Medical Cannabis News in Review
September 7th, 2012Posted by Jonathan Bair
Is Paul Ryan’s statement similar to Obama’s position on medical marijuana? Is there evidence that marijuana has accepted medical uses? Are there really more dispensaries than Starbucks in LA? Recent news about medical marijuana:
- Paul Ryan’s position on medical pot: “up to Coloradans,” and “not a high priority” for a Romney/Ryan Administration. Associated Press in the San Jose Mercury News
- What if Obama called a real marijuana user instead of actors? Huffington Post
- From dispensary operator to illicit dealer. Is medical marijuana being driven underground? LA Times
- Study shows marijuana use among teens in Colorado, a medical cannabis states, dropped even as it increased nationwide. Huffington Post
- Far fewer dispensaries in Los Angeles than ban proponents claimed, UCLA study finds. UCLA Newsroom
- Author Martin Lee presents slideshow of seminal moments in the post-ban history of cannabis – Huff Post Books
- Summary of research in the Daily Beast finds strong evidence of cancer-fighting effects of cannabis. Daily Beast
- Prescribing medical professionals launch sign-on letter disputing Federal position that cannabis has no medical value, in advance of the October 16th hearing. ASA
- Southern California’s only Sheriff-permitted dispensary closed by US Attorney Laura Duffy. San Diego ASA
- Senior learns to bust the myths around medical cannabis. HuffPost Post 50
April 23rd, 2013 at 8:17 pm
April 2, 2013
To whom it may concern,
My name is Richard Sokol, I am the father of William Sokol, a medical marajuana patient who is facing an unbelievable 8 year mandatory prison sentence after a raid by the North Metro Drug Task Force. I am asking for an investigation of the charges brought by the Adams County District Attorney’s office, Northglenn Police Department, and the North Metro Drug Task Force for reasons explained below:
On April 11th, 2012, my sons Northglenn home was the subject to a S.W.A.T. styled search and seizure operation carried out by the North Metro Drug Task Force, Northglenn Police and other municipal entities. My son, William, was processed and released by the Northglenn Police the same day. On 7/24/12, after 3 1/2 months,, my son was taken into custody and charged with three felonies, one which carries a mandatory 8 year prison sentence. He was incarcerated and a $100,000 bond was placed on him.
The Adams County District Attorney claims that my son was over the number of plants he could legally have. This is what generated the felony charges. I am a zoning inspector for Adams County and I stated after the search that my son was in compliance. Adams is the only County that counts plants like this. It is disingenuous at best. I would not place my home and job on the line if I did not believe that my son was in compliance.
My son is 29 years old, mentally ill and is suffering from a seizure disorder that takes it’s toll on him with no mercy. This was well known to the authorities before the raid.
After William was jailed, I received copies of discovery from the arrest. After reading the testimony from the search affidavit, I believe that William’s civil liberties have been violated and I put forth these facts of the case.
1) That Northglenn Police Officer Jeremy Lund knowingly misrepresented an occurrence of delirium as a crime to gain entrance into my son’s residence.
2) That Officer Lund altered his testimony on the search affidavit from his initial report by reporting that he received William’s license plate # from Keith (owner of store).
But his testimony on the search affidavit states: Officer Lund queried NCIC/CCIC for William’s information.
The store’s owners have provided a signed statement that they did not provide the officer with that information and that they repeatedly said that they did not want to press charges against William. Officer Lund ignored that request and did not provide me with any of this information.
Officer Lund took it upon himself to cite William anyway. That charge was dismissed by the city of Northglenn without merit on 8/14/12.
3) That Officer Lund’s first contact report emphatically states that he “was unable to see into the area where William came from”.
But, on the search affidavit, he now states that he “observed several lights for growing marajuana as well as several hydroponic containers set up” in the area where William came from.
My son doesn’t use hydroponics to grow, he plants in soil. These are two radically different methods of growing. (check pics from raid)
There were boxes of lights at the top of the basement stairs, but none were set up, contrary to the testimony given by Officer Lund. (check police photos).
4) Officer Lund’s initial report states “I also smelled an odor of marajuana inside the entire residence”. No mention was made about the odor of growing marajuana. My son smoked 15-20 minutes before the officer arrived and I believe that is the odor he smelled.
On the search affidavit his testimony now states that he “noticed the distinct odor of growing marajuana inside the house”. I have never seen that term used before.
5) That Detective Tom Thwaits testifies on the search affidavit that he “could smell a faint odor of growing marajuana coming from 11126 Livingston Drive”.
William’s grow room was designed to scrub the air coming in and going out. That was done to eliminate all odors ( which it does remarkably well ). The Detective failed to mention the marajuana grow in the home next to my son’s.
This is the second time that the term “odor of growing marajuana” is mentioned. I believe the the officers colluded in their testimony in order to obtain the search warrant.
6) That Detective Tom Thwaits represented himself as an expert, but he testified that a swamp cooler that was on the house when it was purchased was actually an air conditioner used to control humidity and heat.
7) There has been no mentioned of who the plainclothes officer was that accompanied Officer Lund into my son’s home. This person is not even listed as a witness.
8) That Detective Tom Thwaits and Officer Lund pursued said search warrant after having knowledge that William was legally licensed as a patient/caregiver and operating within the parameters of the law.
9) That the Adams County District Attorney’s Office in concert with Detective Tom Thwaits, filed charges, arrested and incarcerated William for the sole purpose of coercing a plea bargain after having knowledge of his mental illness and was doing nothing illegal at the time.
10) That the Adams County District Attorney’s Office acted with malice in asking and receiving an excessive $100,000 bond, again, designed to coerce a plea agreement from William.
11) That the North Metro Drug Task Force is denying William of medical aid by withholding his Dr. prescribed medicine that is used to help treat his mental illness for reasons unknown to me.
William does not have health insurance and the drugs are too costly for me to
replace. He hasn’t had his meds in a year.
In the last 12 months, my son’s mental condition has worsened and sometimes I fear leaving him alone. The legal costs of defending my son has left us financially devastated and close to losing both of our homes. The threat of the mandatory 8 years prison sentence being held over William’s head has hopefully not put him in a place where I can’t get him healthy again. And after a year of reading and rereading the search affidavit, I still ask myself why and how did they do this.
I desperately need somebody, anybody to ask why and how this was done. All documents are available upon request. Motions hearing 4/5/13 at 9:00 AM at Adams County Judicial Center, Division G.
Sincerely,
Richard Sokol
H) 303-642-2324 C) 720-290-9707