Support Will Foster

[Jim Finnel]

Below is a copy of the letter we would like you to send to Sonoma County D. A. Stephen Passalacqua regarding the medical marijuana case of William Foster. Please let the D. A. know that you think his case is a burden on the taxpayers of Sonoma County as well as inhumane.

You can email the letter by clicking this link and pasting it in Office of the District Attorney | County of Sonoma id=87 then click "Suggestion" and paste the letter into the Description box.

You can also print it out and mail it to:

Sonoma County District Attorney Stephen Passalacqua County of Sonoma, Hall of Justice
600 Administration Dr, Room 212J Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Dear Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan R. Passalacqua,

I am writing to you because I am concerned about the waste of precious resources being used to prosecute medical marijuana patients. One of the reasons you were elected is because of the position you took on medical marijuana. During your campaign, you made it clear that you did not want to subvert the will of the voters. I am concerned about your change of position now that you are in office. The money spent on prosecuting medical marijuana patients could be spent in better ways. The financial situation of the county is only getting worse and you are wasting money on frivolous prosecutions.

I am particularly disturbed about the case of William Foster, who has been in jail awaiting trial for more than a year and believe that he is being wrongfully held and prosecuted for vindictive reasons. He is innocent of the charges against him and is well known as a caregiver.

I've been informed that there is testimony (11-9-2008) by your main witness, Sonoma County Drug Task Force Officer Andy Cash where he stated "the state ID card meant nothing to him during the arrest of Mr. Foster." This blatant disregard for California laws denigrates peace officers who do obey the law.

I am asking you to drop this case so William Foster can go back to his law-abiding life in California, and residents of Sonoma Country don't have to spend money on frivolous government activities. Amidst heavy budget cuts, a good way to triage this would be to eliminate all cases that are pending against medical marijuana patients.

Thank you for your time. I hope this letter is met with your serious consideration.

Sincerely,

(YOUR NAME HERE)

Also -- Will Foster's hearing for the motion to suppress evidence is still scheduled for Tuesday May 19 Save the date:
Tuesday, 5/19 at 1:30pm - Hearing re: motion to suppress search warrant. Place: Sonoma County Court House, Judge Antolini Dept 3. Court room support for the 5/19 hearing is very important.

 

[Jim Finnel]

From Ed Rosenthal (July 1, 2009):

Help Will Foster

With a constant barrage of global news surrounding us, we now have the power to know that there is always a crisis somewhere- a volcano shattering peoples lives, a tsunami or hurricane, man made disasters-mostly wars- and humans attempting to control nature. We become desensitized to it, or else we couldn’t enjoy a fine meal, or go to a water park, or even enjoy lovemaking- so when someone shouts “fire!” unless you are in that crowded theater, chances are that you will take no action.

The further away a situation is, the more remote it becomes. To most of us, a disaster in India isn’t as significant as one in your hometown. For this reason the Will Foster case and Will Foster’s plight should alert all of us that we are possibly only an arrest away from a ruined life. To tell his story briefly, Will Foster was a self-employed professional working in Tulsa, Oklahoma when he was arrested for a garden that measured less than 5 x 5 ft, or a total of less than 25 square feet. Since his gigantic garden could have supplied all of Tulsa and its suburbs, he was given a sentence of 93 years. This was later reduced to 20 years and then he was released on probation after serving 4.5 years behind bars. He came to live with me in California, and after 3 years of probation the state of California said “you’re a free man”. Oklahoma objected because they felt he should serve at least a double-digit of years more probation. As a result of this conflict, the two states are attempting to extradite him to Oklahoma. Both governors have signed the extradition warrant. After the girls in my office playing phone tag with the entire state of Oklahoma, we have deduced that Will’s fate is in the hands of Oklahoma Department of Corrections Director Justin Jones.

Will’s case is another proof of the injustice that marijuana users face everyday in the US. His case and his freedom are important as a symbol of our demand to be freed from these chains. Will needs your help and statistically, only about 3% of the people who are asked to do something like this, actually pick up a pen and do it. They figure, someone else will do it. Think of it this way, I am asking you, personally, to do this for Will. No checks, no money, just your good nature, your pen, a piece of paper and a stamp. So crude, but emails aren’t as effective as letters are to these bureaucrats.

The goal is to flood these people with public opinion: MARIJUANA IS NOT A CRIME!

If you do send a letter, please email asked420@gmail.com with your mailing address for a free gift as a token of our appreciation!

Please send this letter to:

ATT: Janielle Jenkins- California State Extradition Specialist
Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax 916-558-3160

ATT: Justin Jones
Director, Oklahoma Department of Corrections
3400 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave
Oklahoma City, OK 73111-4298
Fax: 405-425-2578
(Guess what! You can call him too if you want, his office number is easily searched online!! 405-425-2505)

Regarding:
William Joseph Foster, D.O.B. 9-12-1958
Oklahoma Incident # 687031 – 12-29-1995
Oklahoma Case # CF-96-49
Oklahoma Docket # 751133
Oklahoma Department of Corrections #252721
California DOC #252721

Dear California Extradition Specialist Janelle Jenkins and Oklahoma Department of Corrections Director Justin Jones,

I am writing to you out of extreme concern regarding the extradition of William Foster. Foster has an extradition hearing in Sonoma County, CA on August 4th at 1:30pm.

We are asking that you review this case on humanitarian grounds and cancel the extradition warrant against Will Foster. Foster suffers from degenerative arthritis and is being persecuted for choosing to grow a medical marijuana garden in Oklahoma. He was convicted after his 5’x 5’ marijuana garden was raided and originally sentenced to sentenced to 93 years in prison. Will was a first time non-violent offender and eventually re-sentenced to 20 years.

In 2001, after serving 4 ½ years of his 20 year sentence, he was released and as a condition of his parole was told to leave the state. He moved to Santa Rosa, California –with permission from Oklahoma- and kept monthly contact with his parole officer.

Due to administrative complications and miscommunication, Oklahoma issued a warrant for Foster and he was taken into custody in 2008. Oklahoma has now issued an extradition warrant for Foster, claiming he is a fugitive of justice, which was signed by both Governor Brad Henry and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

It is in the interest of justice and the taxpayers of both states I am requesting that Foster’s extradition be canceled. Limited resources would be more wisely spent containing violent offenders rather than extending the incarceration and prosecution of a non-violent crime.

Source: Ed Rosenthal