Feds seek prison for rural Washington pot growers

[firesalesman]

Source: AP

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The green-cross storefronts of medical marijuana dispensaries are common in much of Washington, and the state is plowing ahead with licensing people to grow and sell recreational pot to adults.

But a federal trial scheduled to begin in the coming weeks for five people in Spokane suggests not all is OK with weed in the state.

Larry Harvey, a 70-year-old medical marijuana patient with no criminal history, three of his relatives and a family friend each face mandatory minimum sentences of at least 10 years in prison after they were caught growing about 70 pot plants on their rural, mountainous property.

The Harveys did have guns at their home, which is part of the reason for the lengthy possible prison time. They say the weapons were for hunting and protection, but prosecutors say two of the guns were loaded and in the same room as a blue plastic tub of pot.

Medical marijuana advocates have cried foul, arguing the prosecution violates Department of Justice policies announced by Attorney General Eric Holder last year that nonviolent, small-time drug offenders shouldn't face lengthy prison sentences.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/feds-seek-prison-rural-washington-pot-growers-163636772.html

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Another contradiction between the words and deeds of Eric Holder.

[Ed Suspicious]

1. They just don't get it. Must keep drug cartels viable!

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2014/05/us-pot-farmers-are-putting-mexican-cartels-out-business

[Jesus Malverde]

11. Its not just the cartels, the key is the cartels working with the banks...nt

[pscot]

22. And the "justice" system that completes

the unholy triumvirate.

[warrant46]

25. It's just Holder up to his usual antics

He is totally and completely useless, but he does follow orders exquisitely.

[NBachers]

27. Eric "Lost" Holder

[firesalesman]

35. +1 nt

[liberal N proud]

2. While the let executives of financial institutions who robbed billions of Americans money go free

Destroy the lives of many OK, grow a weed, not so much.

[Enthusiast]

9. +1! It's corruption from sea to shining sea. And some are fine with that.

[Bigmack]

21. Yup…….TOTALLY agree…. nt Ms Bigmack

[Doctor_J]

3. Between Holder and Arne Duncan and the FCC Net Neutrality declaration

and the Walmart debacle this week, I have to believe the administration is hoping for a Republican Senate next year. They can't be this incompetent.

[Enthusiast]

10. It would be in line with my prediction.

Sorry to say it. I got this same distinct feeling leading up to the 2010 election. Repeatedly slap your base in the face, sit back and watch the other party dominate on turnout.

[1StrongBlackMan]

12. How much of the "Democratic base" ...

Really give much more than a passing thought regarding legalization of weed?

I suspect, not much.

[Enthusiast]

13. It's not the weed.

It's the hypocrisy. The weed is legal in Washington. The fed seeks to prosecute them while ignoring financial crimes that brought down the world economy.

[Doctor_J]

15. To the millions who swept Dems into office in 2008 because they were sick of misplaced priorities

this, and the things I mentioned upthread, and a host of others, are extremely discouraging.

[1StrongBlackMan]

16. Yeah, Ok. eom.

[NobodyHere]

18. A minor point

But growing that much weed is not legal in Washington

[1StrongBlackMan]

29. But that doesn't matter . eom

[billhicks76]

36. WRONG!!!!

It was the number one question asked to be addressed by citizens on Obamas interactive website. In fact the top 3 questions were regarding marijuana for years and Obama said he would address issues with that many comments but consistently ignored marijuana's status as if it didn't count. More hypocrisy.

[rhett o rick]

28. They arent incompetent. They work for the corporations and what can we do about it? nm

[fredamae]

4. This couldn't be more wrong

Unfortunately, this investigation began before the Cole Memo.
"They" aren't gonna let this go because of that, no matter what it costs tax payers and no matter the will of the majority, no matter the moral failure of enforcing these laws that we the people, by majority-do Not want enforced.
There has already been thousands (hundreds of thousands?) spent building this case against an entire family but wait until they go to prison for - likely years - at $3000.00 per head per month to keep them behind bars Plus the extra medical care they're going to need while behind bars and for what? What danger did they pose to their community?

The main thing we must do, together-is get Cannabis totally removed from the Federal CSA-and let the states decide.

