CMMNJ Rally for John Wilson 08/2009
New Jersey Multiple Sclerosis patient John Ray Wilson was sentenced to 5 years in state prison today for growing 17 cannabis plants to treat his condition.
His attorney, James Wronko, said that an appeal is being planned.
Judge Robert B. Reed passed the sentence today as his mother and grandmother wept just a few feet away. John’s younger brother, who is confined to a wheelchair, was also in the courtroom.
Judge Reed mentioned the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act several times during the hearing, acknowledging that the state now recognizes marijuana as an effective treatment for MS. The law was signed on January 19, 2010.
Wilson was prosecuted by the State Attorney General’s Office, who had asked for a 7-year prison term.
NJ superior Court Judge Reed took pains to explain that he was exercising the greatest leniency in accordance with the law.
Members of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey (including this correspondent) were in the courtroom today along with Wilson’s family.
Under the sentence John could be eligible for the Intensive Supervision Program within six months.
The Attorney General’s Office continued to contend that the 17 plants were more than one individual could grow for ‘personal use” while insisting there was a profit motive.
Wilson admitted breaking the state laws regarding marijuana cultivation but said to the Judge in the courtroom today “Honestly, it was trying to treat my MS.”
Now the worst may come for John: Although he would qualify for the NJ medical marijuana program, parolees are often drug tested and there is no immediate exemption from testing for THC, even in registered cannabis patients who are on parole.
CMMNJ and medical marijuana advocates plan to offer John support as he serves his sentence.
Media may contact media@cmmnj.org or 609 394 2137 for any questions.
A Medical Marijuana Town Hall Meeting in Collingswood on 3/20 will address the Wilson trial.
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Comments
This is why I want to move out of the country, this place is turning into a forceful police state where they dictate what people are allowed to do/buy based on what they have to sell, and if you dare mess with their profits, this is what happens, its the new North Corprica, it used to be by the people for the people, its now buy big corp for big corp, screw the people.
marijuana is medicine that grows in the ground and needs no processing, so its the big corp/pharma profit stealer, AKA the bad guy.
This is complete un justice, and a crime itself. This poor guy was suffering from MS, and was growing his own medicine to relieve his pain and suffering.
Then the drunk cops and National guard plane has to go terroize this poor medical marijuana patient, and now have thrown this harmless medical marijuana patient in prison for 5 years. This is COMPLETELY WRONG. The cops, DAs, judges, and everyone else in american can go out and get messed up on the drug ALCOHOL (ethanol) and tobacco, both of which are far more addictive, but somebody growing a plant to relieve this pain, has to go to prison for a long time, while all the hypocrits that put him there can live their drunk life, while this poor medical marijuana patient that was only trying to relive his pain, has to sit in prison for years. THIS IS WRONG. THIS NEEDS TO BE OVER TURNED. HANG IN THERE JAY. THERE IS MUCH SUPPORT FOR YOU. THIS IS WRONG!!!!!!
PLEASE ANYONE WHO SEES THIS ..please support JAY....he is not a crim
We need to clean out Washington and our Local politicians. Vote them out and get in some NEW philosophies that actually PROMOTE individual freedom!!!! Marijuana is harmless compared to Cigarettes, Alcohol, and Prescription pain killers. This is ridiculous! Legalise
it NOW!
An absolute travesty. Why is cannabis still schedule I? I'd LOVE for a DA, ANY DA, to try and explain that to me. With fully 1/3 of US states having it legallized 'for medical use,' one of the core pillars of Schedule I status is obliterated! If it HAS an ACCEPTED MEDICAL USE, how can it be classified as having NO medical use?!
BAN the DEA and ONDCP instead, THEY kill FAR more Americans than cannabis does!
We need to clean out Washington and our Local politicians. Vote them out and get in some NEW philosophies that actually PROMOTE individual freedom!!!! Marijuana is harmless compared to Cigarettes, Alcohol, and Prescription pain killers. This is ridiculous! Legalise
it NOW!
Unbelievable. 17 plants equals 5 years? If half of those plants turn out to be males then he has maybe 8 plants to cultivate. New Jersey has one growing season. If each plant yielded 4 to 6 ounces dried that would be about 32 to 48 ounces to last him a year. Seems about right for an MS patient. Certainly seems reefer madness is alive and kicking in New Jersey! I would advise every cannabis user to leave that sorry, pathetic police State.
for me, this is just more evidence that proves any official who opposes cannabis does so....for the money.... they need to give it up and get an honest job.
Wowwww, great job guys. I feel so much more safer with this "CRIMINAL" off the streets... Correction, whoever decided this man should be convicted should be kicked in the face. Does the tax payer have no say in what his/her tax payer money is WASTED on? It costs us tax payers about $20,000 a year per inmate, and now we're paying for this guy, when all he wanted was a little something that's less harmful than tobacco AND alcohol. And before people try to dispute what I am saying, I've done an 8 page research paper on marijuana for a college class; so I understand marijuana DECENTLY well. But back to what I was saying. What a sad world we live in these days. 5 years over something that grows straight out of the ground...
Caging a sick person for growing a plant that has been treasured for its medical value by numerous cultures for millenia is insane, not to mention a serious misuse of our resources.
Judges like this Dunce need to be educated on the medical realities of cannabis, and together, we need to end this modern day witch hunt on cannabis patients.
Many of us have now finally wised up to the fact that the best avenue towards realistically dealing with drug use and addiction is through proper regulation, which is what we already do with alcohol & tobacco --two of our most dangerous mood altering substances. But for those of you whose ignorant minds traverse a fantasy plane of existence, you will no doubt remain sorely upset with any type of solution that does not seem to lead to the absurd and unattainable utopia of a drug free society. There is an irrefutable connection between drug prohibition and the crime, corruption, disease and death it causes. If you are not capable of understanding this connection, then maybe you're using something far stronger than the rest of us. Anybody 'halfway bright' and who's not psychologically challenged, should be capable of understanding, that it is not simply the demand for drugs that creates the mayhem; it is our refusal to allow legal businesses to meet that demand.
smoke it
Chuck Homan of The Medical Movement will need a much more permissive Judge Kennedy in York County PA at his trial for cultivation set for May 20. To successfully present a defense of medical necessity, he'll need more than a passing reference to self-medicating for bipolar disorder, like an expert opinion from a psychiatrist. It's much easier for a trial judge to deny any such defense until the PA Supreme Court endorses it because there is little if any precedent for it. If a full necessity defense is allowed at trial and the Supreme Court disallows it, a retrial is required. But if the defense is excluded and a conviction results, no retrial is required. I support medical marijuana but Chuck's religious zeal for his favorite med is unlikely to help him in court. In my view from my experience with Chuck, his MMJ advocacy funds and legal fees would have been better spent on competent psychiatric care. But he is unable to understand or admit such an option.
Chuck was sentenced on November 22 to 4 years of House Arrest, and if drug free for 1 year, then the last 3 years can be [not visible on docket sheet]. A Mental Health Evaluation was ordered and he must pay costs. He was released on ROR recognizance bail for the second misdemeanor possession charges. I predict a PV (probation violation) within the first year for hot urine. I hope he proves me wrong.
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but we give people 5 years for weed. Are we out of our f'in minds.
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