[taintedone]

Today is that day for Eddy Lepp. Judgement day. The day of reckoning. The day another human gets to use their power to take away freedoms and civil liberties over a plant. Or 35,000 plants. Whatever.

Whether you agree with Eddy or not, it does not matter. It does not matter what you think of Eddy personally. Today is bigger than that and, yes, even bigger than Eddy himself. I personally have had my disagreements with the old man over the years, but in the face of tyranny we have put our differences aside and have came to fight this all too common enemy. I am proud to say that Eddy is my friend and a good man. Sure, he may be crass and say a bunch of off color shit. Yes. He can be a bit over-the-top on some of his thinking, but he is a warrior for this cause and a champion of cannabis rights.

Balls the size of jeep tires is the best way I can explain it. What more can be said about a man that was the first to win a court battle with a Prop. 215 defense. A man who put a gigantic sign on the front of his house declaring his freedom to grow this medicinal plant to the world. A man who had a bright green old school limo with "Eddy's Medicinal Gardens" painted down the side. Oh yeah. Let us not forget the acres and acres of healthy green plants blowing in the wind across Highway 20. I think Eddy put the "OG" in the kush. He pushed the envelope for us all so we may know more clearly where the boundaries may be in our own adventures in this hazy adventure of medical marijuana.

Yes. Eddy is his own man. He has dedicated his life to this cause in more ways than one. Today he will take that long walk up a short staircase and meet his fate at the San Francisco Federal Building. I will be there to witness history. This is too important of an issue to not bear witness to. This plant that we all love and adore is also being sentenced today. What happens to Eddy happens to us all, and we owe it to him, to ourselves, to this plant, to show out in force and demand the release of our political prisoners. Once again the government has failed to enact common sense and reason and has convicted a man of growing some plants. Of nurturing some nature. Of sewing the seeds of love, in a sense.

It still boggles my mind. As a person who is in-tune with the workings of the universe on most days, it is days like this one that leave me troubled. That wake me from a deep sleep in a cold sweat at 4 a.m. thinking about the injustices and failures of our current way of approaching the cannabis issue. I can not fathom how a man can put a plant in the rich soil of mother earth and somehow find himself facing a decade in prison. There was no victim to this crime. There was no adverse action on the world with this crime. There was no pain and suffering. Just a man, some plants, and some dirt. Where is the crime? I pray deeply for a miracle, but am left jaded by my own experiences and feel trapped by this feeling of disgust and pain.

Eddy is a rare bird. He has the ability to win the hearts and minds of the world if given a chance. He can light up a room (in more ways than one). He may be batshit crazy but he has more courage than most humans on this earth and is wiling to fight for justice and morality. We can all learn a lot from Eddy's experiences and whether we agree or not, we can find a mutual respect and understanding as to why this fight is so damn important.

Please do me a favor. If you can, get up, get out of bed, drag a comb across your head, and make your way to the San Francisco Federal Building to witness history and to support our brother Eddy in his toughest moment. The address is 450 Golden Gate Avenue. The time is 9:00 am. Take a late day or call in sick. We all owe it to this wonderful plant to come out and defend its honor. Do not let the normal excuses stop you today. This is all of our freedom on the line and we must stand up and support our brother Eddy. Do your part and understand that this is bigger than me, you, Eddy, or the Judge that will decide his fate. Martin Luther King thus said it best..."Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Get fired up. Get ready to go. And by all means get to San Francisco this morning. See you there.



http://www.freetainted.com/weblog/pl...blogentry_view

[BabyBoomer]

Thank you for this post and bring this important issue to our attention. Very well written. Going back to read it again.l

I snorted Yuban through my nose at the comment . . . . .

Balls the size of jeep tires


still trying to get that visual.

May the news be victorious for the MMJ movement.

Good Luck Eddy.

[KushMeister]

Sending prayers for the lightest possible sentence.
Met Eddy at the Hemp Fest last summer with Baby Boomer.
Quite a character, indeed!
God knows he pushed the limits to the extreme, but I do pray that the justice system can overlook that, and instead see a man with a passion, and not a criminal.

Good luck Eddy!
We're pullin' for ya!

[BabyBoomer]

http://lakeconews.com/content/view/8703/764/

Written by Elizabeth Larson
Monday, 18 May 2009
THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED.

UPPER LAKE – A local man known for his medical marijuana activism has been sentenced to a 10-year federal prison sentence.


Charles “Eddy” Lepp, 56, was sentenced Monday morning by Judge Marilyn Hall Patel to two 10-year sentences, which will run concurrently, according to spokesman Jack Gillund of the US Attorney's Office. Patel said the sentences were the mandatory minimum required by law.


“It's tragic,” said Lepp's attorney, Michael Hinckley.


Last September a federal jury convicted Lepp of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and cultivation of more than 1,000 marijuana plants, as Lake County News has reported.


The jury found that Lepp had grown 24,784 marijuana plants on his 20-acre property in Upper Lake, which is adjacent to Highway 20. He was indicted in 2004 in the case, which resulted from an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the sheriff's offices of Lake and Sonoma counties.


During his hour-long hearing, Lepp also was sentenced to five years of supervised release once his sentence ends.


Hinckley said that as she imposed the sentence, Patel herself stated that she believed the minimum sentence was “excessive.”


“It's way, way, way too much time,” Hinckley said.


