(Ed. note: It is
ridiculous that McWilliams is being held on such a high bond. He poses no flight risk. He
is in poor health and has many ties to the community. He is very well-known and has
not traveled extensively abroad. This is a threat to his health, even if they provide him
with his medications. The suppression of medical marijuana is murder.)
See
The Feds Drop
The Other Jackboot; Indict Peter McWilliams, Todd McCormick and Others,
Alleging Vast Conspiracy To Supply Medical Marijuana
and links
Arraignment On Federal Medical Marijuana Charges Monday At 8:30 AM, Los Angeles.JULY 27, 1998
LOS ANGELES, CA:
Writer-Publisher Peter McWilliams is being denied his AIDS
medication while in Federal custody. McWilliams was arrested at his home at 6:00 AM on
July 23, 1998 by seven DEA agents for Federal medical marijuana violations.
McWilliams has not been given his AIDS medication since he was arrested.
"At the Bail Hearing, the Prosecutor, Fernando Aenlle-Rocha, assured the judge I
would receive my AIDS medication." said McWilliams on Sunday still in Federal
Custody. "I have not."
McWilliams was diagnosed with AIDS and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a result of the
AIDS, in March, 1996. He has been taking the combination therapy of two anti-viral and one
Protease Inhibitors since that time. Medical experts warn that noncompliance with the
six-times-a-day treatment could lead to fatal mutations of the AIDS virus not treatable by
medicine. McWilliams will be arraigned on nine federal counts, all involving medical
marijuana on Monday, July 27th, 1998 at 8:30 AM before Judge George King.
"Of the three vital components of the combination therapy, I have never been given
one of them." said McWilliams in a phone interview from the Federal Metropolitan
Detention Center in Los Angeles. "My doctor and every medical report I have read
repeatedly stresses the importance of not missing so much as a single dose. I have taken
my AIDS medication faithfully for 2 and ½ years. Now, there is a four day gap in that
life-saving treatment."
McWilliams has been a vocal advocate of medical marijuana, an outspoken critic of the
Federal policies jailing sick people for treating their illnesses, especially since the
passage of California’s Proposition 215 in 1996.
"The Federal Government has arrested me to silence me."
said McWilliams.
"But must it attempt to murder me as well?"
McWilliams has appeared on CNN, ABC News, TIME, CBS Radio Network, MSNBC, and dozens of
other media advocating medical marijuana. He is the publisher of The Medical Marijuana
Magazine online at http://www.marijuanamagazine.com
McWilliams intends to detail his lack of promised medical treatment to Judge
King at his Monday arraignment.
Contact Numbers:
Medical marijuana advocate pleads innocent to conspiracy charges
July 27, 1998
From MSNBC
msnbc@tvsknbc.nbc.com
http://www.msnbc.com/local/KNBC/119454.asp
MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATE PLEADS INNOCENT TO CONSPIRACY CHARGES
LOS ANGELES, July 27 - A Los Angeles medical marijuana advocate pleaded innocent Monday
to charges that he conspired with several others to grow massive amounts of the drug to
sell to Cannabis Buyer’s Clubs.
Peter McWilliams, who claims he is suffering from AIDS
and cancer, is accused of conspiring with Todd McCormick to supply the clubs, which
distribute marijuana to those who say they use it as medicine.
(Ed. note: Actually, the doctors are the ones who "claim he is
suffering from AIDS" since they are the ones who prescribed the medications that he
is not receiving. If MSNBC has any reason to doubt the diagnosis, I am sure that
McWilliams would be delighted to hear it.)
McCormick, another medical marijuana advocate, was arrested nearly a year ago, after
authorities discovered 4,116 marijuana plants growing in his rented Bel-Air mansion.
McCormick was charged last year with one count of manufacturing marijuana.
He and six others are set to be arraigned next week on the new conspiracy charges, and
David Richards, who also is accused in the alleged scheme, was arraigned Monday with
McWilliams. In court, McWilliams, an outspoken Libertarian said he no longer had an
attorney and planned to represent himself.
He also claimed that he is being denied a complicated regime of
drugs he takes to treat his AIDS virus. After some prodding by U.S. Magistrate Judge
Virginia Phillips, McWilliams agreed to hire an attorney.
A status conference was set for Aug. 24 in front of U.S. District Judge George King.
Last week, McWilliams was granted $250,000 bail. So far, he hasn’t come up with the
money to post it.
Meantime, Assistant U.S. Attorney Fernando Aenlle-Rocha said he hopes
officials from the Metropolitan Detention Center will "take steps to remedy the
problem" of the defendant not receiving all of his medications. Linda Thomas, a
spokeswoman for the downtown lockup where McWilliams is being held refused to discuss the
case. (Ed. note: Or does the prosecutor just claim that
he hopes that McWilliams gets his medications?)
She did say that the policy is to provide inmates with doctor-prescribed medications
"consistent with community standards."
McWilliams claims he is not being given all of the medications that go into his
"cocktail," a strict regimen of as many as 30 pills a day that must be taken a
specific times.
According to Dr. Ronald Mitsuwasu, the director the UCLA AIDS
Clinic Research Center, the "very potent anti-HIV drugs require they be given on
schedule without missing doses or their effectiveness will wear off."
"While I don’t know the particulars of this case, these drugs are the common
therapy for HIV-infected patients," he said. "Failing to take them properly can
jeopardize the patients well-being."
Supported