Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project 760.799.2055

Hi Everyone,
I don’t know what it will take to get people fired up enough to decide it’s time for them to do something to protect the rights of patients to medicinal marijuana, but perhaps the arrest and prosecution of a 74-year-old great grandmother might just do it.
JoAnn and Rich McCabe, long–term high desert medical marijuana patients and MAPP activists were arrested last August for possessing and cultivating medicinal marijuana. This elderly couple were arrested, handcuffed and held in the JoshuaTree jail until bail was posted and are now facing criminal prosecution. Michael Ramos, the San Bernardino County District Attorney, is so determined to send them to jail that he has assigned a special prosecutor to their case.
JoAnn and her husband Rich were arrested and charged with criminal possession and cultivation of a controlled substance after being found cultivating marijuana in their home by local police investigating possibly stolen property in possession of their son who was not living there. According to Red Toph, director of our High Desert MAPP group, “police came to their home claiming they were looking for possibly stolen property in possession of their son who does not even live there. Many people believe that the police claim that they were looking for stolen property in possession of their son was bogus and used as a cover to get police into the JoAnn and Rich’s home.”
If San Bernardino County issued the state mandated medical marijuana ID card like Riverside County does, JoAnn and Rich would not have been arrested. The continued flaunting of state law and waste of taxpayer’s money by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors has lead to the tragedy of the arrest of these two senior citizens.
JoAnn and Rich will be at the Saturday, January 5 MAPP meeting to tell us all about what happened to them and why it happened to them. You should really try and make the time to come hear and show them the community support they deserve and need.
There has been absolutely zero coverage of this outrage in the media and we need to do something about it. When the general public becomes aware of the arrest, handcuffing and imprisonment of a 74 year old great grandmother, I believe there could very well be a significant outcry against San Bernardino County’s crusade against medicinal marijuana.
Even more important than informing the public is establishing a defense fund for them. JoAnn and Rich are not living in an area known for having a significant number of high income residents so unless we can raise the money to obtain competent legal counsel, they will have to rely on underpaid, understaffed and overworked public defenders who know nothing about medical marijuana law.
We have located a very competent attorney in Bruce Margolin’s office, but we need to raise $5,000 to retain his services. The High Desert MAPP group has already put together a committee to raise these funds, but they cannot do it alone. At the Saturday, Jan. 5 MAPP meeting, we will seek ideas and initiatives that can be quickly put into place to raise this money.
For more information on JoAnn and Rich, go to our website www.marijuananews.org and scroll down the home page until you come to their picture. Click on the picture and you will see a video interview I did with them about their arrest and what is happening to them as a result.
You can also donate to the defense fund by clicking on the Donate button below the picture. (At the present time, a shipping and handling charge is added depending on the amount you donate. We are trying to figure out how to delete that, but until that happens, just deduct the shipping and handling charge from your donation – the shipping and handling charge that appears will, of course, be given to the defense fund for JoAnn and Rich.)
If you can, the best thing would be for you to meet JoAnn and Rich and let them know that this outrage is the last straw and that you will stand with them in their fight to remain free and out of jail. Mark your calendar for the meeting this Saturday, Jan. 5 at 3 p.m. at the Cathedral City Public Library. Bring your friends, family and anyone else you know – show our support for JoAnn and Rich and let’s see to it that justice and just plain common decency triumphs.
Lanny
The Cathedral City Public Library is located at 33520 Date Palm Drive, at the corner of Date Palm and Dave Kelly, one block north of Dinah Shore. It is acrss the street from a U.S. Post Office.
If you have any questions or need additional information, send me an email back or give me a call at 760-799-2055.