Lepp was sentenced on the same day as the US Supreme Court declined to hear San Diego County v. San Diego NORML et al., according to California NORML. By not hearing the case, an appeals court ruling that holds that California law trumps federal law over medical marijuana will remain in place.


Patel commented during sentencing that Lepp seemed proud of what he was doing. Hinckley said Lepp did testify in the trial about being proud of the fields where the marijuana was grown, and he encouraged people to take advantage of the opportunity to grow there.


“I've never seen a man work harder to get time in prison than Mr. Lepp,” federal prosecutor David Hall is reported to have remarked during the sentencing.


Lepp must surrender himself to federal authorities on July 6.


He told Lake County News in a weekend interview, “At my time in life if all I get sentenced to is a 10-year minimum, that's a friggin' life sentence.”


Lepp was the first person in California to be acquitted in a Proposition 215 prosecution in 1996, as Lake County News has reported.


On Monday, Lepp pointed to other medical marijuana growers who have gotten deals with the government for far lesser prison terms. “I got 10 years and everybody else is getting virtually nothing.”


Hinckley said he's filing an appeal of both the sentence and the original conviction.


He said they had hoped to get underneath the mandatory minimum 10-year sentence through a “safety valve” provision, which has five elements that must be met.


Hinckley said the government argued that Lepp didn't meet two of the requirements. Those include being the leader or organizer of a criminal activity. “Our position was, that Eddy is the leader of the church,” said Hinckley. “The 'criminal activity' that they're talking about is the growing of the marijuana in the fields.”


The other requirement the government alleged Lepp didn't qualify for was that he didn't meet with the government and truthfully speak about the offense for which he's been convicted.


Hall had alleged that Lepp lied on the stand when he maintained he had not been active in running the marijuana garden, which was part of his Rastafarian religious ministry.


“He would need to admit he lied at trial,” said Hinckley.


Lepp said he met with Hall several weeks ago and was told he would need to say he lied on the stand in order to qualify for the government to drop the minimum sentence. “I went ballistic,” Lepp said.


He maintained that he had 200 volunteers that ran the garden. “I never had anything to do with it,” he said, noting that Hall accused him of being a criminal mastermind.


Lepp had been looking at a maximum sentence of life in prison on both counts, plus a $4 million fine.


“We asked that no fine be ordered because of his ability to pay,” said Hinckley.


The fine was waived, but a forfeiture action against the fields where the marijuana was being grown is still working its way through the courts, Lepp said.


An investigation conducted by the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office last week resulted in Lepp's home being raided by officials, who detained him and four other people, while they searched the house and took hundreds of pictures. Lepp said no search warrant was issued and no one was arrested after being handcuffed and held.


Lepp alleges that the sheriff's deputies came to his home by mistake, but there were concerns that there was going to be an attempt to tie that case to his current situation.


Rachel Cohen, Lepp's personal assistant said the courtroom was filled for the hour-long sentencing, with people spilling out into the hallway.


She said people were carrying signs and picketing at the courthouse, with many people showing support for Lepp. Cohen said they also were passing out “Free Eddy Lepp” buttons.


Lepp said now that he has been sentenced, he has many friends and supporters who are working to get him a topnotch appellate lawyer.


While he prepares to enter prison, Lepp said he's concerned about his daughter, who has had benign polyps found on her thyroid. It's especially worrying because her mother and Lepp's late wife, Linda Senti, died from thyroid cancer that began with polyps being discovered in the same area.


“I'm just scared to death, she's barely in her 30s,” said Lepp.


He has remarried since Senti's death. His new wife, Linda, will remain on the Upper Lake property, where no medical marijuana garden has been grown since 2004, said Lepp.


As to his ability to use medical marijuana in prison for his own health issues, Lepp said Patel told him in court that she doesn't know if he'll be able to have access to the drug.


He said it's hard to know what will happen in the next six weeks, noting there have been rumors of pardons being possible.


Hinckley said there seems to be a move in the country toward greater acceptance of medical marijuana, something he suggests Lepp may have helped facilitate.


“As of today, it's not happening soon enough to help him,” Hinckley said.


E-mail Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .






.

[longhairpokem]

Had the Honor of talking with Eddy @ the comedy show sunday..... just wish things had turned out different for him......

[Dr.Seuscio]

Such a shame I was also able to tell Eddy that I am praying for him and the I personaly appreciate his sacrifice I hope this bullshit gets overturned in appeal he is a mellow dude and a stonch supporter of this movement I see him at almost every MMJ event

FREE EDDY LEPP & CHARLES LYNCH!!!

PLEASE SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT!!!

-Seuscio

[Cola Nut]

Yeah I wanted to say hello but I was a lil shy, I really admire the man and his big heart. His purpose on this earth is to help people and he's facing prison for it. He IS NOT A CRIMINAL!! He and Linda were just providing a place for healing. LET US GROW OUR MEDECINE! OVERTURN EDDY LEPP'S SENTENCE!!

[Cola Nut]

I found this on EDDY'S myspace page
We should all get his button he may need some spending money soon, I pray not but we will see.


Get your "Free" FREE EDDY LEPP button now.


Send a Self Addressed STAMPED Envelope to

Eddy Lepp
P.O. Box 382
Upper Lake, California 95485


THIS OFFER IS COMPLETELY FREE...

If you would like to make a donation to Me & My Ministry, please include it in with your request for your FREE EDDY LEPP button.

REMEMBER: You must make sure that you include a SELF ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE, or we will be unable to process your request.

One Love,

~EDDY

Respect all, Hurt None, Love One Another