PWA LINGERS IN L.A. JAIL WITHOUT MEDICATION FOR DAYS

On July 30, the ACLU of Southern California sent a "strongly worded" letter
to U.S. Attorney Nora Manella, demanding that she compel the Federal
Detention Center in Los Angeles to provide AIDS medicine to inmate Peter
McWilliams. McWilliams, a best-selling author and a proponent of medical
marijuana who has both AIDS and cancer, has been in jail since July 23 for
paying the rent on a piece of property where police allege marijuana plants
are being raised for sale. McWilliams takes medication six times a day, a
cocktail regime of protease inhibitors which -- as everyone but his jailers
seem to know -- must be followed without fail to avoid developing
resistance to treatment.

The following day at a bail hearing, ACLU lawyer Taylor Flynn told the Bay
Times that the issue was raised and the "judge was outraged," ordering the
medicines to be resumed at once. As of Aug. 3, Flynn said she understands
that McWilliams is getting some, but not all, of his drugs. "I'm waiting
to get a detailed list of what medications he has and has not received so
that I can call up the prosecutors to make sure he is getting the correct
medications and there's no more dallying around with this."

Flynn calls the situation appalling. "It's tantamount to a death sentence.
It's unconscionable for anyone, but this is someone who hasn't been
convicted of a crime."

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski