DA ENDORSES MEASURE B

Mendocino County District Attorney Meredith Lintott has officially
endorsed Measure B, saying if it passes, her job will be easier.

"Measure G has become a barrier that greatly complicates the
prosecution of solid cases, even where there is overwhelming evidence
of commercial cultivation, possession, transportation and sales,"
Lintott said. "The defense attorneys never fail to cite Measure G as
a defense for those violating the laws against commercial marijuana.
This is true even for the largest growing operations."

Measure B, which was placed on the ballot by the Mendocino County
Board of Supervisors in January, would repeal Measure G and set
medical marijuana limits in Mendocino County at the state limits of
six mature or 12 immature plants and eight ounces of dried marijuana.

Measure G, which was passed by Mendocino County voters in 2000,
instructed law enforcement to make the prosecution of marijuana
gardens of 25 plants or fewer the lowest possible priority.

Lintott said Measure G has created confusion in the Mendocino County
law enforcement community because it is internally inconsistent and
that its major provisions are of "dubious legality."

"It is in direct conflict with state law, and defense attorneys are
skillful at emphasizing conflicts in the law in order to create doubt
on the part of jurors," she said.

During her campaign for district attorney in 2006, Lintott said she
would defend the rights of medical marijuana users. She said her
endorsement of Measure B is not a departure from that promise.

"I believe the state limits protect the rights of medical patients
and therefore no legitimate medical patient will suffer if Measure B
passes," she said.

She said she would continue to vigorously prosecute people who use
medical marijuana laws as a cover for growing marijuana commercially.

Lintott is one of several law enforcement officials and groups to
endorse Measure B. Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman has said he
will not take a stand on the measure.

"As sheriff, I have not and will not take a position on Measure B,"
Allman said in a March interview. "It is my job to enforce the law,
not make it. I support legitimate medical marijuana. I oppose
commercial cultivation and sales of marijuana."

Allman has said that returning to the state medical marijuana limits
would mean he would need a six-person team working on marijuana for
at least two years. The Sheriff's Office currently has two deputies
working full time on marijuana cases.

The election is scheduled for June 3.