California Mendocino County Under Medical Marijuana Seige Now

[Ganjarden]

On-going medical marijuana busts through-out Mendocino County have been arresting local residents daily. I was one of five busts made and charged with two felonies (cultivation and intent to sell/distribute) last Friday, February 20, 2009, even though I had my doctor recommendation and was growing with the guidelines published at the Mendocino county web site.

My name is Laurel Krause. Last Friday (2/20/09) as I looked out my kitchen window I was shocked to see 25 Mendocino County Sheriffs/Deputies coming through my gate very quickly. The lead man, Sheriff (don't know deputy, or what class) Jonathan Martin, showed me a search warrant, hand cuffed me and read me my rights. I was cooperative (I actually cried and begged for mercy, but that didn't work) as they searched my home, my grow area on my five acres (behind my locked gate--so no probable cause) and seized all grow equipment related to 24 medical marijuana plants in full bloom. They chopped down the plants and hauled them away as I was being grilled and bullied in my home. This number is significant because if you google the Mendocino County Sheriff's web page on MedMari guidelines it says 25 plants. You are probably aware of the 'fuzziness' of these guidelines. I have a recommendation from my doctor to allow me to grow med marijuana. They charged me with two felony counts, one for marijuana cultivation and another for intent to sell/distribute, carted me to Ukiah, CA to jail in handcuffs.

It gets worse. I was the #4 bust of 5 that day (Friday, Feb 20) and the guys let us know that they had five more for Saturday (yesterday) and five more on Sunday (TODAY!). Not individuals, but actual grows that might arrest multiple people. And most of the growers are women with kids (so now the children are possibly being taken away and bank accounts frozen). Real emotional and economic despair.

As I met others that were arrested in Ukiah, the county seat to jail (never before, first offense for everything for me) I learned they were my neighbors and not one had a 'commercial' size grow. So this Mendocino County Sheriff's dept sweep is coming up short as the take is not producing the kind of busts they claim they are after (i.e commercial, 500 plants & up), unenvironmental grows that scar the land (we all grow organic), we all have our recommendations that we paid for and actually care about the quality of medicine we are growing (it's in the past for me now).

I am in shock, but then I started getting mad yesterday. What is motivating this gestapo situation all of the sudden? DA Meredith Lintott or Sheriff Allman? NeoCons?

I keep to myself mostly so did not hear about this happening all over the county of Mendocino. Furthermore, most growers don't let others know their business so as not to get busted. I'm coming forth as I have nothing to loose and I'm not backing down. I am a little afraid that if this doesn't become a big story that I might be unsafe though..........so bust this story wide open. Help us in Mendo!!!

Since getting busted, I've learned that they were up and down my street (just outside Fort Bragg city limit, so in Mendocino County) busting and getting this sweep in order over the last month and logging on the computer even (wish I had known!). That they have also had busting sweeps in the towns of Covelo, Ukiah, Willits.......all within Mendocino county.

I'm sure you're asking what is motivating me to come to you. This is truly an American story of our time right now, a devestating economic massacre for us personally and it has county-wide ramifications as at least 70% of the Mendocino economy is based on growing marijuana. Maybe even California as it's the state's largest crop. During these times of extreme economic hardship and 10% unemployment in Ft. Bragg, it just doesn't make any sense to be busting and criminalizing tax-paying citizens, my neighbors and me operating within state and county guidelines.

We are considering moving forward with a class-action suit. I have calls out.

I am sounding this alarms as far and wide as I can. Please feel free to forward this to any of your interested colleagues. I hope to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Laurel Krause


News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Indybay
Author: Laurel Krause
Contact: Indybay
Copyright: 2009 San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center
Website: California Mendocino County Under Medical Marijuana Seige Now

 

[chancedebris]

Keep movin,keep swinging and keep your butt off the canvas.
Mendocino is where I always considered Paradise, and have thought about moving there.
This IS demoralizing to many of us.
We are still in the dark ages, and stand up people such as yourself give us inspiration.
Resist, resist, resist.

 

[Kron Master D]

The bill to legalize the herb is in the system to be voted on by the congresspeople. But yet there is a serious spike in busts in a place greener than the garden of Eden. I believe that the bill to legalize is going to go through. But if everybody already has there magical plants how is the state of cali going to make "billions" of dollars by taxing something everybody in the state already has?

 

[schmedrickk]

I feel very bad for Laurel Krause, but there are a few grey area's in this story. According to Laurel she is allowed to grow 25 plants as a qualfied medical patient, and she was growing 24 plants. Technically this should not be an issue, but what is not clear is how much that would equate to in dry weight once the plants were harvested? I believe California law allows for 8 oz in dry weight.

In any event, if you are a qualified medical patient you need to ask yourself at some point, how much is enough? when growing for your own needs. In Mendocino County where the weather is prime for growing marijuana, each plan has the potential to reach 8 - 20' in height and 4 - 6' in diameter. This would most certainly add up to anywhere between 1 - 2lbs per plant when fully matured and dried.

