Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Jovan Jackson Second Trial - DAY 3 - Court Support Alert


Please come out tomorrow morning at 9am on Wednesday, September 22, 2010 for Jovan Jackson’s second Medical Marijuana Trial, Day 3. 

The prosecution is close to being finished presenting their case in chief, and the Jury needs to see now more than ever the community supporting Jovan in the courtroom. The trial is held in Department 15 and is open to the public at 9am.

Please come out and show your support for Jovan and against this injustice and unfair trial!

WHAT: COURT SUPPORT
WHEN: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 – 9am-4:30pm
WHERE: San Diego Superior Court, 220 W Broadway

Eugene Davidovich
T: 619-621-8446
San Diego Americans for Safe Access

Get Involved, get active, make a difference!

Monday, September 20, 2010

Opening Statements Begin, Security Measures Upgraded at Jackson Medical Marijuana Trial

By: Eugene Davidovich
SAN DIEGO - If you thought intimidation couldn’t get any worse in the San Diego State Courts, think again. This morning Department 15 as per the new demands of the San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, was outfitted with additional security measures. While walking up to the courtroom this morning a congregation of bailiffs could be seen outside and a giant walk through metal detector erected along with a 3’x4’ sign displaying the warning “ALL PERSONS SUBJECT TO SEARCH”.

“This monstrosity is clearly over the top”, Terrie Best member of San Diego Americans for Safe Access stated this morning while outside of court. “It is nothing more than then prosecutor’s Jury Intimidation Machine”.

The proceedings began this morning with Judge Shore instructing the jurors on rules of the court. The Judge focused special attention on admonishing the Jurors to immediately report to the court all attempts made by anyone to influence or talk to them. The Judge even focused his attention on the public and stated that it was a crime to tamper with the Jury and that anyone caught attempting to do so, would be severely punished.

While this order was being read, Paul Levikow, Dumanis’ head of Public Relations who was sitting in the front row behind the prosecution, turned around in his chair, and also focused his attention on the supporters. He began to nod his head as the Judge was speaking and continued to give the supporters a long and intimidating stare, clearly trying to instill fear and discourage the public from attending the trial.

Following this clear show of force and intimidation, Chris Lindbergh began his opening statements, in which he claimed that Mr. Jackson was operating a store that would sell marijuana to anyone that came in. A claim completely false and against the evidence that shows that all 1600 members of the Answerdam collective were legitimate patients.

After the DA’s opening statements, the Jury was asked to step into the courtroom next door (a second courtroom commissioned specifically for this trial) while a 402 hearing could be held to determine if Detective Carlson, the investigating officer in the case, was qualified to testify during the trial.

After the Jurors left the courtroom, Detective Mark Andrew Carlson got on the stand, and claimed to be an expert in the medical use of cannabis. He testified that an eight hour narcotics class administered by the California Narcotic Officers Association about how marijuana was not a medicine, made him a medical expert in the field.

The Judge agreed and to the objections of the defense, Carlson was qualified as an expert and allowed to testify in front of the Jury.

The Jurors were let back into the courtroom, and Carlson took the stand as a medical expert. Among many misleading and false statements that Carlson made on the stand, Carlson claimed that the marijuana found at Answerdam was definitely not in compliance with state law and was clearly not for medical use.

At noon, the court took its lunch recess with the proceedings resuming at 1:30 in the afternoon when Carlson is expected to be back on the stand for defense cross examination.

“They will not scare the public away. We will continue to support Mr. Jackson and his fight for our rights” stated Terrie Best while leaving the courthouse for the lunch recess.

San Diego Americans for Safe Access
www.safeaccesssd.org

Get Involved, Get Active, Make a difference!

Joine ASA - www.safeaccessnow.org

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Unfair Trial of Jovan Jackson

WHAT: Protest against the Unfair Trial of Jovan Jackson
WHEN: 8:30 - 9:30am Friday, September 17th 2010
WHERE: 220 W Broadway, San Diego CA 92101

SAN DIEGO - Mr. Jackson is facing a second trial, less than a year after being acquitted by a jury of all medical marijuana related charges just a few months ago. In State court where medical marijuana is legal, Jackson has been denied the right to a fair trial by being denied the opportunity to present the medical marijuana defense to the jury even though Jackson is a legitimate patient.

Today the prosecutor Chris Linbergh spent the morning arguing with the Judge as to why ALL of Mr. Jackson’s supporters should be excluded from the courtroom. Linbergh requested that specifically the ASA shirts not be allowed in the courtroom or the courthouse, that Eugene Davidovich, San Diego ASA Coordinator be banned from being present inside the courtroom, as well as that the retired / disabled Navy veteran, a friend of Jovan's who has come to Jovan’s hearings in the past and wore his NAVY dress blues, not be allowed to wear the uniform.

The Judge dismissed these requests as being ridiculous and some in violation of the first amendment. Judge Shore did however allow Linbergh to keep the ASA shirts out of the courtroom.

Today following the arguments to limit Mr. Jackson’s support, Jury Selection began. It is expected that Jury Selection will be finished today, with the opening statements in the trial to start on Friday morning at 9:00am in Department 15.

Please come out tomorrow to the courthouse at 8:30am and help us send a strong message that we will not tolerate this unfair persecution of legitimate patients and are outraged at the attempt to keep the community out of the courtroom.

Dumanis’ office is not just waging a fierce fight against patients, they are also actively breaking the law and attempting to keep this case as quiet as possible. Please help spread the word about the case, the protest and this injustice.

Bring a friend and come to the protest tomorrow. Everyone who attends the protest will receive a free ASA shirt, sponsored by Marcus Boyd. Although the shirts cannot be worn in the actual courtroom, outside in the hallways, the are allowed.

Your support is critical for this trial!

San Diego Americans for Safe Access
www.SafeAccessSD.org

Get involved, get active, make a difference!
Join ASA - www.safeaccessnow.org

1/20 San Diego City Planning Commission Meeting

To see all the San Diego ASA News Briefs visit: YouTube.com/SafeAccessSD