Pubdate: Sun,  9 Jun 2002
Source: Orange County Register, The (CA)
Copyright: 2002 The Orange County Register
Contact:  http://www.ocregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/321
Note: MAP Editor provided headline

Editorial Update

MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENT-ACTIVIST CHAVEZ

Marvin Chavez, the Santa Ana medical marijuana patient and activist now 
facing trial for growing "too many" plants in his back yard, learned last 
week that the 4th district appeals court had rejected his appeal of an 
earlier conviction for providing marijuana to undercover police posing as 
patients.  In that case Judge Thomas Borris had instructed the jury not to 
consider Prop. 215, the 1996 medical marijuana law.

Mr. Chavez told us this week that his appellate attorneys are appealing to 
a higher court, so he will be in court in Santa Ana Friday for pretrial 
proceedings.

Even as Great Britain is moving toward making marijuana possession a 
non-arrestable offense, the federal DEA has stepped up harassment of 
medical marijuana users, closing a club in Santa Rosa and moving to seize 
the building of the Los Angeles Cannabis Resources Center, although no 
charges have been filed.  Odd use of resources in a time of terrorists threats.
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MAP posted-by: Beth