DENVER APPOINTS MARIJUANA PANEL

Ten members of an 11-seat pot panel were appointed this morning by
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, with the lone remaining seat open
because the Denver district attorney's office declined to participate.

The appointments fulfill a mandate created by the passage of
Initiated Question 100 in November's Denver election.

More than half -- 57 percent -- of Denver voters favored the
initiative, making marijuana the city's lowest law-enforcement priority.

"We commend Mayor Hickenlooper for appointing the Marijuana Policy
Review Panel and taking a step toward a more rational marijuana
policy in Denver," said Mason Tvert, executive director of SAFER, a
marijuana-reform group which spearheaded the ordinance.

"It is unfortunate that the district attorney's office is refusing to
work with the rest of the city," Tvert said.

Lynn Kimbrough, a spokeswoman for Denver DA Mitch Morrissey, said her
boss talked to the mayor last week about the panel and "politely"
declined inclusion.

"He let the mayor know that he is bound by the Constitution and his
oath of office to exercise independent judgment," Kimbrough said.
"It's a simple fact of law that he couldn't participate in a panel
whose goal is to prioritize criminal prosecutions."

The Marijuana Policy Review Panel must meet quarterly and issue a
report on marijuana arrests and prosecutions.

Appointed to the panel by the mayor, according to Tvert, are: Doug
Linkhart, an at-large member of the Denver City Council; Tvert and
Brian Vicente, two Denver residents; Crystal Noel, a drug and
alcohol-abuse and prevention counselor; Paula Hammond, a member of
the Denver Metro Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee; Mary
Malatesta, a representative of the Denver Police Department; Frank
Moya, a public defender; Sandy Mullins, executive director of the the
Colorado Criminal Defense Bar; Phil Cherner, a criminal defense
attorney; and Vince DiCroce, of the Denver city attorney's office.

Denver police and prosecutors have said possessing marijuana
continues to violate state and federal laws.

Last year, SAFER pushed for an initiative that would have legalized
possessing small amounts of pot statewide, but it did not pass.