MARIJUANA PATIENTS PROTEST SENTENCING

"Hey, isn't there supposed to be another 'a' up there?" a demonstrator
asked another, who was waving a sign at cars on Green Valley Parkway.

"Yeah, I guess there is," the protester said, looking at his message
containing the misspelled word "marijuna." "They're driving by too fast;
they won't see it."

A dozen medical marijuana patients rallied outside of Republican Rep. Jon
Porter's office June 4 for two hours -- until high noon -- as a
demonstration against the sentencing of Ed Rosenthal.

Rosenthal was arrested and prosecuted by the federal government, and
convicted in federal court for trafficking marijuana. Under California's
medical marijuana laws, Rosenthal was legally allowed to grow medical
marijuana for Oakland-based compassion centers. He was barred from
introducing evidence that would have proved he was growing marijuana for
medical purposes. Consequently, he was treated like the common drug dealer.

The demonstrators message: Rep. Porter, support the Truth in Trials Act!
The bill would allow defendants on medical marijuana-related charges to
introduce evidence in federal court that their activities complied with
state laws.

"I don't know, but from the attitude of the judge, Rosenthal will get the
minimum sentence. But that's too much," said demonstrator John Stargel, a
53-year-old Las Vegan.

Rosenthal received one day in jail as his sentence.

Porter opposes HR 1717 -- the truth bill -- because the issue needs to be
dealt with on the state level, his top aide said.

"Not every state has accepted medical marijuana and it should be done at
the state level, definitely not at the federal level," said Traci Scott,
Porter's press secretary.

Supporters of the bill argue that Porter's reasoning doesn't make sense,
since it is the federal government that won't allow legal marijuana
evidence from the state into federal court.

The demonstrators later went into Porter's office and wrote their opinions
on the matter to the congressman.