Forwarded for anyone who isn't on the ba-liberty Yahoo group, here's an
important announcement about a sentencing hearing on Tuesday afternoon:
Please attend Medical Marijuana Sentencing Hearing. This is first hearing
after Rosenthal's historic sentencing. We need to pack the courtroom to
support Stephanie Landa, Kevin Gage, and Tom Kikuchi. Their case is
extraordinary (read detials below) ! If Judge Alsup shows leniency in this
case it will send a chilling message to the Feds! Please come to the San
Francisco Federal Courthouse (450 Golden Gate) at 1:30 PM we will assemble
outside and go in together at 2pm. Please come and bring a friend! We can't
stop now!
Steph Sherer
On July 1st, 2003, Stephanie Landa, Kevin Gage, and Tom Kikuchi will be
sentenced for cultivating medical marijuana in San Francisco Federal Court.
All the defendants took plea agreements out of fear of defenseless trials and
harsh mandatory minimum sentencing. Part of their plea agreement included that
the three would not discuss their relationship with the San Francisco Police
Department during sentencing for downward departure. The probation department
added information about this relationship in their report at their first
sentencing hearing, which led to Judge Alsup postponing sentencing (July 1st)
for further investigation into this matter despite the plea agreement.
In February of 2002, Landa and Gage attended a medical marijuana patients
meeting in San Francisco. Captain Cashmen and Inspector Halloran were the
guests, who were invited to outline SF guidelines and safety tips for city
gardens. During this meeting the three defendants asked specifically what they
needed to do to legally grow medical marijuana in SF. The Captain told them
that all they needed to do was provide only for patients, hire a licensed
electrician, and make sure that all products for the operation came
California. A few months after this meeting the three relocated to San
Francisco, rented a warehouse (three blocks from the police department for
safety), and began a medical marijuana garden.
On July 18, 2002 SFPD raided their warehouse, with Inspector Halloran leading
the operation. When Gage and Landa asked Inspector Halloran if he remembered
them from the meeting, he told them, �There was no meeting� and kept them in
handcuffs along with eight other people who were detained (including the
licensed electrician). After two hours of requesting that Captain Cashmen be
present, he came to the warehouse. He recognized Landa from the meeting and
ordered Halloran to un-handcuff everyone and then released, them with
insufficient evidence of a criminal act. No charges were filed by the SFPD.
Two weeks after the raid, Landa, Gage, and Kikuchi were indicted by the
Federal Government. No federal employees were present at the raid. This case
was deliberately given to US Attorney Bevan. This act was in violation of the
San Francisco�s Sanctuary Resolution of 2001, in addition to an act of
entrapment on the part of Inspector Halloran.
Kevin Gage is a medical cannabis patient and caregiver under the provisions of
our state law. He cultivated medication for himself, his sister who suffers
from cancer and his brother who suffers from MS. When Kevin made the decision
to take a year�s sabbatical from his acting career to work on providing
medical marijuana, he was living the life of a Hollywood success story, having
appeared in such films as Blow (ironically played a DEA Agent), Heat, Point
Blank, Strangeland, G.I. Jane, Con Air, and The 'burbs. On television, he had
guest or co-starred on such shows as Firefly, Nash Bridges, L.A. Law, and
Highway to Heaven. He had even earned a Los Angeles Theatre Critics best actor
nomination for his performance in Yakima. Stephanie Landa is a single mother
and a medical marijuana patient Stephanie was hit by car in August of 1999.
Stephanie dislocated her shoulder, crushed her rotator cuff and her elbow
shattered in 19 pieces. After surgery Landas was left with out use of her
right arm and is still awaiting more surgery. She found medical marijuana
management and mobility. Tom Kikuchi is medical marijuana patient for pain
management.
Letter from Gage's Sister
My name is Tammy Varney and I am writing this letter on behalf of my brother
Kevin Gage, who will be in federal court on July 1st for growing medical
marijuana. I am currently staying at the Hope Lodge Center for Cancer Patients
in Marshfield Wisconsin where I am receiving Chemo treatments for Cancer and
daily radiation for an optical nerve tumor on the back of my eye. This is my
second time around fighting Breast Cancer. The first time was around Christmas
of 2001, when I saw my brother last. He had come home to see me and be with
our family for the Holidays. At that time I had lost about 30 pounds because I
could not keep down food as a result of the chemotherapy treatments, my weight
went from 120 lbs. down to about 90 lbs. A friend had recommended that I try
smoking Marijuana to rid myself of the nauseous side effects of the Chemo
treatments so I could regain my appetite and keep down what I ate. When Kevin
came home and saw how thin and sick I was he was very emotional and scared for
me and immediately started talking with our family and Doctors and doing
research to help me recover. He witnessed first hand and like myself and
family was amazed how using the marijuana as medicine took away the nauseous
side effect of chemo treatments and allowed my appetite to return. Marijuana
made it possible to regain my weight and get through my treatments much
easier. It was honestly the only medication that was effective and had no side
effects. Me and my family are so scared for Kevin and absolutely devastated
that he is being treated like a criminal by our Government and may go to jail
for attempting to provide medication legalized in the state of California.
He left his home in Los Angeles just two months after visiting me that
Christmas to go to San Francisco where the District Attorney and local law
enforcement called their city a sanctuary for caregivers and welcomed him and
others to help people who needed alternative medication. My Brother is one of
the most caring, loving human beings on earth. He has watched our brother Kent
suffer from Multiple Sclerosis, he has watched me suffer from cancer and has
suffered himself from a near fatal car accident that hospitalized him in
traction for nearly two months. Kevin makes a very good living in the
entertainment Industry as an actor in Los Angeles and for him to take time off
from his work at the peak of his career and leave his home to help people who
suffer from many different illnesses makes him a Hero beyond words in our
eyes. We pray that our Government sees the truth which is my brothers only
motivation was to help those who suffer have access to an alternative
medication and live life as comfortable as possible. I know that making people
happy is what makes my brother happy, and like myself and our family, Kevin
knows at the end of ones life all you have is Family, friends and hopefully
memories of all the good you have done for them and others. We are so, so
proud of him and hope you will all support and pray for him with us.
Sincerely, Tammy Varney