This is a nearly 80 years old unjust set of laws, rules and policies that have Only benefitted corporate interests. Period.
Nearly $2,000,000,000,000.00 wasted since Nixon-and Millions of Lives lost and/or ruined due to these draconian laws all over an efficacious botanical medicine.
Personally-I'm going to appeal to their US congresscritters on their behalf to end this bs.

[Doctor_J]

17. uh-oh. I think you figured it out

set of laws, rules and policies that have Only benefited corporate interests.

Can you think of any laws in the last generation that haven't???

Legalized pot would destroy the market for Oxy and all sorts of cash cows. Big Pharma had a hand in passing Heritage Care. I wonder if this is some quid pro quo.

[heaven05]

5. hey feds,holder!!!!!!

leave them the hell alone.!!!!!!!! God, what dummies. Political clowns. Damn!!!!

[rhett o rick]

6. I would love to hear the justification for this. nm

[warrant46]

26. Its simply one assclown attempting to OutDo

another AssClown

[psychopomp]

31. It's in the article...there was a loaded gun in a room with the cannabis

The problem that Holder has is that the loaded gun along with the plants is on par with narcotrafficking.

[rhett o rick]

32. First of all why did they get raided? Did they know about the gun? Second, is "on par" some

kind of new legal language? Holder is spending way too much time persecuting the 99% and way to little on the 1%.

[psychopomp]

33. Oh, more questions. Okay.

1. I don't know.
2. I am not a lawyer.

It is clearly stated in the article that the elderly gentleman in question is looking at a stiff prison term because of the loaded guns in the room with a pot plant.

[rhett o rick]

34. As I previously stated, I would love to hear the justification. Iam not saying there isnt any,

I just havent heard it.

[Comrade Grumpy]

7. This case is a travesty. It doesn't fit in the federal guidelines for medical marijuana prosecutions

I don't understand why the US Attorney in Spokane is prosecuting this.

They were legal under the state law, and the feds have said they would generally leave law-abiding medical marijuana people alone.

And, although they are accusing of growing medical marijuana, they have been denied the right to use that in their defense. It's fucking Kafkaesque.

[jtuck004]

8. Spokane is a LOT redder and whiter than the rest of the state.

But it makes sense. There are meth heads running all over the place stealing like mad, but they fight back like mad ranchers. Sick people, especially those using MMJ don't fight back so hard, and the authorities here are a little cowardly, so they prefer to beat up on sick people, shoot old ones.

But the conservative point of view is pretty strong, so they all take in in stride, because it is almost alway happening to someone else who probably deserved it.

This is the place, between here and Coeur d'Alene, ID where they beat, imprisoned, tortured, and killed IWW workers for trying to stand on boxes and speak against thieving temporary work shops, (as if 1st amendment rights existed here, lol) so it's not surprising.

[mwrguy]

14. Obama needs to have a talk with Holder

This is not good.

[wildbilln864]

19. sadly Obama won't do shit!

other than look forward. He's been a major disappointment since I voted for him.

[Doctor_J]

23. And Wheeler. And Duncan.

[wildbilln864]

20. Hope they get a jury trial...

and the jury is well educated about jury nullification.

[atreides1]

24. This is how capable Holder really is!

Yet Bundy and the cheating bankers...Holder won't even look at them...the man is a complete waste of space!!!

[Sunlei]

30. mandatory minimum sentences of at least 10 years? destroy an entire family & the elders will die!

private 'for profit' prisons love their profitable "mandatory minimum sentences"

[Locrian]

37. guns? huh, maybe they need to get some cows and let them graze - n/t

[Warren Stupidity]

38. wont anyone step up to defend this crap?

how can we have a jolly argument if nobody steps up?

[Doctor_J]

39. 1SBM jumped up

Reply 12

[Warren Stupidity]

40. Finally.

This place would be boring if nobody defends craven idiocy.

[Sunlei]

41. local police team-up with the Feds and they split any seizure of cash & property.

Your States, local police & Federal police assist each other in many counties to spot & take out growers. Tack on the extra charges when any gun is in the home. The States are responsible for those laws & their local police.

We will see much more extra criminal charges with the new medical marijuana & pot growing license regulations