So with 24 plants, and assuming the best environment, Laurel would be looking at somewhere around 24+lbs in dried weight. As a medial patient you would have to ask yourself, how much do I really need at any given time?

If Laurel was a care provider, that could completely change the complexity of this story, but from what I read, I did not get the impression that she was a provider for other medical patients.

Altough I am sympathetic to Laurel's current situation, I have to wonder if common sense entered into the equation? I sincerely hope everything works out well for her, but a word to the wise, the authorities weren't born yesterday.

 

[mtlhead]

How many years has it been since "We the People" exercised our right to a "complete moral cleansing" of those enforcing the laws that have been voted in by us? I am having a hard time accepting the blatent disregard to the laws we vote into action, why do we even vote anymore? I live up in the PNW, we voted against light rail...we win.....they do it anyway. we voted down the new football stadium...we win.....they do it anyway. I am however fortunate, to live in a state that is yet to have our med. mj situation turn bad (like it is down south in Mendicino), but it seems to be state and fedral disregard for what "We the People" are paying them to do!

I still live in fear of being treated like a criminal if arrested for doing something I helped vote into law here in Washington, but I an very tight lipped as to what I do and who knows about it. Our elected state and fedral officials need to get a handle on this before the entire country has had enough. It's my opinion that those who reject what we vote in, are at some level, recieving personal gain by doing so. I'll stop now, but this kind of crap really hits home when I read it.

 

[maxximus]

Can't these people read the papers? The war is over, or am I being a little over optimistic?

 

[mtlhead]

maybe just a tad......

 

[robfl1360]

in my experiance the government can do what ever they want ,in this country you are guilty until proven inocent. there is always a grey area in the laws and the people have no power to change that even if they do vote.there is no hope

 

[maxximus]

Has there ever been a time that things were different? even if this is an illusion I will go with it and breath a little easier before the facade is shattered.

 

[zolar]

if every single bust had medical cards and most of them resulted in kids put in foster care there going to be some lawsuits especially if
probable cause is real suspect it almost sounds like probable cause was alist of medical card holders for the area.....
24 plants on 5 ACRES behind a locked gate...? i'd insist on discovery of the original warrant and if you immediatly produced and told numerous officiers of 215 card they f**d up if they didn't do it by the book for 215 people but they'll clainm didn't know....
you'll probably win on appeal in a year or two if 215 was in order but .... sound like the old protection rackets but with cops using forfeiture laws to get new toys for the dept....or just to break your stuff up

 

[coldbud]

america is becoming a fuckin communist nation or at best a dictatorship. i dont know all the laws, but cmon, this is fucked up. its like the cops watched "weeds" and decided to go after all the soccer moms and their families.

We need to overthrow, and overGROW our government.

 

[TorturedSoul]

On-going medical marijuana busts through-out Mendocino County have been arresting local residents daily. I was one of five busts made and charged with two felonies (cultivation and intent to sell/distribute) last Friday, February 20, 2009, even though I had my doctor recommendation and was growing with the guidelines published at the Mendocino county web site.

You have my sympathies.

My name is Laurel Krause. Last Friday (2/20/09) as I looked out my kitchen window I was shocked to see 25 Mendocino County Sheriffs/Deputies coming through my gate very quickly.

I never could understand THAT bit. I mean, seriously, every personal grower I've ever heard of and probably a considerable percentage of commercial ones are generally the non-violent sort. I would have to think that if it had just been two officers - one to detain you and one to deal with evidence-gathering - you would not have suddenly gotten the compulsion to overwhelm them and escape. You most likely would have just sat there, perhaps even offered the officers coffee.

Isn't anyone publicizing the extreme waste of manpower and equipment in all of this? I don't mean just the MMJ busts, but almost ALL of the MJ busts. I think everyone, whether they are for or against legalization, would like to stop paying (through taxes) for the govt. to waste such vast amounts of money.

The bill to legalize the herb is in the system to be voted on by the congresspeople. But yet there is a serious spike in busts in a place greener than the garden of Eden. I believe that the bill to legalize is going to go through. But if everybody already has there magical plants how is the state of cali going to make "billions" of dollars by taxing something everybody in the state already has?

I don't know you at all, but just from reading that I know that your mother sure didn't raise any idiots. And if she did, they must have been your brothers/sisters lol.

Additionally, I wonder how many of these departments have budget clauses that state that the amount of funds/equipment they receive are based on the amount of busts they pull off. If this IS the case and it suddenly looks like they will lose their golden egg, or actually have to start going after crack-dealers (who WILL shoot a cop without blinking, as well as a competitor, the customer that ripped them off, the customer who failed to laugh at their jokes, their customer who refuses to work the streets for them, etc.) instead of MJ dealers, well...

