DEAland Still Trying To Get Renee Boje Out Of Canada.
Talk About Obsessive/Compulsive Behavior!

(Marijuananews note: Even though the Feds will give the "kingpin" Peter McWilliams five years or less, they are still trying to get their hands – or handcuffs – on a young woman whose involvement was peripheral at most. DEAland marijuana policy is often irrational in general, but in this case it is particularly crazy.)

See
McCormick and McWilliams Plead Guilty to Avoid Ten Year Minimums.
McCormick Reserves Right To Medical Necessity Defense.
Sentencing Set for February 28.
and
Glamour Magazine Issues Press Release Promoting Interview With Renee Boje
and
Boje Extradition Case Gets Great Coverage By MSNBC
and
Boje Extradition Case Continues To Get Bad Publicity In Canada For DEAland Marijuana Prohibition.
Great Journalism From An Unexpected Source.
December 15, 1999
From The Vancouver Sun
sunletters@pacpress.southam.ca
http://www.vancouversun.com/

AMERICAN MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATE RETURNS TO COURT

An American woman fighting extradition to California to face drug charges stemming from a medical-marijuana grow operation was in court briefly Wednesday. Final arguments began in the extradition hearing for Renee Boje, 30.
See
http://thecompassionclub.org/renee/
The New York artist faces drug manufacturing, distribution and conspiracy charges, which carry a minimum 10-year sentence.

But Boje's lawyer, John Conroy, argued Wednesday that there was no proof his client was involved in a conspiracy to traffic the drugs.

"There's no evidence she's the member of a conspiracy," Conroy argued.

He has also said statements she allegedly made to police after her arrest weren't voluntary.
(Marijuananews note: Never, never, never talk to the police without a lawyer being present.)
Conroy has also argued the charges are political, arising from U.S. federal opposition to California's medical-marijuana policy.

Boje was arrested in 1997 along with medical-marijuana advocates Todd McCormick and Peter McWilliams and several others after federal officials found thousands of marijuana plants growing at a Bel-Air mansion and three other leased locations in Los Angeles County.

Boje was arrested after police claimed to have observed her and another woman watering some of the pot plants one day.
(Marijuananews note: Wow! Watering plants makes a person a part of a "conspiracy?")

They also observed her smoking a bong, according to police reports.

But "there is no evidence what was in the bong," Conroy said.
See
Operation Smokescreen -- Analysis By Richard Cowan

McWilliams, a self-help publisher who suffers from AIDS and cancer, said he uses pot to fight nausea and stimulate his appetite while he takes AIDS-fighting drugs.

McCormick also suffers from cancer.

They are accused of growing the pot and trying to sell it to the Los Angeles Cannabis Buyers Club, which has dispensed the drug since Californians voted in 1996 to legalize it for medical use.

But a U.S. federal judge ruled McWilliams and McCormick could not use the defence of medical necessity at their trial because while California's Proposition 215 allows the personal use of marijuana for medical purposes, U.S. federal law does not and state laws don't apply to federal offences.

Boje came to Canada last year on advice from her lawyer after the charges were briefly withdrawn.

She was arrested last February when RCMP raided a Sechelt, B.C., marijuana-grow operation where she was staying. U.S. authorities then requested her extradition.

The case returns to court Dec. 21 for final arguments.

Boje had claimed refugee status in Canada on political grounds, but the claim has been denied by the Immigration and Refugee Board.

Boje said Wednesday she will appeal.
(Marijuananews note: It will take a long time for this case to work its way through the Canadian justice system. the longer it takes, the worse the publicity for DEAland marijuana policies. One would think that sooner or later someone in the Justice Department will wake up to what this is costing, both monetarily and politically and make Renee an offer she can't refuse, i.e., unsupervised probation in Canada. But there is this obsession they have...)

Mapinc has over 20 articles about Renee Boje at http://www.mapinc.org/renee.htm