Rally and Press Conference for Ed Rosenthal and Richard Watts

For Immediate Release

Contacts: Clark Sullivan 415 424 0125 Shona Gochenaur 415 240 5247

Who: Axis of Love, HempEvolution.org, Harvey Milk Club - Cannabis Caucus

What: Rally and Press Conference for Ed Rosenthal and Richard Watts

When: 1 PM; Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Where: Phillip Burton Federal Building; 450 Golden Gate Ave; San Francisco, CA

Why: Seeking to 'save face' over it's failed prosecution of Ed Rosenthal, the U.S. Government still refuses to acknowledge that it has failed in it's campaign against medical marijuana patients. Wasting taxpayer resources on an expensive witch hunt, overzealous Assistant U.S. Attorney George Bevan, who has been called "Mr. Marijuana for the Government", is maliciously persecuting Mr. Rosenthal, Rick Watts and medical cannabis patients everywhere despite the fact that nine of twelve jurors would have recanted their verdict at the first trial had they known it was about medical cannabis.

Employing a grand jury to intimidate two witnesses, who refused to testify, the U.S. Attorney's Office indicted Ed and Rick on a bevy of groundless new charges, including tax evasion and money laundering on an insubstantial amount of money.

Four years later, the federal government is finally prosecuting Mr. Watts, who is in poor health and excruciating pain, in what can only be called 'justice delayed'. Isn't Mr. Watts being punished enough already, having been on federal pretrial probation since 2002? Isn't he guaranteed the right to a speedy trial by the Constitution?

Ed, who was deputized by the city of Oakland, was sanctioned under city and state laws to grow marijuana and sell the plants to dispensaries. He believed he was acting legally due to continued support from local officials. Now, Mr. Rosenthal faces life in prison and millions of dollars of fines.

At Mr. Rosenthal's bail hearing, Bevan sought to raise Ed's bail and take away his passport, despite over forty previous appearances without incident, Magistrate Judge Vaughn remarked that he assumed Mr. Rosenthal would fight his case "to the bitter end" and that he was not a flight risk.

Ed vows to continue his battle against a vindictive federal government, "Most people considering their circumstances for one reason or another are forced to give in under the weight of government pressure. I'm not only standing up for dispensaries, but for all these people who've been harassed and hounded by the government."

We demand that the U.S. Attorney's Office cease their prosecution of Ed Rosenthal, as well as those currently awaiting trial for medical cannabis. We demand cease the Drug Enforcement Agency immediately cease their arrest, investigation and harassment of regulated medical cannabis dispensaries. We also demand the federal government release all medical cannabis prisoners currently in custody and grant them general amnesty.