new case, Greeson said he had learned that CPS had attempted to
do a welfare check of the couple's residence on Jan. 16 in response to
an independent third party's concerns about living conditions.

CPS was initially turned away, but later allowed to look at the house
when they returned with Tehama County sheriff's deputies. The cursory
visit showed generally poor living conditions.

Law enforcement searched the residence Tuesday. Greeson said Tehama
County District Attorney's investigator Eric Clay reported finding 53
live pot plants in a room attached the house and marijuana brush and
shake through the residence. About 20 pounds of the plant were
reportedly found, as well as surveillance cameras, packaging materials
and receipts indicating sales.

Officers also found a open suitcase on the floor containing 20 to 25
hypodermic needles.

Greeson argued that Bram had violated conditions of her release and
three children had been in jeopardy.

Bram's attorney, Michael Levinsohn of Los Angeles, said Greeson
provided about 40 percent of the facts. He said there was no proof
Bram was engaging in drug use - she hasn't been tested and the needles
weren't hers. There was also no evidence the children had been harmed.

Levinsohn asserted that Walsh was the primary party in the Red Bluff
incident and that he was a controlling, abusive boyfriend to Bram.

He maintained that Walsh initially refused CPS' request and Bram had
later granted their admission. Levinsohn said officials didn't find
anything to merit arrest during the initial search, but learned from
Walsh about the Butte County cases.

He alleged that Clay - who was an investigator in the Butte County
cases - then acted quickly to respond in the case.

Judge Reilley allowed Bram to remain out of custody, but reiterated
her release conditions. He also ordered that Bram not contact Walsh
and, at Greeson's request, abstain from living where marijuana is present.

Bram's preliminary hearing in Butte County is set to continue March
7.

After the hearing, Bram said she was pleased the judge allowed her to
remain free, but criticized what she viewed as a waste of law
enforcement resources. She hopes to regain custody of her children,
and has a hearing on the matter today in Tehama County.

Bram confirmed that she doesn't have a current doctor's
recommendation. She does have a prescription for Marinol, which
contains a synthetic version of THC - marijuana's psychoactive chemical.

Regarding Walsh, Bram said it would be unfair to pass judgment on him
in his absence. She did say he was an exceptional individual, whose
qualities led her to establish a family with him. The case has been
difficult for them and Walsh had faced challenges throughout his life,
which led to things including a seven-year prison term.
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