[St. Phatty]

Will was given 93 years for a closet full of plants.

"Medical marijuana patient Will Foster is a free man. According to a phone call I just received from his partner, Susan Mueller, Foster was released on parole and walked out of prison in Oklahoma today. As you who have followed the Will Foster saga know, he became a poster boy for drug war injustice when he was sentenced to a mind-blowing 93 years in prison in Oklahoma back in the 1990s for growing a closet-full of medical marijuana. Thanks in part to the efforts of Stopthedrugwar.org (then known as DRCNet), Foster eventually got his sentence cut to a mere 20 years--for growing plants!--and was eventually paroled to the care of Guru of Ganja Ed Rosenthal in California, who had taken up his case. Last year, Foster was raided and charged with an illegal marijuana grow in California, although his grow was perfectly legal under the state's medical marijuana law. He spent a year in jail in Sonoma County before prosecutors dropped all charges, but by then, Oklahoma parole authorities demanded he return to the state to finish his sentence. Foster dropped his fight against extradition and returned in September. A good sign occurred a few weeks ago, when the parole board decided he had not violated his parole and should be released. This week, Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry must have agreed--he had the final say in the matter. Right now, Foster is making his way to parole offices in Oklahoma City to sign the paperwork. He should be back with his loved ones in California in a matter of days. Thanks to everyone who agitated for his release. Every once in awhile, we win one."

https://stopthedrugwar.org/speakeasy/...e_walked_out_p

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...terletter.html


During the 90's, Will's case provided a too-good example of how stupid US drug laws are.

[blowingupjake]

Wow, that's quite a story. I feel so bad for him.
Can you imagine facing 90 years? For a few small plants!

Disgusting.

[aridbud]

Originally Posted by blowingupjake

Wow, that's quite a story. I feel so bad for him.
Can you imagine facing 90 years? For a few small plants!

Disgusting.

Unfortunately, it could happen again. From my email box this morning from Drug Policy Alliance:

President Donald Trump is expected to nominate Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA) to be his director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (colloquially referred to as the “drug czar”).

Marino, a former prosecutor with no background in health or treatment, supports a punitive, 1980s-style approach to drugs, including mass incarceration and involuntary treatment — even for marijuana. Drug Policy Action, the political sister organization of Drug Policy Alliance, gave him an “F” in their 2016 congressional voter guide.

[budlover123]

Glad to here Will is a free man, as someone who got my case brought down to a misdemeanor for possession from my 2 felony counts for having "2 grow operations" which was basically a veg tent with 4 plants and a flower tent with 4 plants, this story makes me feel extremely lucky. NORML approved lawyers do good work

[shithawk420]

Oklahoma has the worst laws in the country as far as i know.1 fucking joint is or was a felony.glad hes free.this is actually a big step in the right direction.