GRANICY GRANNIES GUILTY, WILL APPEAL

Granicy Grandpa Acquitted Of Iodine Sale Violations

LANCASTER - The three Granicy Grannies - Armitta Granicy, 60, and her
sisters, Dorothy Manning, 66, and Ramona Beck, 61 - were found guilty
Friday of failing to prepare bills of sale for iodine crystals that were
sold to undercover drug agents at a Lancaster animal-feed store.

The Granicy Grandpa - Armitta's 63-year-old husband, Robert - was
acquitted and excused from the case.

Whether the jury's verdict stands has yet to be determined. The three
women have been directed to return for sentencing on May 31, but one of
the two defense attorneys in the case predicted an appeal.

"This is a tragic, tragic day," said attorney Alison Bloom, who defended
Armitta and Robert Granicy.

"This jury was going to acquit these people, and the judge basically
instructed them this morning not to," Bloom said, referring to Superior
Court Judge David Mintz.

According to Bloom, Mintz told jurors they could not apply a section of
a 1998 law that provided an exception for the sale of less than $100 of
tincture of iodine, which is a liquid form of iodine in a base of
alcohol.

Unable to apply that exception, the jury was forced to find the three
women guilty, Bloom said.

"I think the judge robbed us of a defense," she said. "We asked for a
jury trial, not a court trial. He gave us a court trial. He became a
13th juror, and it's outrageous.

"I can't speak for the court as to what (Mintz's) thought process was,
but his decision was to basically instruct them to throw out all
defenses, and it's no different in our minds than a directed verdict,"
Bloom said. "We essentially think he asked for a directed verdict of
guilt.

"He basically tells them not to follow the law, which clearly includes
an exemption, but to follow his instruction, and we think that's error,"
she said.

The case "absolutely" will be appealed, Bloom said.

Mintz declined to respond to Bloom's assertions, saying through his
court clerk that the matter was pending and the court could not comment.

The four defendants also declined to discuss the verdict, referring
questions back to Bloom.

Robert Sheahen, the defense attorney for Manning and Beck, was not seen
at the court after the verdicts were handed down around 1:30 p.m. A
message left at Sheahen's Los Angeles office drew no immediate response.

Deputy District Attorney Robert Sherwood, who won Friday's verdicts,
said, "I think justice was definitely served."

Despite criticism from the defense for using senior citizens to test a
new law, "We got a lot of support from people in the community who
really supported our position," Sherwood said.

The law, in effect since Jan. 1, 1999, prohibits the sale of more than
eight ounces of iodine crystals to one person within a 30-day period. It
also requires sellers to log the names, addresses, vehicle license-plate
numbers and identification numbers of purchasers and their reason for
buying.

The owners and employees of the feed store were accused of failing to
keep proper bills of sale, failing to maintain proper records and
selling more than the maximum allowed, all misdemeanor charges.

Authorities are attempting to control the sale of iodine crystals
because, in addition to serving as an antiseptic and medicine for
animals, they can be used to make methamphetamine.

"In talking to the jury afterward, I believe they were very supportive,
for the most part, of law enforcement and our efforts in this area,"
Sherwood said.

Mintz's direction to the jury was appropriate and correct, he added.

Under the section of the law in question, there is an exemption for the
sale of iodine in solution form, in amounts valued at less than $100,
Sherwood said.

"This was all crystals that were being sold - at least that's what the
evidence showed, so the judge declined to give an instruction ...
because there had been no evidence presented" showing there had been any
sales of iodine in solution form, he said.

In all, nine counts had been filed against the four. But on April 10,
Sherwood agreed to drop one count as the jury began its deliberations.

Armitta Granicy was found guilty on one count of failing to prepare a
bill of sale for iodine, Beck was found guilty on two counts of failing
to prepare bills of sale for iodine, and Manning was found guilty of two
counts of failing to prepare bills of sale for iodine and one count of
selling more than eight ounces of iodine crystals to an individual
within a 30-day period.

Robert Granicy was found not guilty on one count of failing to prepare a
bill of sale for iodine and on one count of failing to maintain proper
records.

Armitta Granicy was found not guilty on one count of failure to maintain
records, and Beck was found not guilty on one count of failing to
prepare a bill of sale for iodine.

When the quartet was first charged, Bloom said they each faced a maximum
penalty of a year in county jail if convicted.