CONFLICTS SURROUND RED BLUFF POT CASE

RED BLUFF -A well-known Red Bluff man and his son-in-law arrested on
pot charges last year will have to wait two more weeks before entering
a plea after their court hearing was continued Monday.

Joseph Daily Froome, 48, and his 27-year-old son-in-law, Daniel Miguel
Ludwig, were supposed to be arraigned Monday in Tehama County Superior
Court on charges of cultivating marijuana and possession of marijuana
for sale.

Froome is also charged with eight counts of money laundering.

Froome has been a producer of West Coast Monster Truck Nationals in
Red Bluff and has served on the Red Bluff Round-Up Association's board
of directors.

Superior Judge Jonathan W. Skillman recused himself Monday because he
was working for the Tehama County District Attorney's Office when the
case first came about and he knew the facts of the case, he said.

The matter was further complicated when defense attorney James M.
Silva had several schedule conflicts, which would prevent his presence
today and next week.

Silva, Ludwig's attorney, represented both men Monday because Froome's
lawyer, William G. Panzer, was unavailable.

Neither Silva nor his clients could be found for comment after the
proceeding.

Superior Court Judge John Garaventa on Oct. 27 ordered the men to
stand trial after an unsuccessful attempt by defense attorneys to
continue the proceedings, based on what Panzer described as "some
rather disturbing information."

Several potential defense witnesses had been approached by the
prosecutor's representatives in the middle of the preliminary hearing
and they no longer wished to testify, the attorneys maintained.

Panzer said he'd consider filing a motion to dismiss based on
prosecutorial misconduct.

But Deputy District Attorney Matt Rogers challenged the
request.

"People simply change their minds (about testifying) sometimes," he
said Oct. 27.

Froome and Ludwig were arrested Oct. 21, 2009, after a four-month
investigation by the Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement Task Force.

Defense attorneys have maintained their clients operated a legitimate
medical marijuana cooperative.

Agents seized 402 marijuana plants and more than 30 pounds of drying
marijuana at a Baker Road warehouse, plus $9,591 in cash from Froome's
home.

Superior Court Judge C. Todd Bottke will preside over the arraignment,
set for 8 a.m. Dec. 7.