[HMF]

I was ask to cover this by Cheryl. Thank you for sending us this.

Attached is a press release and cover letter. This is being send to elected officials in request for their appearance at Lynch’s protest on Monday February 23, 2009 at noon. Elected officials include LA Mayor, LA City Council members, State Attorney General, California Governer and US Representatives on the Judiciary Committee or Reps who co-signed HR 5842, the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act. We are more than willing to answer any questions or provide any needed material.

Attached Below..

New Trial Press Release

Contact: Reuven Cohen

Cel: (805) 801-0380

For Immediate Release:

Judge Denies Medical Marijuana Motion for a New Trial Despite New Evidence

Lynch Sentenced Fed 23

Los Angeles – Monday January 12, 2009. Federal Judge George H. Wu denies former medical marijuana provider Charles C. Lynch’s request for a new trial even though new evidence has been submitted. A jury found Lynch guilty of five cannabis-only felonies on August 5, 2008 for violating federal drug laws even though Lynch’s dispensary, Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers (CCCC), provided medical marijuana legal within California law.

The only violation of state law presented in federal court was that of a CCCC security guard, Abe Baxter, who allegedly sold marijuana to a paid-criminal informant with undercover San Luis Obispo (SLO) County sheriff’s deputy, Nick A. Fontecchio, present in a Big 5 parking lot, at least 12 miles away from CCCC.

“Charles C. Lynch had no knowledge of, and in no way authorized, condoned or participated in any way in the cannabis transaction alleged against me…The conspiracy allegations against Mr. Lynch are false.” Baxter states in a declaration to Judge Wu.

Even with this new assertion, the Judge denied Lynch a new trial on January 5, 2008. Judge Wu scheduled Lynch for sentencing on Monday February 23 at 8:30 am. Lynch faces up to 100 years in federal prison even though he followed all his “Medical Marijuana Dispensary” business license requirements, city regulations, county restrictions and state law.

SLO County Sheriff, Pat Hedges, had his narcotics deputies investigate Lynch, his employees, his patients and his dispensary. For eleven months, Sheriff’s deputies staked out the location taking photos, video, writing down license plate numbers, following patients and employees, and even pulling over employees after leaving the location.

Sheriff Deputies also used paid criminal informants to go undercover to attempt to get evidence of Lynch breaking the law. One paid criminal informant was even allowed to keep his personal stash of marijuana after Sheriff Deputy Nicholas A. Fontecchio found 2 joints in his pocket before going undercover.

On Sept 12, 2005, Lynch called four separate Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) phone numbers to inquire about opening a medical marijuana dispensary in California. The final DEA agent told Lynch “It’s up to the cities and county to decide how to handle the [medical marijuana dispensary] matter.”

Lynch relied on that advice and began working with city and county officials in preparation of opening the only medical marijuana dispensary in SLO County. Lynch gave dispensary tours to local representatives to demonstrate the safety procedures he had created to assure medical marijuana was not diverted while providing safe access to qualified patients.

The Morro Bay Police had a good standing with the dispensary and often had friendly visits to the location. The Mayor, Janice Peters, had personally given her business card to all CCCC’s surrounding businesses and asked them to call if they ever had an issue with the dispensary. She testified she never received one complaint.

Both the Mayor and City Attorney, Rob Schultz, testified to Lynch’s law-abiding nature with Schultz also confirming he never received one complaint against Lynch, employees, patients or his location.

Friends of Charles C. Lynch will demonstrate against the injustice of federal medical marijuana laws in California cases at noon on Monday February 23, 2009 on the Main Street side of the Federal Courthouse.

###

If you would like more information about this case, or to schedule an interview with Charles C. Lynch or others, please call Reuven Cohen at (805) 801-0380.

Lynch Cover Letter

www.friendsofccl.com

Address

Contact

January 12, 2009

Re: Charles C. Lynch case

Dear US Rep Barney Frank,

Attached is a press release about the latest news in the Charles C. Lynch case. As you can see my new friend is caught in the middle of the federal government’s war on marijuana and state’s rights. Under state law he was legal. Due to federal mandatory minimums and sentencing guidelines he faces up to 100 years in federal prison. And he needs your help.

