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Marc Emery Pleas To 5 Years In US Prison
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| Dr. DAS |
And the world takes another step back towards the '50's...
More power to Marc, accepting this plea spares his co-accused any jail time, one of whom is sick.
Best quote, "I wish I could have done more to piss the U.S. government off actually."
We'll be here Marc, keeping the faith and waiting light up on your release date!
SOURCE: Candaian Press
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Plea deal for Prince of Pot means jail time for marijuana activist in the U.S.
21 hours ago
VANCOUVER - Canada's so-called prince of pot is planning for prison after reaching a plea bargain with U.S. officials over his Internet sales of marijuana seeds.
But Marc Emery remains defiant, despite the prospect of serving a five-year-jail term and has no regrets over his pot-promoting antics through the years. "I'm really pleased and proud of what I've done," Emery said of his legacy. "I wish I could have done more to piss the U.S. government off actually."
Emery, 50, said Monday that U.S. prosecutors made the offer to his lawyer for a 10-year-prison term that would mean he would have to spend at least five years in prison, most of it in Canada.
The agreement also spares his co-accused Michelle Rainey and Greg Williams from doing jail time.
Emery said that's especially important for Rainey, who smokes marijuana to control symptoms of Crohn's disease, a painful digestive-tract disorder.
It was one of the reasons he considered the offer.
"Well, what if something did happen in jail to her?" said Emery. "You know I would always be responsible."
In July 2005, Emery was arrested in Halifax on an extradition request from the United States.
A U.S. federal grand jury had indicted the self-proclaimed "prince of pot" on charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana seeds, conspiracy to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to engage in money laundering.
The charges related to his sale of marijuana seeds to U.S. customers over the Internet.
Emery still has trouble recognizing what he did wrong.
"There's no victim in my case," he said. "There's nobody who's claiming I hurt them ... so you're talking hundreds of thousands of happy customers."
For almost 15 years, Emery has been an outspoken advocate of the cannabis culture, even creating a magazine and forming the B.C. Marijuana Party.
Three years ago, he travelled across the country lighting up giant joints at pro-marijuana rallies in front of police stations in his quest to legalize pot.
He spent two months in a Saskatoon jail after he was arrested passing around a marijuana cigarette at a pro-pot rally.
"I'm a victim of political advocacy," he said Monday.
Alan Young, a professor at Osgood Hall Law School at York University, said extradition requests from the United States are very difficult to fight and the plea gives Emery some certainty.
"It looked a bit hopeless," Young said. "That's not to say a great fight could not have been mounted."
Young, who has known and worked with Emery since 1990, said on that level he's relieved that Emery knows the sentence he will face.
But on a political level the sentence is a travesty, he said.
"I think it's remarkable that I could cripple someone and put them in hospital ... and get less time that Marc will serve," Young said.
"It's grossly disproportionate by Canadian standards. But, unfortunately, by American standards, it may appear to be a kiss."
Emery said he's always been open about his actions, lobbying and meeting politicians such as Sen. Larry Campbell and New Democrat Leader Jack Layton and even filing income tax on his seed sales.
"Nobody ever treated me like a drug dealer in this country," he stated.
That wasn't the case in the U.S. after his arrest in 2005.
"The tentacles of the Marc Emery criminal enterprise reached out across North America to include all 50 states and Canada," Rodney Benson of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency told reporters in Seattle.
The plea agreement still needs the approval of the Canadian Department of Justice, which Emery believes won't oppose it.
"Because it spares the Conservative party government ... with a looming election, this awkward decision of whether to extradite me," he said.
"In a sense, it takes the heat off the government too, which I'm really disappointed by because one of the great things about having a crisis is something politically good might come of it."
Alain Charette, a spokesman for the Department of Justice, said the plea is a negotiation between other parties and doesn't yet involve the department.
He noted in all such extradition decisions, the minister is left with the final decision.
Emily Langlie, public affairs officer for the U.S. Attorney's office in Seattle, said it was not appropriate for officials there to comment on the plea agreement.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration did not respond to a request for an interview.
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| Orko |
Seeing him speak last year at The March, was just funny. He was so sure of himself, and so self riteous.
If you sell a prohibted substance to people in the U.S., what do you expect to happen? |
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| Dr. DAS |
| quote: | Originally posted by Orko
Seeing him speak last year at The March, was just funny. He was so sure of himself, and so self riteous.
If you sell a prohibted substance to people in the U.S., what do you expect to happen? |
I fart on your opinion.
Seeds dude, he was selling seeds. How come the proprietor of H&H Bagels isn't getting locked up for selling poppyseed bagels? Just think, a half dozen bagels and you could have a little Afghanistan in your back yard. |
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| jsibilin |
| personally,, i believe the US locked up Emery because he is a threat to 'the system' and the states need to keep busting growops and dealers.. If everyone grew their own the DEA would have to fire many ppl. If weed was legal then there wouldn't be soo many arrests. One tip I have for those going to the US ... put your stuff in an air tight bag and get a small bottle of Vicks vapour rub.. take a bit out and put ur in the middle... hahah, worked for me! |
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| Time2Burn |
| quote: | Originally posted by Orko
Seeing him speak last year at The March, was just funny. He was so sure of himself, and so self riteous.
If you sell a prohibted substance to people in the U.S., what do you expect to happen? |
Same. He has known for ages that he was going down for this. A reality he faced long ago. I think Marc welcomes this. He has championed his cause for years and in my opinion has chosen to be a Martyr. To be honest 5 years aint too bad. |
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| Orko |
| quote: | Originally posted by Dr. DAS
I fart on your opinion.
Seeds dude, he was selling seeds. How come the proprietor of H&H Bagels isn't getting locked up for selling poppyseed bagels? Just think, a half dozen bagels and you could have a little Afghanistan in your back yard. |
I understand he was selling seeds. Your analogy is not consistent. Marc was selling seeds with the explicit intent of helping you grow pot, which is illegal in the U.S. H&H(LOL) Bagels is selling you the seeds in an prepared form, already cooked (rendering them useless?), for the explicit reason of eating, not growing.
If Marc had been selling 'male' seeds, for growing and harvesting hemp, which is used to make clothing and other various products, I would feel for the guy. He knew the rules, and broke them, end of story.
A lot of us here, know and break the rules. We should not be surprised if/when we get booked. |
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| zokissima |
| quote: | Originally posted by Time2Burn
To be honest 5 years aint too bad. |
I find this laughable. I've known people that have gotten off with half of that time on manslaughter charges... |
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| Irishaddict |
| quote: | Originally posted by zokissima
I find this laughable. I've known people that have gotten off with half of that time on manslaughter charges... |
time for some new friends :p |
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| Elendil |
| The US policy on drugs is just an absolute crime against humanity. A bloody draconian state enforcing its manipulation over the minds and bodies of millions - just sad. Lucky to only get 5 years, in such a land. |
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| EvilTree |
| quote: | Originally posted by Elendil
The US policy on drugs is just an absolute crime against humanity. A bloody draconian state enforcing its manipulation over the minds and bodies of millions - just sad. Lucky to only get 5 years, in such a land. |
If you think US laws are bad, I'm going to be laughing when I hear your opinion about Saudi Arabia and Singapore laws |
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| infinity HiGH |
| quote: | Originally posted by EvilTree
If you think US laws are bad, I'm going to be laughing when I hear your opinion about Saudi Arabia and Singapore laws |
Yea, but which one of them promotes "freedom" and all that bull? |
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| EvilTree |
| quote: | Originally posted by infinity HiGH
Yea, but which one of them promotes "freedom" and all that bull? |
right to drugs is a human rights issue now? |
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