To most Americans March 23rd will be just another day. To Charle Lynch it will determine the rest of his life. Charle is due to be sentenced on March 23rd for 5 Marijuana only, non-violent Federal Crimes. I should note here that all those charges are not illegal in the state where Charles lives and was arrested. Yet a week from tomorrow Charles will be sentenced to a min. Mandatory 5 years and up to 100 years.
The insanity is that since Pres. Obama took office DOJ has changed the rules. Under the new rules Charles would not even be arrested, let alone charged and imprisoned for up to Life. Atty Gen. Holder has promised a end to the raids on exactly the kind of dispensarys that Charle ran. Charle is the type of person you would want to handle this type of outlet. He wasn't running more than one store, wasn't looking to get rich, he wasn't flashing cash around or rubbing it in the nose of others like some have done. He even provided for free or at a discount for the patients that couldn't afford to buy their medicine. Not a typical stereotype drugdealer.
Clarence Page in todays Detroit News writes about Charle's story.
When Charles Lynch asked local officials for permission to sell an herbal medicine in the central California town of Morro Bay, they granted it to him -- even though the medicine was marijuana.
That's because marijuana recommended by a doctor has been legal in California since 1996. A dozen other states have passed similar laws. Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and New Hampshire are among about ten states that have been debating similar measures.
So Charlie applied for a business license, joined the Chamber of Commerce, talked to lawyers and even called the Drug Enforcement Administration before opening his medical marijuana dispensary with a grand ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Unfortunately for Charlie, none of this prevented him from being arrested in March 2007 when federal authorities raided his home and small business. End marijuana raids, begin new sanity
On 20/20 this week they featured the Lynch Lynching Story. I realise many of us aren't fans of John Stossel but try to get past the messenger and listen to the real message.
It's all well and good that the policy has changed but come a week from Monday when Charle Lynch is sentenced to prison how will you feel ? All of us know we can't change to world by ourselves, but if enough of us raise a ruckus just maybe we can keep Charles out of Prison. I , for one, want to know I tried to do my best to help at least one person not have to suffer from the acts of Pres. Bush way past his time in office. What about you ?
Last month Charles was due to be sentenced so a Protest was organized. Was the date changed because the word got out ? No one knows for sure but it didn't hurt. I have yet to hear about another protest being organized which I think is shame, but that doesn't mean we have to sit quietly while the wheels grind Charles to dust does it ? Please call your Senator or Representative, call the White House, call any press contacts you have, write to your local Newspaper, but for god's sake do something, anything to stop this one man from having to go to prison for what is now a truly political injustice.
If you happen to live in the Los Angeles area a show of support couldn't hurt could it ?
Charles C. Lynch will be sentenced at the federal courthouse in Los Angeles on Monday, March 23, at 8:30 AM in Courtroom 10. I urge everyone in the Los Angeles area who sympathizes with his position to be there in court to support Charles and his family in the difficult time. I hope you will also keep working with Americans for Safe Access (ASA) to be sure no one has to follow in Charles’ footsteps NEWS: Feds to Sentence Man for Complying with State Med. Marijuana Law
P.S. I'm aware others have written about Charle Lynch, I myself wrote a diary about him months ago that included a quote from the note left behind by the Sheriff and DEA after they trashed the Dispensary. That quote read " All Hippies Die ".