The following entry was written from a Mississippi jail cell by Dr. David Allen, MD. After retiring from a career as a cardiovascular surgeon, Dr. Allen moved from Mississippi to California to start a practice writing medical marijuana recommendations for his patients in accordance with California law. However, he soon ended up back in Mississippi facing drug charges because a police task force allegedly found marijuana during a search of his estate there. He has been jailed and awaiting trial since December 2009.
On Thursday, July 15th, 2010, I was moved from George County to Jackson County Adult Detention Center (ADC). I was told to pick up my things in five minutes (after living there for seven months). I had just received a canteen purchase costing about forty dollars, including a new wristwatch purchased that day. Officer Rivera took all my things and went through them and would not allow me to take these legally-purchased items to ADC. There were three other prisoners being transferred that day, and none of the other three were searched this way or had anything inspected.
When the federal government intentionally mis-schedules cannabis as having no medical use and being unsafe to use even under a physician’s supervision, despite mountains of scientific evidence proving multiple medical uses and safety unsurpassed by any man-made medication.
When the federal government prevents scientific medical study of cannabis so that the intentional mis-scheduling can be perpetuated.
When local government uses the intentional mis-scheduling of cannabis as a means to profit from seized property and the incarceration of its citizens, denying them their right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
When police seize legally-purchased property prior to a court appearance or the chance to defend oneself in court.(This is like establishing guilt before the accused even has an opportunity to be proven innocent.)
When police act as the judicial branch of the law and become both judge and jury.
When police and local government profit from property seizure, giving them the motive to hunt the members of the public that they have sworn to protect and serve.By human nature, a profit motive will “turn a good man bad.”
I am a retired cardiovascular surgeon who has been targeted and victimized.I have lost my freedom and my Constitutional right to bail, which limits my ability to defend myself.I have lost my family, my career, my property, my family photos and heirlooms, and everything I worked for my entire life.Police have made public statements indicating that I am guilty, prior to court.They have also placed false photos in the local media, showing marijuana plants they say were found at my home, when in fact none were found!This, and the profit motive, will prevent me from receiving a fair trial.I have been subjected to cruel treatment, which amounts to physical and mental torture.I am a P.O.W. in the war on drugs, which is a war against our own citizens.Stop the War! Re-Schedule Cannabis as a Medicine!If I could give my life so that this would not happen to others, I would.President Obama, I say this to you, “Give me Liberty or Give me Death!”
Dr. David B. Allen, MD
July 6th, 2010
If you agree with this letter, please print it out and put your signature and address on it.Then send it to President Obama.
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Please also send me a copy at the address listed below.
David B. Allen MD (2009120099)
SCRCF / M Zone
1420 Industrial Park Rd.
Wiggins MS 39577
Together we can change our nation’s view on natural medicine.
In an unsurprising 3-2 vote, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors today passed the highly controversial amendments to Mendocino County Code 9.31, extending the county's regulatory claims to include growing collectives. The measure includes a possible exception to the 25 plants per parcel Nuisance Ordinance through which a collective may be able to get a permit to grow up to 99 mature flowering females, if the collective is able to jump through the highly complex series of 23 bureaucratic hoops in order to get their permit.
Supervisors Colfax and Pinches were the dissenting votes.
MMMAB has consistently opposed this measure, the validity of which now passes to the courts for determination. A challenge to the existing MCC 9.31 was filed by Attorney ED Lerman on 9/11/2009 and will be heard by Judge Behnke in Superior Court on May 14.
In the meanwhile, keep your eye on Qualified Patients v. City of Anaheim, a case which is likely to impact the Mendo courts ruling on 9.31. A decision in that case is expected around 4/20.
Mendocino Medical Marijuana Advisory Board PO Box 2555 Mendocino, CA 95460
On March 9, 2010 at 9am in Department 55 at the San Diego Superior Courthouse, day 2 of my trial will begin. District attorney Bonnie Dumanis’ office has filed a mountain of motions in limine with the court, all of which will be heard on the 9th in front of Judge So. Motions in limine are requests made by both sides to the Judge before the start of a trial that certain evidence may, or may not, be introduced to the jury.
The heap of in limine motions includes three that I believe are most troubling. The first is a request by the DA that the Judge not to allow me to use the medical marijuana defense, even though an official subpoena from the doctor who recommended the use of medical cannabis to me, was received and accepted into the record by the court at my preliminary hearing months ago. These records clearly prove to the court that I am a qualified patient, which even prompted the Judge at my prelim to say “there is evidence here that Mr. Davidovich is a qualified patient”, yet nothing fazes the prosecutor’s fierce fight.
As an $8.7-million state research effort comes to an end, investigators report that cannabis can significantly relieve neuropathic pain and reduce muscle spasms in MS patients. More research is urged.
With an innovative but little-known state program to study medical marijuana about to run out of money, researchers and political supporters said Wednesday the results show promise.
"It should take all the mystery out of whether it works. We've got the results," said former state Sen. John Vasconcellos, who led the effort to create the 10-year-old Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research.
