Pubdate: Wed, 03 Aug 2005
Source: Metro (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005 Metro
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3462
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?196 (Emery, Marc)

'PRINCE OF POT' WINS BAIL FIGHT

B.C. Marijuana Party president Marc Emery, who faces extradition to the U.S.
on drug and money-laundering charges, has been granted bail, CBC News Online
reports.

A B.C. Supreme Court judge set bail at $50,000 for the man described as
Canada's "Prince of Pot."

Emery, Marijuana Party vice-president Michelle Rainey-Fenkarek and Gregory
Williams are all charged with conspiring to sell pot seeds to U.S.
residents, conspiracy to grow marijuana and money laundering.

Rainey-Fenkarek and Williams have also been granted bail of $25,000 each.

The trio could be sentenced to from 20 years to life in prison if found
guilty by an American court.

Emery was arrested last week while in Halifax at the request of the U.S.
Drug Enforcement Agency. Rainey- Fenkarek and Williams were arrested on
Friday by Vancouver police of behalf of the DEA. U.S. Their arrests followed
an 18-month undercover investigation.

Crown prosecutors had argued against granting Emery bail on the grounds that
he poses a flight risk because of the large amounts of money generated by
his businesses.

U.S. officials allege that Emery has sold as much as $3 million in seeds.

The DEA is seeking to have the three accused extradited for trial in the
U.S., and had requested that Emery be held in custody until his extradition
hearing concludes. That could take up to a year.
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