Like it or not, LEOs are human just like most of the rest of us. Human motivations are their motivations and some of the strongest motivations are greed, the urge to hold power over someone, the urge to do the easy thing that is of questionable benefit instead of the more difficult thing that is of obvious benefit because the easy thing is easier, etc.

I feel very bad for Laurel Krause, but there are a few grey area's in this story. According to Laurel she is allowed to grow 25 plants as a qualfied medical patient, and she was growing 24 plants. Technically this should not be an issue, but what is not clear is how much that would equate to in dry weight once the plants were harvested? I believe California law allows for 8 oz in dry weight.

I have OFTEN wondered about this myself. HtH can a legal MMJ patient grow 25 plants if they are only allowed to posses a 1/2 pound of MJ? Perpetual harvest, taking only a little bit at a time, or what?

The funny thing is... Well, don't get me wrong, it's not funny at all, as I've already stated, the OP - and by inference everyone else arrested - has my sympathies, but anyway, I was at my brother's home yesterday and he was going on and on about how he'd seen on the news that the scene in CA was changing and he specifically said, "I sure wish I lived in Mendocino County. I'd be growing a bunch of killer bud right now!"

Think we should all just move to Canada? I hear that MMJ patients up there can legally mail-order their meds.

 

[Jim Finnel]

trust me when i say i'm rebellious to my core and believe that the u.s. and the entire planet is overdue for a re-make. but if this was truly like a communist country or a dictatorship this discussion would not be taking place.

lets not get of topic. thanks

 

[GanjaGardener]

Didn't rescinding bill SB420 make it legal to grow only 6 plants up there in mendocino?

I'm pretty sure it did which makes the fact that she got busted with 24 plants legit in the eyes of the law. I still feel bad for her but when your involved in something as legally gray as mmj you have to keep informed on whats going on.

If im wrong and SB420 is for a different region then sorry haha

 

[TorturedSoul]

Rescinding a Senate Bill? I wouldn't think it would have any affect on what is legal or not legal since a House/Senate Bill is not a law? Or at least that's what I heard in that old Schoolhouse Rock song lol:

Boy: Whew! You sure gotta climb
a lot of steps to get to this
Capitol Building here in
Washington. But I wonder who
that sad little scrap of paper is?

I'm just a bill.
Yes, I'm only a bill.
And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill.
Well, it's a long, long journey
To the capital city.
It's a long, long wait
While I'm sitting in committee,
But I know I'll be a law some day
At least I hope and pray that I will
But today I am still just a bill.

Boy: Gee, Bill, you certainly have a lot of patience and courage.
Bill: Well, I got this far. When I started I wasn't even a bill, I was just an idea.
Some folks back home decided they wanted a law passed, so they called
their local Congressman, and said, "You're right, there oughta be a law."
Then he sat down and wrote me out and introduced me to Congress. And I
became a bill, and I'll remain a bill until they decide to make me a law.

I'm just a bill
Yes I'm only a bill,
And I got as far as Capitol Hill.
Well, now I'm stuck in committee
And I'll sit here and wait
While a few key Congressmen discuss
and debate
Whether they should let me be a law.
How I hope and pray that they will,
But today I am still just a bill.

 

[GanjaGardener]

hahaha Not to get off subject but those were the coolest learning videos in grade school ever. Conjunction junction whats your function? I sure learned a lot from em anyway

 

[maxximus]

trust me when i say i'm rebellious to my core and believe that the u.s. and the entire planet is overdue for a re-make. but if this was truly like a communist country or a dictatorship this discussion would not be taking place.

lets not get of topic. thanks

Looks like we are getting a remake now. Both so called communism and capitalism are failed so maybe we will settle for something with the best of both and flush the worst of both as well.

Cheers
Maxx

 

[chancedebris]

I heard it somewhere today, but the advice for todays problems was,"Grow Your Own Hedge Fund"/

 

[Sour-Diesel18]

But if everybody already has there magical plants how is the state of cali going to make "billions" of dollars by taxing something everybody in the state already has?

If the state legalizes MJ it will become like any crop grown commercially and disrtibuted in a retail market. This is where the State gets their tax money. Most people are lazy and would prefer to buy it and have choices as to what they buy. So alot of us who grow for personal use wont grow anymore. JMO

 

[Bonehead]

Didn't rescinding bill SB420 make it legal to grow only 6 plants up there in mendocino?

I'm pretty sure it did which makes the fact that she got busted with 24 plants legit in the eyes of the law. I still feel bad for her but when your involved in something as legally gray as mmj you have to keep informed on whats going on.

If im wrong and SB420 is for a different region then sorry haha

No, SB420 was the state bill that was passed in 2004 for the whole state and that is: 12 immature plants or 6 plants and or 8 oz of dried. Mendocino had a county ordinance that made all MJ cultivation under 25 plants a low priority for law enforcement. This facility was for medical MJ and their patients. Caregivers and grows for dispensaries are based on number of patients but I do not understand the requirements completely. From what I read, they were within the law.