[ASA Field]

*Weekly Round Up*
1. Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana Goes to Court; Claremont
Shoots Down Ban, Considering Dispensary Ordinance; Ed Rosenthal's
Federal Trial Begins
*
ASA Chapter and Affiliate Meetings*
2. Sunday, May 20, Birds Landing : ***Rescheduled Solano Patients' Group
Meeting***
3. Wednesday, May 23, Oakland: ***Rescheduled East Bay ASA Meeting***
4. Tuesday, May 22, Sacramento: ***Rescheduled Sacramento ASA Meeting***
5. Tuesday, May 22, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting
6. Saturday, June 2, Modesto: Merced County Patients Coalition
*
**Court Support*
7. Friday, June 1, Sacramento: Status Hearing for Louis Wayne Fowler
8. Friday, May 16th- Friday, June 1, San Francisco : Ed Rosenthal
Federal Trial
*
Special Events*
9. Saturday, May 19, Newport Beach: Medical Cannabis Activist Town Hall
10. Wednesday May 23, San Francisco: Rally to Support Ed Rosenthal
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Weekly Round Up * CA ASA
*
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* 1. **Ed Rosenthal's Federal Trial Begins; **Claremont Shoots Down Ban,
Considering Dispensary Ordinance; **Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical
Marijuana Goes to Court
*/
//Ed Rosenthal's Federal Trial Begins

/ Medical Marijuana activist Ed Rosenthal's vindictive trial began this
week on Tuesday. Rosenthal, a medical marijuana provider and prolific
writer, was raided and arrested by Federal agents in February 2002.
After the February 2003 trial, several jurors discovered that evidence
was withheld, and subsequently denounced their verdict. In the midst of
a highly charged political climate, in June 2003, U.S. District Court
Judge Charles Breyer sentenced Rosenthal to a single day in prison, time
served.

Despite no compelling reason to re-try Rosenthal, the federal prosecutor
pursued another trial and added tax evasion and money laundering to the
charges. Based on the vindictive nature of the prosecution, ASA Chief
Counsel, Joe Elford, filed a motion to dismiss in February 2007 on
behalf of Rosenthal. In an unusual ruling on March 14, 2007, Judge
Breyer found that there was at least the appearance of vindictiveness on
the part of the federal government, and dismissed the tax and money
laundering charges against Rosenthal.

Jury selection began on Monday May 14th. Just under 80% of the
prospective jurors said they had an opinion on medical marijuana. Judge
Breyer pointed out that because they were being selected for a Federal
trial, a medical defense would not apply to the case and that this
defense would not be presented.

There were many compelling pro-medical marijuana testimonies during the
prospective juror interviews. See Vanessa Nelson's Article
<http://www.medicalmarijuanaofamerica.com/content/view/74/94/> to read
some of the testimonies. The selected jurors-eight women and four men,
plus two female alternates- said they do not have an opinion on medical
marijuana.

For more information on Ed Rosenthal's trial see Green Aid
<http://www.green-aid.com/>and Vanessa Nelson's Ed Rosenthal Column.
<http://www.medicalmarijuanaofamerica.com/content/category/1/49/94/>

Want to know how you can get involved? See *Special Events* below!

/
Claremont Shoots Down Ban, Considering Dispensary Ordinance

/Last week, Claremont City Council staffers proposed an ordinance that
would ban dispensaries. The proposal was rejected by many of the
council members. This particular proposal would have banned not only
dispensaries, but all businesses that violated state or federal law.

Rather than support the ban, City Council members are considering
designing and implementing dispensary regulations. The council is
reviewing 25 California city and county ordinances before making a
decision either way. If the city implements a dispensary ordinance it
will be the first to permit medical marijuana dispensaries in the Inland
Valley.

Claremont City Council is expected to revisit the topic in early July.
*
Activists in the Inland Valley that want to organize around this issue,
please contact Sonnet: sonnet@safeaccessnow.org
<mailto:sonnet@safeaccessnow.org>*

/Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana Goes to Court

/The Women's Alliance For Medical Marijuana is heading to court to sue
the federal government over the right to use medical cannabis for
chronic pain.The WAMM collective has been raided in the past by federal
agents.

WAMM's case will go to court on July 13th in San Jose District Court.
WAMM will present three arguments. The first involves due process and
the right to access to medicine if it's the only thing that will keep
someone alive. The second involves the 10th Amendment and allows the
city the right to provide marijuana as a medicine to the community.
Finally, they will argue the "necessity defense."

For more information go to: http://www.wamm.org/ or e-mail:
info@wamm.org <mailto:info@wamm.org>* * /
/
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ASA Chapter and Affiliates Meetings Activist Fist
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*2. Sunday, May 20, Birds Landing: ***Rescheduled Solano Patients' Group
Meeting****

Come meet with us on Sunday, May 20th. We will be coming together to not
only celebrate our recent victory, but also to discuss our strategy for
the next hearing.

Sunday, May 20th at 3:00pm
2145 Collinsville Rd.
Birds Landing, CA

For more information call: 707-635-3752
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*3. Monday, May 21, Oakland: ***Rescheduled East Bay ASA Meeting****

Join East Bay ASA to prepare for the Rosenthal rally on Wednesday, May
23rd. We will be making signs and props for the rally and will be
phoning local supporters to encourage them to attend.

