Subject: Fwd: frm LP.org : LP member doing 10 years Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2003 11:09:26 -0400 To: lp_manhattan From: Bob Armstrong --- Original Message --- From: "Libertarian Party Announcements" To: =A0 Cc: Sent: Tue, 8 Apr 2003 22:31:27 -0500 (CDT) Subject: A life member of the LP needs your help! >=A0A life member of the Libertarian Party needs your help! > >=A0Seventy years ago on April 7, alcohol prohibition unofficially= ended when Congress once again allowed the brewing of beer.= Prohibition was fully repealed with the ratification of the 21st= amendment in December of 1933. > >=A0The country had come to realize that prohibition corrupted cops= and courts, criminalized youth, compromised the Constitution,= created violent crime, cost enormous sums of tax money, =A0=96 and= did not stop people from drinking. Libertarians recognize all of= those tremendous negative costs to society resulting from= alcohol prohibition are being repeated today by the new= prohibition of the war on drugs. > >=A0But even during the years of prohibition, alcohol was easily= available for important medical purposes. Today, a much more= benign substance, with even more medicinal qualities, is= outlawed by the federal government for any purpose whatsoever.= Despite the federal ban, 9 states have legalized the use of= marijuana for serious diseases like cancer, glaucoma, AIDS,= multiple sclerosis, and chronic pain. > >=A0Brian Epis is a life member of the Libertarian Party. > >=A0He is serving 10 years in prison for providing medical= marijuana to patients in dire need. Federal time =96 so no chance= for parole. > >=A0His actions were legal under California law. But Brian=92s= attorney=92s were not allowed by the federal judge to present any= evidence that he grew marijuana for medical purposes, or that= his actions were legal under state law. > >=A0Brian was the first caregiver to be convicted in federal court= in this manner. > >=A0There will be many more =96 unless we take action to stop it. > >=A0Brian wrote to me recently from prison, and asked me to ask you= to help him go home to his family. The vision of Brian=92s= daughter Ashley shouting through a bullhorn at the building= where he was jailed, =93Daddy I love you=94 will haunt me until the= day of Brian=92s release. > >=A0Brian has harmed no one. Indeed, he provided relief from pain= and suffering. Shouldn=92t Ashley be able to tell him =93Daddy I= love you=94 with her arms around his neck, instead of yelling it= at the prison through a bullhorn? > >=A0Please take just a few minutes to write Congress in support of= a new bill that would allow medical marijuana providers to= present evidence that their actions were legal under state law.= Brian provides more information on the bill below. > >=A0And can you also please go to: > >=A0http://www.lp.org/contribute?prog=3Ddrugwarfocusstra&fund=3D2002-00= 30/ > >=A0and make a pledge or donation to support the Libertarian= Party=92s ongoing work to end the Drug War? Prohibition affects= everyone, with more crime, higher taxes, and ever-increasing= government intrusion on everybody=92s liberties. Please help the= LP end the nightmare of drug prohibition, and send peaceful= people like Brian home to their families. > >=A0Thank you. > >=A0Ron Crickenberger >=A0Political Director >=A0Libertarian Party > >=A0Here=92s Brian=92s letter: > >=A0Dear Ron, > >=A0Thank you for making sure that my LP mail is still getting to= me here in prison. It really helps me to get by in here to have= contact with you. > >=A0As you know I was sentenced to 10 years for the =93conspiracy of= following California law.=94 I appreciate what the LP is doing to= try and pressure Congress to listen to the 80% of Americans who= believe that an adult should be able to use marijuana legally= for medical purposes. They need to at least let the states run= their own laws and allow state residents to follow the law= without being incarcerated in federal prison. > >=A0It was a message on your email list that brought me into the= Libertarian Party. I=92m hoping you=92ll ask the supporters on the= list to spend 5 minutes to write to their U.S. House= representative at www.house.gov and ask him/her to support a new= bill to be called the =93Truth in Trials=94 act. > >=A0Rep Sam Farr (D-Carmel), Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) and Dana= Rohrabacher (R- Huntington Beach), have agreed to introduce a= bill that will allow medical cannabis patients and caregivers to= present a defense in federal court that they were following= state and/or local medical marijuana laws. =A0Please spend another= 5 minutes to write your two U.S. Senators urging them to= introduce and/or support a similar bill in the Senate at= www.senate.gov > >=A0I was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for the "crime"= of following California's medical marijuana law. =A0Ed Rosenthal= was recently convicted at trial and faces 40 years in federal= prison. =A0We were unable to present a defense that we were= following the laws of California and/or local laws. =A0If this= bill is signed into law, we will get a new trial. > >=A0I've included two sample letters, one for your U.S. House Rep.= and one for your two US Senators. =A0Please modify them so they= don't get a bunch of the same exact letters. =A0Medical marijuana= patients and caregivers should get a fair trial, where we can= present evidence that we followed state law. =A0According to a= CNN/Time poll, 87% of Americans support regulation by the= states. =A0Please let Congress know you want them to listen to= you. =A0Only with your help can this bill become law. =A0Please help= me and my family, Ed Rosenthal and his family, as well as= thousands of other patients and caregivers following state= and/or local laws, who are rapidly being incarcerated in federal= prison for at least 5 years and up to life. > >=A0You can write me at: =A0Political Prisoner, Bryan Epis,= 09636-097, FCI Lompoc, 3600 Guard Rd, Lompoc CA 93436. =A0I'll= write back anyone who writes me. =A0To read more about my case,= please enter "Bryan Epis" on any search engine. =A0Thank you. > >=A0{Note: In addition to Brian=92s sample letters below, more sample= letters and a free system to FAX your congressman are available= from the Marijuana Policy Project at:= =A0http://www.mpp.org/USA/index.html > > >=A0=A0=A0Sample letter for U.S. House representative: >=A0The Hon. (Insert name) > >=A0Representatives Sam Farr, Lynn Woolsey and Dana Rohrabacher are= introducing a bill called the "Truth in Trials=94 act that will= allow a defense in federal court for patients and caregivers= following state medical marijuana laws. =A0Please contact Rochelle= Dornatt in the office of Representative Sam Farr at (202)= 225-2861, to cosponsor and support this bill to show your= respect for the will of the voters. > >=A0Thank you, >=A0(Your name, address and phone #) > >=A0=A0=A0Sample letters for US Senators: >=A0The Hon. (Insert name) > >=A0Representatives Sam Farr, Lynn Woolsey and Dana Rohrabacher >=A0are introducing a bill called the "Truth in Trials" act that= will allow a defense in federal court for patients and= caregivers following state medical marijuana laws. =A0I urge you= to introduce and/or support a similar bill in the Senate. By= doing so, you=92ll be showing that you respect the wishes of= voters. Please contact Rochelle Dornatt in the office of= Representative Sam Farr at (202) 225-2861 for more information. > >=A0Thank you. >=A0=A0(Your name, address and phone #) =A0----------------------------------------------------------------= ------- >=A0The Libertarian Party =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0= =A0http://www.lp.org/ >=A02600 Virginia Ave. NW, Suite 100 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0voice:= 202-333-0008 >=A0Washington DC 20037 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 fax:= 202-333-0072 >=A0---------------------------------------------------------------= -------- >=A0For subscription changes, please use the WWW form at: >=A0http://www.lp.org/action/email.html -- =A0Bob Armstrong -- http://CoSy.com -- 212-285-1864 Ultimate Computing Environment : =A0http://cosy.com/K/CoSy.htm A WTC vision : http://cosy.com/CoSy/ConicAllConnect/ =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A02003/04/09 11:07:39 AM