Pubdate: Sun, 18 Jul 2010
Source: Saginaw News (MI)
Copyright: 2010 The Saginaw News
Contact: http://www.mlive.com/mailforms/sanews/letters/index.ssf/
Website: http://www.mlive.com/saginaw/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/377
Author: Gus Burns, The Saginaw News
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Michigan+medical+marijuana

SAGINAW MARIJUANA PROTEST MARCH ROUND TWO ON WEDNESDAY

SAGINAW - They're angry and aim to peacefully show it at this week's 
"Saginaw Freedom March," says a leader from the 15,000-member 
Michigan Marijuana Association.

Joe Cain, chief executive officer for the Lansing based nonprofit 
that aims to "empower Michigan's medical marijuana community," said 
Saginaw can expect to see 100 and potentially as many as 1,000 
protesters outside the Saginaw County Courthouse when the rally 
commences at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

"More and more people keep committing to me," Cain said. "They're 
setting up car pools to come out of Jackson County, we've got people 
coming from all over the state - and probably all over the country."

Cain said the protest is a response to the third and latest raid of a 
registered medical marijuana patient and caretaker in Saginaw County. 
The Drug Enforcement Agency, supported by Thomas Township police, 
raided the barn and home of John Roberts, 49, and his fiancee, 
Stephanie Whisman, 38, on July 6.

Roberts had organized a protest at the courthouse on July 1, which 
Cain and Michigan Medical Marijuana Association members believe was 
the impetus for the raid less than a week later.

Cain said the rally also is a protest against Saginaw County Sheriff 
William L. Federspiel.

"The only logical conclusion we can come to is that we dared 
challenge the sheriff," Cain said. "And if that's the case, it's a 
really sad day for democracy."

Federspiel said he had nothing to do with the DEA raid, although his 
agency previously raided Roberts' home with DEA agents April 15, at 
which time no arrests were made but plant samples and harvested 
marijuana was seized.

"I can assure you that that's the last thing in my mind, interfering 
with people's free speech," Federspiel said. "I never want to 
interfere with anybody's free speech. I welcome them."

The growing equipment, which Robert's said is worth $10,000; 
marijuana-based medicine for 10 patients, whom Roberts and Whisman 
are caretakers for; and plants were seized July 6.

"There's not a lot we can comment on, other than confirm that 
marijuana was seized at that address," said DEA Spokesman Special 
Agent Rich Isaacson. "No one was arrested at that time but the 
investigation is ongoing."

"The DEA uses our resources to target what we consider... large-scale 
drug trafficking groups," Isaacson said. "In regards to medical 
marijuana, in the federal government's eyes, there is no legitimate 
medical use. That being said, we're not using our resources to target 
individuals that are following state law."

He went on to say hundreds of plants would be considered a large operation.

Roberts and Whisman, under state law and based on the number of 
patients they are registered caretakers for, would have been able 
have on hand 132 plants and nearly two pounds of harvested marijuana. 
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