Please join us and make your voice heard! Refreshments will be served.

Wednesday, May 21st @ 7:00pm
Americans for Safe Access Headquarters
1322 Webster Street, Suite 402, Downtown Oakland
Just a couple blocks from the 12th Street BART station!

For more information or to get involved, contact Rebecca:
Rebecca@SafeAccessNow.org <mailto:Rebecca@SafeAccessNow.org> or
510-251-1856 x 308
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*4. Tuesday, May 22, Sacramento:***Rescheduled Sacramento ASA Meeting****

Please join Sac ASA to plan for the future of safe access locally,
statewide, and nationally!
7:00 p.m.

Crusaders Hall
320 Harris Avenue, Suite H
Sacramento, CA

For more information or to get involved, please contact Lanette:
cannacare@earthlink.net <mailto:cannacare@earthlink.net>
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*5. Tuesday, May 22, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting*

Join SF ASA to discuss and plan for local, state and national issues.
Get active locally to protect safe access!

7:30 p.m. @ CA Marijuana Party Bookstore
223a 9th St. @ Howard in San Francisco

For more information contact Alex: aaafranco@yahoo.com
<mailto:aaafranco@yahoo.com>
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*6. Saturday, June 2, Modesto: Central Valley Patients Coalition*

Please join central valley patients and supporters to help plan and
strategize for the defense of patients rights in Stanislaus County,
Merced County, and beyond!

The CVPC meets on the first Saturday of each month, at 11:00 AM.

Location: These meetings are held at 1733 Yosemite Ave, Modesto, CA, 95350.

For additional information, contact Shirley Cox, Public Relations
Officer for the Central Valley Patients
Coalition: shirley@CompassionateCoalition .org
<mailto:shirley@CompassionateCoalition.org>
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Court Support patients rights*
*
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*7. Friday, June 1, Sacramento: Status Hearing for Louis Wayne Fowler*

The DEA and Sheriff conducted a raid on Sacramento County dispensary
operator Louis Fowler, 51, on July 7, 2005. In addition to the raid on
the Alternative Specialties dispensary, allegedly as a result of
operating without a business license, three other locations were raided
by the DEA and Sheriff where two indoor gardens allegedly with more than
800 plants were found. Fowler was charged federally with manufacture of
marijuana and illegal possession of weapons. Fowler is released pending
trial in Sacramento.

Friday, June 1st @ 10:00am
Courtroom of Judge Edward Garcia
U.S. District Court
501 I Street
Sacramento, CA
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*8. Tuesday, May 15- Friday, June 1, San Francisco: Ed Rosenthal
Federal Trial

* See Weekly Round-up for details on the trial. The vindictive re-trial
began on Tuesday May 15th and is expected to continue through the next
two weeks. Stay tuned for updates.
/*
Medical Cannabis activists are encouraged to show their support for Ed
Rosenthal by attending the trial. */

San Francisco Federal Building
Courtroom of U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, 19th Floor
450 Golden Gate
San Francisco, CA

For trial updates go to Green Aid <http://www.green-aid.com/>*.

*See below for details on ASA Sponsored Ed Rosenthal Court Support Rally
May 23rd*
*
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Special Events Patients Rights
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*9. Saturday, May 19th, Newport Beach: Medical Cannabis Activist Town Hall*

Please join Steph Sherer, ASA's Executive Director for an Orange County
Activist Town Hall on May 19th from 3-6 pm. This event will be a an
opportunity for the community to come together while Steph walks
everyone through a strategic planning session to create next steps for
Orange County implementation of Prop 215 And SB 420. This will include
defining problems in the community, as well as determining goals and
creating campaigns to tackle these problems and achieve community goals.

Steph Sherer will also give a brief update from ASA about national and
state campaigns.

Who: Orange County Medical Cannabis Community and ASA's Executive Director
What: Orange County Activist Town Hall
When: May 19, 2007 from 3PM- 6 PM
Where: Law Offices of WENTWORTH, PAOLI & PURDY, LLP
4631 Teller Avenue, Suite 100
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Why: Because these laws aren't going to implement themselves

For more info contact Bill: OCLawyer@aol.com <mailto:OCLawyer@aol.com>
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*10. Wednesday, May 23rd, San Francisco: Ed Rosenthal Support Rally
*
Ed Rosenthal needs our help! /*ASA is calling on all of our members in
the SF Bay Area to come out in support for Ed Rosenthal and medical
marijuana.*/ We must show the public that medical marijuana patients and
advocates will not stand for vindictive trials. Please come out on May
23rd at 1:00pm on the Federal Building steps.

Wednesday May 23 at 1:00pm
San Francisco Federal Building
450 Golden Gate (between Polk and Larkin on Golden Gate)
*Just 4 Blocks southwest from Civic Center BART stop!*

Map to Federal Building

*Want to help organize the rally? Have questions?* *Contact Sonnet:
Sonnet@safeaccessnow.org <mailto:Sonnet@safeaccessnow.org>