Morro Bay pot dispensary owner found guilty of federal charges
Charles Lynch, whose trial involving conflicting marijuana laws, was found guilty of five counts of distributing drugs.
By Scott Glover, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
August 6, 2008
The owner of a Morro Bay marijuana dispensary was found guilty today in federal court of five counts of distributing drugs.

Charles Lynch, the owner of the dispensary, faces a minimum of five years in prison.

His closely watched trial involved conflicting marijuana laws and went to a federal court jury Monday. Jurors were asked to determine if Lynch was guilty of violating federal drug laws.

During a week-and-a-half-long trial in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, federal prosecutors sought to depict Lynch as a common drug dealer who sold pot to teenagers and carried a backpack stuffed with cash.

Lynch was charged with distributing marijuana, conspiring to distribute marijuana and providing marijuana to people under the age of 21.

Lynch's defense attorneys sought to portray him as a responsible businessman who had the blessing of Morro Bay's mayor and city attorney before opening his Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers.

Moreover, they argued, he was told by an official with the Drug Enforcement Administration that enforcement on such facilities would be left up to local authorities, implying that Lynch would avoid federal prosecution if he obeyed the local laws.

That became the basis for their defense, known as entrapment by estoppel, in which a defendant essentially argues that he broke the law based on bad advice from a government official.

Prosecutors scoffed at the argument. They called to the witness stand a DEA agent who they said spoke with Lynch, and she said she never would have given him such advice.

The cultivation, use and sale of doctor-prescribed marijuana is allowed in some instances under California law. But the drug is banned altogether under federal law, which supersedes those of the states.

The U.S. Supreme Court has prohibited defendants from mounting a "medical necessity" defense, so Lynch's attorneys did not elicit testimony from patients or their parents.

During the trial in front of U.S. District Judge George Wu, prosecutors focused on Lynch's marijuana sales, which they said generated about $2 million from the time he opened his doors in spring 2006 until he was raided by federal agents about 11 months later.

They called undercover operatives who bought drugs from the facility and sheriff's deputies and DEA agents who participated in the raid.

scott.glover@latimes.com

[FARMER]

Pretty weak article on the part of the Times. And factually incorrect. Note- the agent called to the stand was done so to substantiate that the phone number Charlie Lynch called was, in fact, her number.

You'd think for a paper blocks from where the trial was held, they could have managed a reporter down there more than just once or twice.

[ASA Field]

Yeah, ASA's communications specialist called Scott Glover right after the verdict came down to give him the advocate's side of the story but Scott said, "I'm on a deadline, can't talk" and hung up on him! Oh well, there are many better stories out there.

[FARMER]

Originally Posted by ASA Field

Yeah, ASA's communications specialist called Scott Glover right after the verdict came down to give him the advocate's side of the story but Scott said, "I'm on a deadline, can't talk" and hung up on him! Oh well, there are many better stories out there.

Yeah, like yours for one. A much more in depth read on the day and many more miles away. I know being so far away from the trial sucked but what you wrote was on the money. Thank you.

Scott was nonresponsive to me too.

[BrattonBasher]

I don't fault Mr. Glover. He covers local events and stories. Sometimes when he covers stories like this one there are special interest groups who try to contact him to offer help or a slant. Although he might have missed some facts or been slightly mistaken on some, he did report that Mr. Lynch was handcuffed by the Supreme Court decision to not allow a medical defense. At least the Times covered the story with multiple articles.

Originally Posted by BrattonBasher

I don't fault Mr. Glover. He covers local events and stories. Sometimes when he covers stories like this one there are special interest groups who try to contact him to offer help or a slant. Although he might have missed some facts or been slightly mistaken on some, he did report that Mr. Lynch was handcuffed by the Supreme Court decision to not allow a medical defense. At least the Times covered the story with multiple articles.

Yeah, I'm glad he covered it. I emailed the LA TImes to cover this. And KCRW too. And CNN also. And they all covered it. Thank God.

[BrattonBasher]

Originally Posted by Herbalicious

Yeah, I'm glad he covered it. I emailed the LA TImes to cover this. And KCRW too. And CNN also. And they all covered it. Thank God.

Thats why if Weedtracker still had that user of the week award you and Farmer would be the winners! You guys rock, and I truly don't say that lightly or in a patronizing manner. I mean it from my core, and am inspired by your activism!

Originally Posted by BrattonBasher

Thats why if Weedtracker still had that user of the week award you and Farmer would be the winners! You guys rock, and I truly don't say that lightly or in a patronizing manner. I mean it from my core, and am inspired by your activism!

I'm just getting stared. I emailed a lot of news organizations and I'll email even more and I'll do EVERYTHING I can. Thank you for your kind words.

[dorknob]

as someone who USED to work for this company,and was recently laid off...I have to say the times quality is offal,the morale sux,in controll of individual(mr.zell)whom forced eldery people out of their trailers,to make way for his development.
the shit thing is chandlers and executives financed the buyout with the employees company stock in the pension fund,which was funded 100 percent now 80.so zell will continue to sell off pieces of former tribune co.to pay his intrest,and loan payment due.of which with declining revenue,readership spell doom for quality coverage.
next round of layoffs will be october1st middle management,reporters,foreign bureaus,washington d.c. bureau will be closed.basically expect further consolidation of departments,outsourcing,anything else that will save money in relation to quality.
the only time I will read the times is if someone leaves a copy lying around,I would boycott them untill someone more moderate who is happy with .08 percent return. someone like geffen would be best, current mangement is anti labor,and fostering worst workplace morale ever.I would say to fellow wt'ers get your news elsewhere, cancel your subscription,save your fifty cents for a parking meter.

[BabyBoomer]

Originally Posted by BrattonBasher

Thats why if Weedtracker still had that user of the week award you and Farmer would be the winners! You guys rock, and I truly don't say that lightly or in a patronizing manner. I mean it from my core, and am inspired by your activism!

^^^ what he said.

[Lion of Judah]

sad so sad!!!!!!