If you had a chance to meet Charlie, you would see he’s no criminal and he doesn’t deserve to spend any time in behind bars. He’s going bankrupt and losing the home which he has had for years before starting his own medical marijuana dispensary. Many friends have abandoned him because they fear the government.

His life has been ruined, not by medical marijuana, but by the laws that are meant to protect people. The laws are said to protect people from marijuana but who will protect the people from the laws? Charlie’s case is a perfect example of a bad law gone drastically wrong.

It has been estimated that the federal government has spent hundreds of thousands of (if not over a million) dollars on prosecuting this non-violent man. That doesn’t include the amount of California tax-payers’ money spent by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff on investigating Charlie’s dispensary for nearly a year. Within that year, the Sheriff didn’t find any evidence to get a state search warrant against Charlie.

Please consider speaking at a peaceful demonstration in Lynch’s honor Monday Feb. 23 at Noon on the Main St side of the LA Federal courthouse. He needs your help. Please stand up for him. Please protect him and the law Californian’s voted on in 1996. If you look into the facts of this case, you will see he’s a victim of the Federal government’s cruel injustices and the state’s misconduct and negligence.

Sincerely,

Your Name

[Dr.Seuscio]

Bump!

I hope to c u all there!!!! If u believe in MMJ you should. this is an important day and if we all show up in big enough numbers we can bring about change!!!

-Seuscio

[taanstaafl]

See you there!

[happyjack]

I'll be there

...and everyone who showed up last time should try to be at this rally if at all possible. Co-ops, patients, chefs, green thumbs, any and all people who believe in safe access for our medicine... now it's more important than ever and Charles really needs all of our support.

And if you couldn't make the last rally, maybe you can this time! It's a powerful thing to stand up with your peers for what you believe is right. Maybe even powerful enough to change the course of a man's fate.

Please - come join us if you can!

This was like a slap in the face to all of us patients and just about everyone who believes in their choice to medicate,.
I'll be giving my support from San Francisco this time,.
~ I'll be there in spirit for sure!

maybe WT will get a nice big banner up ,. :)
please, i hope i hope i hope,.

[evilstevo]

i couldn't get the day off, but i will be there at 8:30 for the sentencing

[PineysConfections]

The notion of gathering in support is a good one, but are the news outlets going to cover this? Compassionate, positive and peaceful is how we need to be portrayed and I hope the news folks feel this this is an important issue. That being said, there are going to be quite a lot of news outlets and attention in the city that day as the Oscars are the day before. Wouldn't it be something if we could get some of the celebrities who are in town to join in.

Hear that Hollywood - maybe it's time to step up for something other than a photo op!

[sco_pet]

Damn,that sux and the security guard should get it,IMO

[eblazyn]

We all need to be there, Is there a way to flash this info everytime anyone logs in? Where you see the co-ops and there deals....This is Important...

[Eazy]

darn. I have to attend a deposition on Monday.

If it gets rescheduled, I'm there!

Thanks happyjack for the banner,. :)

I'm sure the press will be there - if it gains any worthy attention is the question.
anything good from mmj seems to go into storage rather than gain air time,.

Our brother Mr: Lynch - who showed us compassion now needs all of us to help him as well the entire mmj movement,,

this battle is not over and this case has a major influence on our mmj and the law's today,.
here and now,.
today, tomorrow and next week,..

[PineysConfections]

In college I took many philosophy and ethics classes.

I believe attending this rally in support of Mr. Lynch is what we would call a "moral imperative". I don't know this man personally, but I have done my research. He is decent, moral and compassionate.

If the tables were turned, he would be there for anyone of us.

Take care to all and be true representatives of the compassionate movement.

[moms_brownies]

I just heard the sentencing was moved to March 23rd......??

[HighgradeWilly562]

According to the Friends of CCL website the sentencing will be on March 23.
The Rally on Feb.23 is to show support.
http://www.friendsofccl.com/

I'd also like to thank all the under 21 supporters,
who show in mass numbers that would like to keep their right to medicate and answer the question you all have,
~ regarding why clubs are turning 21 and over,. ?

* now's the chance to voice your opinion and fight 2 keep your medication,.
I know ya'll sure would if they cut you off your mmj ,.
most would be screaming bloody murder!

Don't always leave it up to others to fight your battles for you.

[happyjack]

^^^ that's right Highgrade.

Eddy Lepp's sentencing in NorCal is on Feb 23 still, but Charles' has been moved to March 23.

The downtown rally is still the same day tho -
everyone who can, please come join us and show your support and help free Charles Lynch!

[HighgradeWilly562]

Wifey got the day off, so we'll be there for sure!

[austinmilesrocks]

i'll be there

[Eazy]

Well, I'll be a gawd love-ed son of woman! The prosecutor is ill and the deposition got rescheduled and I will be able to attend the rally, for sure, wit some friends.

Everybody, be peaceful, no matter what.

This is the stage where the weed haters would like to embarrass us.

We have be to highly intent, totally aware, and thoroughly peaceful and polite and up-beat and kind in the presentation of our facts and laudable objectives.

As the support grows, that is the number of people willing to fight for our rights, so to will the passions grow. It's an old formula used by power mongers throughout the ages to undermine the general population and keep them oppressed and enslaved via hemp prohibition.

Chaos is their modus operandi; oppression and slavery is their goal.

Unyielding love from us will undermine the chaos.

Cannabis Hemp is a fact of life. The only reason anybody would ever want to put somebody in jail for growing hemp or consuming marijuana as a medicine is simple greed and an obvious plan to ruin and shorten our lives by depriving us of the one plant that provides nearly all of our needs for fuel, food, fiber, medicine, protection, comfort, enjoyment, you name it.

This is clearly a profound time in history.

An old indian prophecy shows humanity taking one of two paths...one of greed, hatred, war, and then destruction, the other is farming, prosperity, peace, and longevity.

As you've read here on WeedTracker, people are fighting for their lives all across America. Now is the time to lovingly and methodically show the world the truth about hemp.

If Obama is a human being concerned about humanity, he will immediately hold hearings in the congress, senate, and supreme court to finally reveal the truth about hemp and the vicious and un-Godly conspiracy to prohibit hemp to oppress the masses. Then, America should move forward with mass hemp production to become comletely self-reliant once again via hemp. In short order, America will be able to share the hemp technology with other nations literally and immediately negating the need for all wars over oil, food, and power grabs. In a hemp economy, everybody is king.

Obama...who are you???

Why haven't you stepped up thus far???

We, in the name of the United States and for the purpose of good health and prosperity and peace ask; President Obama, why are you not at our sides fighting this incredible battle against humanity?

[Justonevoice]

Anyone in the Hollywood/koreatown area needing transportation to the rally please come to Western Caregivers before 11:30 for a ride (and breakfeast for those whom arrive before that time). We will take you there and back.

JOV

[Justonevoice]

While this rally is for Charles Lynch we must all realize the bigger picture that Charles represents. Our freedom to choose what we do and do not put in "Our" bodies and the right to choose what works best for us. Charles and every other operator that opens his/her collective daily take risks where there should be no risk. As a provider we should not have to worry about the feds raiding us,putting our lives,our families lives in jeopardy as they do. I have seen so many good people in this movement that have just simply been devastated by the acts of the DEA. And that is just wrong! While yes,there are those out there that intend to exploit prop215 and sb420 but there are many more that truly care about those whom they see daily to provide relief to. The time is now to step up and be heard. We have an opportunity to be heard on Monday Feb 23rd like never before,we now have the media's attention and can send a loud and clear messege to those whom should be representing us in Washington that have fallen asleep behind the wheel. So I ask that everyone of you do your best to get out there on Monday and have your voice heard simply by being there.


Much Love & Respect,

JOV

[moms_brownies]

Originally Posted by HighgradeWilly562

Wifey got the day off, so we'll be there for sure!

Sadly, we cannot go, as I am now on-call to the DA re: a robbery I attended against my will back in '07. Thought he was gone for 40 hard......

We will be there in spirit.

[SemperAltus]

so this is the racket i heard was going on up in SLO... where does it stem from an employee who yet again violated rules to make some cash.

gonna try to make it down and show some love.


100 years esp with MNS ugh

[superface13]

Wish I could go to the rally, but I have to work. Much love to all who attend (in person and in spirit)

obama is weak thats why he's 'forgotten us' if he ever gave a fuck to begin with.