PARDON BOARD TO TAKE UP POT CASE

A Man Caught With Marijuana Before The Crime Became A Misdemeanor Says The
Conviction Haunts Him.

A man caught with marijuana in Madison a month before Wisconsin reduced the
crime from a felony to a misdemeanor in 1970 is among 22 people seeking
pardons from Gov. Jim Doyle.

The Governor's Pardon Advisory Board is expected to recommend action on
each case soon. Doyle, who makes final decisions, has issued few pardons
since taking office Jan 6.

Gary C. Linder, 54, now living in California, was accused of selling a gram
of marijuana for $8 to an undercover Madison police officer on Jan. 16,
1970, according to Dane County court records. Linder was convicted five
months later on a lesser charge of possessing marijuana and sentenced to
two years of probation.

That same year, state leaders reduced the penalty for marijuana possession
from a felony to a misdemeanor. But Linder said the change occurred in
February -- one month too late to affect his case.

Linder went on to earn a computer degree from Madison Area Technical
College. He worked as a computer programmer for a hospital and later for
two California security companies.

Linder said the 33-year-old drug crime came back to haunt him recently when
he was fired from his job as a surveillance agent at a southern California
casino. He said he was fired based solely on the long-ago felony conviction.

Gordon Dickie, executive director of the tribal gambling commission that
oversees the casino in Indio, Calif., wrote a letter to the pardon board on
Linder's behalf. Dickie states that he believes Linder should be considered
for a pardon, given the circumstances. California rules otherwise prohibit
Linder from working at the casino, Dickie wrote.

Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard told the governor's advisory
board he has no opinion on whether Linder should get a pardon. Linder's
sentencing judge died in 1999.

Linder's record over the last three decades includes three additional
crimes, all misdemeanors: shoplifting in 1972; possession of fireworks in
1975; and drunken driving in 1986.

Linder said he quit drinking many years ago and doesn't use drugs.

"My life today as a law-abiding adult has no similarity to the
irresponsibility of my youth," Linder wrote in his letter to the pardon board.