TOP LAWYERS MULL AIDING POT ADVOCATE

High-Profile Battle Shaping Up To Stop Marc Emery Extradition

Some of B.C.'s top lawyers are mulling involvement in the pending
extradition hearing for Marc Emery and his two key staff members as the
marijuana world reverberates over the arrest of the Prince of Pot.

Already, caustic recriminations are flowing as other seed-selling companies
and pot activists are thought to have been slow to support Emery and his
besieged empire.

Many who have earned fortunes over the years from Emery have been
noticeably quiet -- a few I spoke with said it was for an obvious reason,
fear of arrest.

That didn't minimize the hurt.

"I've certainly learned who my friends are in the last few days" co-accused
Michelle Rainey confided to me.

She had to lay off staff members at the B.C. Marijuana Party bookstore and
is facing major business challenges to keep Emery's assets viable.

At the same time, paranoia over the legality of the apparent tactics used
by U.S. law-enforcement agencies in gathering evidence against Emery is
flowing freely over the Internet.

Accused by Washington of selling marijuana seeds, conspiracy to manufacture
marijuana and money-laundering, Emery has sent letters to his customers
warning them that he believes the U.S. government has intercepted his mail
and fabricated letters to entrap his clientele.

"If you thought there was an unusually long delay in receiving any recent
orders from the time you were aware it was sent, then it is very likely you
are in danger, and should take appropriate action," Emery told his
customers in a cautionary e-mail.

"This is a regrettable discovery, and means the DEA and RCMP and perhaps
other agencies are coordinating a massive roundup of both Canadians and
Americans in a considerable escalation of the Drug War. We will give you
more information as it is corroborated. These Letters are FAKE and
DANGEROUS. DO NOT RESPOND! FAKE! DO NOT RESPOND!

"We would like to express concern for all American and Canadian citizens
who may have ordered marijuana seeds. We have received many questions from
people who have received messages appearing to be from Marc Emery Direct.
If you received this same type of letter shown, YOU MAY BE IN DANGER."

In the meantime, he and his co-accused are talking with a who's who of
senior counsel in B.C., with John Conroy, Ian Donaldson and Joseph Arvay
the three leading contenders to mount what will be a high-profile war to
keep Emery in Canada.

It promises to be a legal circus and the sideshows have already started.

In Nelson, Patrick Roberts, a convicted pot smuggler also sought by Uncle
Sam at one point, has filed a personal information charging Emery with
offences similar to those cited in the American indictment and has been
granted a court hearing Aug. 29.

Roberts, a gadfly businessman, figures that if he can force Canadian
authorities to proceed with charges against Emery, he will have forestalled
the B.C. Marijuana Party leader's extradition.

Regardless, he is going to embarrass the government by forcing prosecutors
to stay his proceedings at the same time they are backing the U.S.
application to have Emery handed over for trial.

Kirk Tousaw, who is helping marshal Emery's defence, rolled his eyes when I
told him of Roberts's move.

"I told him, 'No, don't do it,' " he said in exasperation.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration targeted Emery in part because of
the pivotal role he plays in the global movement to legalize marijuana.

Regardless of whether Washington is successful in having him extradited to
stand trial, the operation to have him arrested must be considered a
success, given the disruption it has caused among the pot faithful.

Emery has posted the following advice on his Internet site: "It might be
best to refrain from buying seeds at any and all outlets and online
businesses, whether in Canada or the U.S.A. The US government and DEA are
waging war, and many hundreds of people can still be implicated.

"Marc Emery Direct Seeds is closed for good.

"There are no refunds.

"There are no records."