Really!?

Either the world has gotten nastier over night or they've been there the whole time and decided to quit hiding.

This is some FU shit.

I hope that prosecutor falls in the toilet and drowns.Seems fair to me.

purposefully decrease some one's quality of living, where ever it may be in one's life, using the judicial system is just doing it out of spite. That is lower than a cockroach in my opinion. Where does the depravity stop?

Our political system and laws have turned into a cesspool of slimy filth.

The rich get richer and the 97% just get's mowed over and fed into the meat grinder.

But no, we must stay civil to the all or nothing crowd.

What a horrible way for Government to end your life,isolate you in a hospital and incarcerate your remaining family.I am as angry with them as you are.
Tell me,who can trust their government?

caused by RW ideological defecation backed by our beloved SCOTUS and MSM.

Republicans on our nation's highest court were better about med marijuana than the Democratic Justices.

And only three to five percent of all Congress people, regardless of party, care to legalize medicinal marijuana or recreational marijuana..

Can you say Big Pharma campaign contributions, boys and girls? How about Big Privatized Prison industry lobby, Boys and Girls? Or for that matter, Big Cartel monies!

PS Currently (At least last time I looked) the Occupant of the Oval Office is a Democrat with the power to simply get rid of Holder and appoint someone who would immediately remove marijuana from the drug schedule. But the President's financial buddies probably won't let him do this. (Holder got where he is by being close to Marc Rich, financial criminal extraordinaire. It was through Holder's efforts that the Presidential Pardon was obtained for Rich, right before Clinton left office.)

They probably stand the most to lose from legalization.

political party's have been corrupted by BIG money, both corporate and private, no argument. And that corruption is at the point that unless a major revulsion is experienced at the national political level(s) against big money influence this is how it is going to stay. Yet I still see the RW as the political motivator of this corruption of the worst kind. Yeah you can put democrats in that bag, sometimes, but a major problem TODAY is the RW, whether you want to admit it or not. RW media and money, makes the dumbed down, fox news believing, american, easy prey for RW lies. Promise heaven "if only you vote for me"!!! and give them nothing but more lies after vote is in. Entitlement this, immigrant that, urban problems out of control, fear the gays, keep women in their place, this is the RW mantra shouted continuously over and over to the highest heavens, yet all based on lies designed to keep us at each others throats. And while we're busy with each other, they are robbing us all. Nah, while the democratic party is culpable in the final analysis for some dubious compromises, NOT IN THE PEOPLES FAVOR, the RW is the one that will bring on the final destruction of the few freedoms we enjoy in this american life if allowed to control the reins of power again. They must be stopped at all cost. The RW media must be balanced with the emergence of LW thought permeating the airwaves. How? Only the democrats with the big money can do that. They must step up, all the artists, musicians, celebrities, progressive business people, if such exists calling themselves liberals must start fighting back with their combined big money. Lip service is over, start walking the walk so called progressives.

I won't even address the marijuana issue because you're right. Privatized prisons? A capitalistic abomination with no redeeming value. Prison's in this country have never rehabilitated, they have always been punitive punishment. While the more heinous criminal should be incarcerated and marginalized, the 'lesser' criminal, if I may, should be rehabilitated and helped to become a trusted citizen. I do understand where you are coming from and no major argument from me. The fascist RW must be marginalized again like we did with mcCarthy and his ilk. Every generation or so they rear their ugly heads and we have to push them back down into their rat holes.

SAFU.. situation all fucked up.

situation normal, all fucked up......concerning these times in the "cesspool of slimy filth" called the toilet of today's RW ideology and if any democrat is involved in this travesty in any manner, pilloried is too good for them.

First, since when can't you present evidence of extenuating circumstances in your defense? Second, what th hell is the matter with the jury, and third, what the hell is wrong with the prosecutor?

Meanwhile, entitled rich kids get off manslaughter charges because their little personalities were wrecked by too much wealth.

What a horrid sounding illness! My gawd the country is going completely insane, no sense at all for this verdict.

Is the spread of the Community Rights organization.

I just posted about it over in the Appalachia forum here on DU.

