HTTP/1.0 200 OK
Content-Type: text/html
California's 'Guru Of Ganja' Freed
Pubdate: Wed, 4 Jun 2003
Source: BBC News (UK Web)
Copyright: 2003 BBC
Contact: http://news.bbc.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/558
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Ed+Rosenthal
CALIFORNIA'S 'GURU OF GANJA' FREED
A man who describes himself as the "Guru of Ganja" has walked free from a
federal court in San Francisco after being convicted of growing marijuana.
Ed Rosenthal, who said the drug was for medical purposes, could have
received 60 years behind bars.
Instead, the judge sentenced the 58-year-old to one day in prison - and
then set him free after declaring he had already served that time.
The case represented the latest clash between state and federal authorities
over the medical use of marijuana.
The federal government does not recognise medical marijuana laws in the
nine US states, including California, that have them.
Rosenthal was also fined $1,000 and will be on supervised release for three
years. Federal prosecutors had asked for a six-and-a-half-year prison term.
Wednesday's judgement was met by cheering and applause in the courtroom.
"I take responsibility for my actions that bring me here today," Rosenthal
said following the decision.
"I took these actions because my conscience led me to help people who are
suffering. These laws are doomed."
'State's marijuana agent'
In February, a jury convicted Rosenthal on charges of growing marijuana.
Part of the prosecution's case was that he had maintained a warehouse in
Oakland as part of his marijuana growing operation.
Rosenthal said he was acting as an agent for Oakland's medical marijuana
programme, part of a 1996 medical marijuana initiative approved by
California's voters.
However, jurors were not allowed to hear those arguments. Several of them
later said that they would have acquitted Rosenthal had they known.
Keith Stroup of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
welcomed the judge's decision.
"I think it's a marvellous victory for states' rights and the medical use
of marijuana," he said.
"It sends a strong signal to the federal government that they should
reconsider their current programme of arresting patients and caregivers in
California."
STATES WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS
Alaska Arizona California Colorado Hawaii Maine Nevada Oregon Washington
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom