POT ADVOCATE ARRESTED AT CHICO CITY HALL

CHICO -- Joel Kelly Castle, 62, was arrested outside the office of
Chico City Manager Dave Burkland about 12:30 p.m. Monday, when he
entered City Hall allegedly with a bag of marijuana sticking out of
his pocket.

Chico police Sgt. Rob Merrifield said Castle, the founder of a Chico
marijuana collective, was arrested for failure to obey a court order
prohibiting him from possessing controlled substances without a
prescription.

Merrifield said Castle holds a doctor's recommendation for medical
marijuana use under Proposition 215, but said that is not the same as
a prescription, according to the court.

Castle reportedly called police Monday morning to say he was going to
the corner of Fifth and Main streets in downtown Chico to "smoke a
bunch of weed."

"What are you going to do about it?" Castle allegedly asked a
dispatcher.

On the third floor of City Hall, Castle took a chair in the lobby and
reportedly told Heather Kavanaugh, an assistant in the city manager's
office, the bag sticking out of his pocket contained marijuana.

She said Castle also asked her to place a call to Chico Police Chief
Mike Maloney, which she declined to do. Police said an unknown person
in the office called 9-1-1.

Kavanaugh said Castle, a frequent visitor at the city offices,
remained calm and told her he was waiting for police to arrive.

Castle was contacted on the third floor by three Chico officers, who
handcuffed him and took him into custody without incident.

Castle has reportedly been arrested twice since June, the latest being
Aug. 2 at City Plaza, for failure to obey a court order.

Merrifield said Castle would be booked into the Butte County Jail in
Oroville on suspicion of failing to obey a court order -- a
misdemeanor.