With the wisdom of this movement, people can sponsor local ordinances that invoke the US Constitution, on issues ranging from the right to plant whatever seeds you own on land you own, to ordinances that are banning large scale pig farms from coming into your community. And when those ordinances are passed, they truly protect the community.

What kind of bullshit is that?

where our Constitution means absolutely zilch.

constitutional. That Judge needs to be reprimanded by what ever authority can jump on her case. WTF Is this? North Korea???

"YES, TAKE THEM OUT AND SHOOT THEM, CASE CLOSED!!!"

I don't get it at all. This is nuts.

Really.

:snarkasm:

Fuck these people.

No conscience seems to be the problem.

is to switch circumstances between two people.

Why not move to Colorado???

And our douche (R) governor will do nothing to help.

Iowa used to be such a sensible state - now it's Brandsted and King and what's-her-fuck running for Senate.

JuryBox.org

If they were aware they could ignore the judge's instruction, I doubt the jury would have convicted for growing plants.

What DA was spending taxpayer money to prosecute this?

This is why we need jury nullification, and why it should be used often (and please spare me the long disquisitions about the South and the 1950's; just, some other time, ok)

They will probably find out the rest of the story as soon as they get home and turn on the news. Then they will have a chance to publicly denounce their own verdict.

As for jury nullification, there's always the Fully Informed Juror Association: http://fija.org/

He wasn't even selling it to anyone, so even in the absence of hearing his defense, the jury was still mean spirited and stupid.

and think that this is one seriously f---ed up case, I can't be that angry with the jurors upholding the law if that is what is established. It may be wrong, and I may strongly disagree personally, but I can't find fault with them for finding him technically guilty of breaking a law, especially since they weren't allowed to hear the defense. I think calling them mean spirited and stupid might be a tad harsh.

That said, it is beyond stupid that anyone should be sent to jail for growing pot, and this whole case is just sad.

the jury followed the judges orders, which probably went like this: "It's against the law to grow the plant. If it was proven that he grew the plant, you have no choice but to find him guilty." Jury nullification would be their only alternative.

Do what the judge says, follow the judge's instructions, it's the law, the law is the law, blah, blah, blah..

Good grief, I'm glad these people weren't around during the American revolution, and good thing the civil rights movement didn't have to rely on them for manpower.

Jury nullification is a perfectly legal option. A judge can tell them not to do it, but in the privacy of jury deliberations they can do whatever they want. There is no criminal sanction for jury nullification. But jury nullification requires an independent thinking citizenry, not people who will just blindly follow the law because a man in a black robe is telling them what to do. Many citizens are not capable of that.

I want to ask him to pardon these people. Even if it doesn't work, I still want to ask.

The president can only pardon for federal crimes.

And in some states, I don't know about Iowa, even the governor's pardon powers are limited by a pardons and parole board.

He's a grade A douche.

On any charge regarding marijuana.

pardon my lack of legal knowledge, if a judge can block a defense from being heard (which sound unconstitutional to me), can't he just as easily nullify the jury's verdict if they acquit without evidence for acquittal?

The judge just wants what he wants and damn human rights and dignity.

Yes!!

Better a life doing nothing than causing this kind if suffering. End this stupid criminalization of a plant that literally grows like a weed while helping so many.

""

But I grow anything from seed.

if they win on appeal at least the family will be able to celebrate at the cemetery.

This shit has to stop and this guy has no time for legal stupidity nonsense. Someone with money and means needs to smuggle him out of there to a safe place where the government of Iowa can't torture him and destroy what's left of his life and family.

I have no words for the gall of this.

an extenuating circumstance worthy of a discussion in this case? Are our laws that rigid? Do judges have no power? So the judge wants him to die in pain and alone while his wife, kid, and parents are also facing incarceration? FUCK THAT!!!

This shit needs to end, and it needs to end now! No more "we'll see what the evidence shows" the evidence is out there. It's been out there.

That poor family and that poor poor man. I can hardly take it thinking about this injustice. This inhumanity. How does he carry on?

and say that the medical need is not a defense to the charges brought, thereby excluding the reason from evidence. Additionally, the jurors are instructed by law to not let bias or sympathy play a part in their decision. Admitting that evidence and those tumors would be highly prejudicial in the case.

