Ok, this is going to be the official announcement thread for the protest. Mr. WT can you create a banner to link to this thread? Thank you in advance. Here are the details:
Monday, October 6, 2008
U.S. District Courthouse
312 NORTH Spring street (at Temple St)
In downtown LA
8 am new trial hiring – courtroom 10
11 am rally in front of the courthouse
San Luis Obispo County dispensing collective operator Charles C. Lynch was raided by the DEA and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs on March 29, 2007 at Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers (CCCC) in Morro Bay, CA. Lynch stringently followed state, county and city medical cannabis regulations, and developed positive and open relationships with all top local officials. On March 29, 2007, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff called in the DEA to raid the dispensary.
On July 17, 2007, after his collective was already closed, the DEA and local sheriffs arrested Lynch on $400,000 bail, posted by his family and FACES UP TO 100 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON. Lynch was indicted for conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute marijuana and concentrated cannabis, manufacturing (cultivating) more than 100 plants, knowingly maintaining a drug premises, and sales of marijuana to a person under the age of 21. Additionally, criminal forfeiture proceedings have begun on Lynch’s assets.
On August 5, 2008, in the midst of widespread media attention that highlighted DEA’s actions of imprisoning innocent people to send a political message, Lynch was convicted on all counts.
Watch Drew Carey’s account of Lynch’s struggle with the federal government on Reason.tv. For more information visit http://www.friendsofccl.com to give money, assistance, and support. Or, write to Judge Wu directly and plead for Charlie’s freedom. Letters of support helped Mickey Martin receive a lighter sentence, so we need to show the same support for Charles Lynch.
After the hearing, please join ASA for a rally at 11am at the federal courthouse to show support for victims of federal interference and to call for an end to raids and intimidation. We hope to have thousands of peaceful protesters there! Please mark your calendars for this important date now.**
Join patients, provider, and supporters for a peaceful protest to stand up for medical marijuana patients and providers and State law.
Help stop federal raids and indictments.
Show your support in court!
(professional attire and respectful demeanor requested)
Join the rally!
Bring: signs, banners, sunscreen, a hat, water and acoustic instruments and bring friends and loved ones to this peaceful protest for medical marijuana.
Organizers respectfully request you leave your medication at home or in your car and refrain from using medication that this event
Please medicate responsibly before or after the event. We do not want to news media to focus solely on protesters medicating. We want them to focus on our issues.
ASA and GLACA (which are two different organizations) CHALLENGES dispensaries to close until 3pm and bring 20 people (staff, volunteers, patients, supporters, etc) to this protest.
Coops that have agreed to close:
Western Caregivers Group Collective
Humboldt Relief
Some participating Coops prefer to remain unnamed in publications but are showing support
Some nonWT locations
[More to be added as confirmations come in]
Parking:
Parking in downtown Los Angeles is difficult and expensive PLEASE CARPOOL or take PUBLIC TRANSIT. Ask your coop to organize a carpool from or near the dispensary. There is parking below the mall on Main street between Temple and Aliso St. Price unknown
The parking lot on N Spring street directly across from City Hall (between Tom Bradley Blvd and Temple) costs $16.
There is parking on N. Spring Street Arcadia and W Cesar E Chavez Ave which cost $9 but fills up fast.
There is also parking on Main street between Arcadia and W Cesar E Chavez Ave price unknown
[More info to be added]
For public transit information, visit http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/default.htm
For more information
Visit www.americansForSafeAccess.org/FreeCharlesLynch
or call toll free 888-929-4367
Organizations who have helped with this event:
Americans for Safe Access
Weedtracker
GLACA
Marijuana Policy Project
NORML
UPDATE:
Rick Ray (who worked on the ReasonTV pieces) will be at the protest, filming for a documentary about Charles C. Lynch
