Marc Emery plead to a bargain of 5 years served in a Canadian prison instead of extradition to the USA to face a long, (likely fruitless) trial in Seattle and a sentence of up to life.
While the real dream is total victory and reprieve for all cannabis users, for Marc, this could’ve been worse.
The really remarkable thing is how the extradition issue really crystallized conservative Canadians who didn’t care about marijuana legalization grabbed a hold of the flagrant breach of sovereignty which occurred when the DEA-led campaign arrested Marc, followed by the extradition attempts – trying to take a Canadian to be tried in the US on US charges!?!?! Asinine indeed and most of Canada agreed.
From NO Extradition
If Canadians have broken the law in Canada, they should be given a fair jury trial in Canada. If they wouldn’t face any imprisonment in Canada for the charges laid, they should not be extradited to another country to face life imprisonment.
In Canada, a $200 fine — not jail time — is the BC Supreme Court appeals precedent for selling cannabis seeds (R. v. Hunter, 2000), and 58% of Canadians oppose extradition in this case (Strategic Counsel/Angus Reid polls).
It’s clear Marc’s 2 colleagues (Michelle Rainey and Greg Williams) were arrested as ransom to force a plea at minimum but fortunately their struggle will alleviate and charges will be dropped as part of the plea. The plea seems to come at a time when the personal vendettas have slowed due to political and economic shifts.
The Seattle-based former US district Attorney John McKay was fired in the recent Alberto Gonzalez roundup and he was the one waving the banner for Marc’s demise. McKay was also the one famously grandstanding over the discovery of a tunnel from Langley to Lynden (as though that’s the first one – heh).
Also, the DEA’s Karen Tandy, who had a personal issues with Marc after his crew heckled Drug “Czar” Walters’ nonsensical claims at a conference not too long ago, has moved on for a bigpaycheque at Motorola.
… and finally, the latest news from the No Extradition
LATEST NEWS: A press conference will take place at the BC Supreme Court at 800 Smithe Street, downtown Vancouver, at 10:00am on Tuesday, January 22nd. The hearing has been adjourned in order to continue negotiations for a possible plea deal agreement between the United States, Canada, and Marc Emery. Please call Marc or Jodie Emery for more information if you’re with the media: (604) 689-0590.
Opposition to extradition is still needed! Please phone (613) 957-4222 to tell the Canadian Minister of Justice it would be “cruel and unjust”, and an insult to Canada’s sovereignty, to extradite Canadians Marc Emery, Michelle Rainey and Greg Williams to the United States to face life in US prison.
In case you missed it, Marc’s speech before Joey Shithead’s Band of Rebels of gig on Tokes on the Porch Returns to Herby’s Garden – Choogle on #56
To me, Emery is still one of the most outstanding Persons in the History of Cannabis, right amongst Jack Herer and Mark Howards. Does anyone know whether he got sentenced or not?
regards
reeef on!
From what I’ve heard Emery never gave a second thought to the teenagers who were busted after getting caught growing his seeds. With a felony conviction in the US you can say goodbye to a decent job for the rest of your life. Why should I care if Marc spends 5 years in a minimum security daycare center. I don’t agree with prohibition but I won’t lose any sleep over this clowns problems. He ranted for years about wanting to go to jail, go already!
Well but thats the law, he can’t just sell 5 millions worth of cannabis seeds and think that he won’t be caught.
Its a shame that he should be prosecuted for trying to bring back cannabis as a plant.