PREACHER PLEADS FOR TREATMENT

While a Monroe County preacher was asking for a drug treatment program
instead of a conviction on a variety of drug-related charges in Monroe
County Court on Wednesday, a small group of protesters stood outside of the
courthouse saying what the pastor did should not have been illegal in the
first place.

William Worcester III, pastor at the Trinity United Church of Christ in
Lewisville, asked to be placed in a drug intervention program in lieu of
being convicted. His defense attorney, Kathryn Sherry, filed the motion
just prior to the beginning of his preliminary hearing. Arguments regarding
the motion will be heard before Judge James Peters on Aug. 14. The outcome
of that hearing will determine whether Worcester receives an evaluation
needed to enter a treatment program.

Worcester, who lives at a parsonage owned by the church, is charged with
growing marijuana on the church grounds. He faces felony charges of
marijuana cultivation and use or possession of drug paraphernalia, along
with misdemeanor drug possession charges.

Court records stated that the Monroe County Sheriff's Department
confiscated about 48 marijuana plants from the church grounds

During the hearing, a three-person contingent from the Ohio Cannibus
Society, an organization pushing for the legalization of marijuana, was
protesting in support of Worcester and the perception of the drug in society.

"This pastor's case is an excellent example,'' said John Hartman, director
of the Ohio Cannibus Society. "That he's in good standing in the community
and of high moral fabric and can use marijuana and still be a nice person
in the community and the church is a perfect example.'' Hartman, his wife
Molly and fellow organization member Robert Almstead distributed pamphlets
in support of the cause. He said the portrayal of the substance was
magnified by William Randolph Hearst in the 1920s and 1930s because of a
desire to sell newspapers. Hearst's actions, Hartman said, led Congress to
make cannibus an illegal substance in 1938.

"It's sad the way the system is set up,'' Hartman said. "The pastor, in
reality, probably doesn't need any drug treatment. The use of cannibus is
not causing any problems in the schools, the church or the community.''

Hartman said he did not contact Worcester prior to staging the
demonstration outside the Monroe County Courthouse in Woodsfield because he
said Worcester has enough to worry about.

"This would probably make him nervous,'' Hartman said. "He is trying to get
through his legal problems and still maintain his position in the church.

"We don't want to see him go to jail,'' he added. "The agenda must go
forward, and we can't let this happen and stand silent. If it causes him
more harm, then I'm sorry.''