Having said that, first I am not licensed in that state and do not practice criminal law.
Second, most courts can allow equity (basically fairness in the Judge's opinion) to allow it in or consider the circumstances in sentencing. Here we must have one of the most heartless bastards to ever sit his ass on a bench!

With 80+% of the state's citizens in favor of legalization for medical needs, that would be overwhelming evidence that our political and judicial system is messed up! Let's fix this by getting rid of the corporate money that makes politicians ignore us and only listen to the Big Donors.

Join me September 13th - November 4th (midterm Election Day) in protesting getting the money out of politics by demanding Publicly Funded Elections - Federal, state and local. 2 month campaign season with TV and Radio time donated as a public service for these media out lets using the public airwaves under license. Spread the word, organize your city, town, community and hit the streets!

Let's stop this kind of bull shit, we CAN do it!

he was using the cannabis for his cancer.?

Thanks!

And thanks also for trying to get things moving, haven't marched since 2007 and it is definitely time again.

Someone here who does criminal law could answer this better than me, but I think that's right.

That is how you get laws changed.

This makes me so angry. How they could not let him explain his reason for growing the pot in the first place is just insane. His son and wife are going to be the next two to be convicted. This is so messed up.

K&R

it laughs at America.

What kind of a 'judge' in our so-called 'justice system' would not let a terminal patient present a medical defense for growing marijuana?

Ignorant? Yep.

Incapable of empathy? Yep.

Intolerant? Yep.

Probably a conservative 'Christian.'

want to ruin his day or at least make it a LOT more interesting?

I'm pretty sure this is the fella, only Henry Latham there appears to be.

http://www.scottcountyiowa.com/courts/judges.php?uid=1247

If not maybe we should start one?

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/

Toward the end of the article:

Iowa voters overwhelmingly support the legalization of medical marijuana. A recent poll found 81 percent favor legalization. --from the OP

You may want to compliment him on is implementation of justice,

at thousands and thousands of dollars paying for food and guards and healthcare for these people

about jury nullification and also marijuana!

but defense attorneys should do their very best during the jury selection process to get uneducated jurors out of the pool, as many as possible.

There are some cases that deal with some very complex stuff, like boggling financial transactions, anti-trust laws, campaign finance laws, etc. Such cases are for educated people, not a 19 year old high school dropout who flips burgers for a living.

Educated jurors are more likely to know about and use jury nullification and less likely to blindly follow the dictates of authority.

I thought that was a right! It damn well should be!

If people can present the Twinkie defense or Affluenza as a defense, why not "I need this so I don't die. Here are stats that back up my claim."?

How exactly is this man going to be "rehabilitated" in prison for his "crime"?

The War on Drugs is proven once again to be an utter failure.

Some local Iowans are calling him a druggie who deserved to be convicted.

Thanks!

Attitudes must change!

Obama should also be petitioned.

Wow, what ignorant, mean fools!

the hell is wrong with this country?

Reefer Madness Trailer Great marijuana movie - YouTube

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&sqi=2&ved=0CEUQtwIwBA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DL1jB7RBGVGk&ei=4hnAU7ryEIbuoASCqICQDw&usg=AFQjCNFUvFdzF33LCGCPrLef6GfHNcGSdw&sig2=7Rxlt1ZSdhfWIn7w8oOi6Q&bvm=bv.70810081,d.cGU&cad=rja

Sometimes when you can't cry then you'll just have to laugh

If there was ever a case of jury nullification, this is it. It's a case that points out the utter idiocy of our drug laws and the utter cruelty of the DEA.

The worst this man should face is house arrest.

Only reason I can think is they might think it is automatic grounds for appeal...

Henry W. Latham II, District Court Judge
Scott County Courthouse
400 W. 4th St.
Davenport, Iowa 52801
Phone: 563-326-8783 • Fax: 563-326-8218
henry.latham@iowacourts.gov

McElyea, Patrick A. Attorney I Patrick.McElyea@scottcountyiowa.com 563-326-8238


https://www.facebook.com/FreeBenton/info
http://www.freebenton.org/

I intend to let those 2 subhuman scumbuckets of turds (not to insult scum or turds) exactly what I think of them.