Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
West Greenwich, R.I. - Two people arrested Tuesday on marijuana charges are leaders of the Healing Church, which says it uses marijuana and its derivatives in religious rituals.
Anne Armstrong, 56, and Alan Gordon, 46, both of 99 Hudson Pond Rd., had filed a federal lawsuit Friday seeking to block the seizure of their marijuana plants and prevent enforcement of criminal marijuana laws against them.
In papers filed in U.S. District Court, the two argued that enforcement of state marijuana laws against them amounts to religious discrimination and violates the U.S. Constitution. They contend their religious ritual use of marijuana should be exempt from criminal prosecution, just as Jews and several Christian denominations distribute wine to underage worshipers as part of their rituals.
Their federal lawsuit followed defeats in the state Superior Court and in two appeals to the Rhode Island Supreme Court.
Armstrong and Gordon are no strangers to court battles over their religious use of marijuana.
In December, a federal judge dismissed a case they filed that said the government interfered with their "cannabis-related religious activity" at the Roger Williams National Memorial in May 2015.
In March that year, Armstrong applied for a permit to hold a prayer service including use of marijuana at the memorial, a park on North Main Street, Providence.
On May 16, Armstrong and Gordon began to pray daily for the May 23 service by using cannabis at the park's dry well. They were fined $100 each. On May 23, about 15 people walked around the outside of the park while smoking joints. No one was arrested.
The most recent case began June 23, when West Greenwich police and a lawyer from the state Attorney General's office executed a search warrant at their Hudson Pond Road home.
While there, the police observed a large number of marijuana plants outside the house, growing within fenced pens.
Armstrong and Gordon debated with officials whether the state medical marijuana law, which says the plants must be grown inside, requires a roof and opaque walls for grow operations.
They filed a lawsuit asking the court to define "inside" and to prevent authorities from destroying their plants. In the suit, they said they "believe it is a sin to grow cannabis under electric light."
After a hearing July 6, Judge Allen P. Rubine denied their requests on July 12.
They appealed to the Supreme Court, and were denied on July 14 and again on July 15, prompting the federal case, which is pending.
On Tuesday, police arrested the pair and seized 12 pounds of marijuana and 59 marijuana plants.
In addition to the marijuana, investigators also seized packaging materials, 10 pounds of hash oil and equipment for manufacturing hash oil.
Armstrong Gordon were charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana and possession of more than five kilograms of marijuana and ordered held without bail after arraignment in District Court.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Leaders Of Healing Church Filed Federal Lawsuit Days Before Their Arrest On Marijuana
Author: Paul Edward Parker
Contact: 401-277-7000
Photo Credit: Bob Thayer
Website: Providence Journal
Anne Armstrong, 56, and Alan Gordon, 46, both of 99 Hudson Pond Rd., had filed a federal lawsuit Friday seeking to block the seizure of their marijuana plants and prevent enforcement of criminal marijuana laws against them.
In papers filed in U.S. District Court, the two argued that enforcement of state marijuana laws against them amounts to religious discrimination and violates the U.S. Constitution. They contend their religious ritual use of marijuana should be exempt from criminal prosecution, just as Jews and several Christian denominations distribute wine to underage worshipers as part of their rituals.
Their federal lawsuit followed defeats in the state Superior Court and in two appeals to the Rhode Island Supreme Court.
Armstrong and Gordon are no strangers to court battles over their religious use of marijuana.
In December, a federal judge dismissed a case they filed that said the government interfered with their "cannabis-related religious activity" at the Roger Williams National Memorial in May 2015.
In March that year, Armstrong applied for a permit to hold a prayer service including use of marijuana at the memorial, a park on North Main Street, Providence.
On May 16, Armstrong and Gordon began to pray daily for the May 23 service by using cannabis at the park's dry well. They were fined $100 each. On May 23, about 15 people walked around the outside of the park while smoking joints. No one was arrested.
The most recent case began June 23, when West Greenwich police and a lawyer from the state Attorney General's office executed a search warrant at their Hudson Pond Road home.
While there, the police observed a large number of marijuana plants outside the house, growing within fenced pens.
Armstrong and Gordon debated with officials whether the state medical marijuana law, which says the plants must be grown inside, requires a roof and opaque walls for grow operations.
They filed a lawsuit asking the court to define "inside" and to prevent authorities from destroying their plants. In the suit, they said they "believe it is a sin to grow cannabis under electric light."
After a hearing July 6, Judge Allen P. Rubine denied their requests on July 12.
They appealed to the Supreme Court, and were denied on July 14 and again on July 15, prompting the federal case, which is pending.
On Tuesday, police arrested the pair and seized 12 pounds of marijuana and 59 marijuana plants.
In addition to the marijuana, investigators also seized packaging materials, 10 pounds of hash oil and equipment for manufacturing hash oil.
Armstrong Gordon were charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana and possession of more than five kilograms of marijuana and ordered held without bail after arraignment in District Court.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Leaders Of Healing Church Filed Federal Lawsuit Days Before Their Arrest On Marijuana
Author: Paul Edward Parker
Contact: 401-277-7000
Photo Credit: Bob Thayer
Website: Providence Journal
