Guest guest Posted February 4, 2000 Report Share Posted February 4, 2000 Hey everybody! The following is a very important message by a sick man facing the horrible conditions of jail! Even if you don't read the news, or just don't want to read this READ IT!!!! This man needs our help and we must give it to him! Show him your support, and tell him your in the BSA to let him know he has the support of the organization! We must stick together on this one and get this man out of jail! bart. The following was written by McWilliams himself: Please help keep me out of federal prison by writing a letter to the judge My name is Peter McWilliams. I am a cancer survivor living with AIDS. I was arrested in July 1998 on federal medical marijuana charges, even though I live in California, a state that approved medical marijuana use in 1996. In November 1999, the federal prosecutors successfully obtained an order prohibiting me from mentioning to the jury that I have AIDS, that marijuana is medicine, that the federal government supplies eight patients with medical marijuana each month, or that California has a law permitting the very act that I was accused of violating. As I never denied my medical marijuana cultivation, that left me with no defense whatsoever. To avoid an almost certain guilty verdict and a ten-year mandatory-minimum sentence, I pled guilty to a lesser charge. (The whole story is at www.petertrial.com) My sentencing for this charge will be on March 27, 2000. The deadline for turning in letters of support is February 20, 2000. Would you please take the time to send a letter, or a fax, or even an e-mail, to the judge on my behalf? It would make all the difference in my world. The letter need not be long or eloquent. One sentence is sufficient. The judge can sentence me to 0 to 5 years. The federal sentencing guidelines place my recommended (but not mandatory) sentence in the 5-year range. It is probably unavoidable that I get a sentenced to some time -- perhaps the full five years. What I am asking the judge -- and what I am asking you to ask the judge -- is that I be able to serve my sentence under " home detention, " also known as " electronic monitoring. " (An electronic transmitter would be permanently fastened to my ankle and my whereabouts would be monitored 24 hours a day. I would not be able to leave my home except for medical or court appointments. As I live in Los Angeles, this will allow me to write my books, including Galileo LA.) In writing the Judge King, please observe these commonsense guidelines: 1. Please be respectful. The judge owes me, or you, nothing. You are asking for a favor. When Judge King was asked to allow me to use medical marijuana while out on bail, he said to the attorneys on both sides, in a voice trembling with compassion, " I am struggling mightily with this. Please, struggle with me. " Alas, there was nothing in federal law that permitted him to allow me to break federal law, even to save my life, but I believed the sincerity of his struggle. Personally, I don't want judges rewriting law as they see fit. Judge King is a good judge upholding a bad law. My sentence, however, is at his discretion. I believe he will be fair, that he will read the letter you send, and he will be moved by your heartfelt request. I believe we owe courtesy to the King. 2. Please focus on my health (www.petertrial.com/undetectable.htm) and my contributions to society (through my books www.mcwilliams.com/books) as reasons why I should receive home detention or electronic monitoring (the term can be used interchangeably). The legal arguments will be made by my attorney. 3. If you know me, please say so, and state any positive character traits you may have noticed wafting by from time to time. (This letter is not written under oath, so you will not be arrested for perjury.) 4. If you have read any of my books, please say so. If they helped you, please say how. (Exception: Please do not mention " Ain't Nobody's Business if You Do. " See 5.) 5. Please do not give your opinion of the War on Drugs (unless you're in favor of it), how the government treated me in this case (unless you approve), your views on medical marijuana (unless you're against it), or anything else critical of the status quo. Save those remarks, however well-reasoned and accurate, for letters-to-the-editor. Such comments may be counterproductive in a letter to a federal judge. 6. If you can, please keep the letter to one page, and no longer than two. Actual letters (those things made popular in the last millennium, printed on paper, put into envelopes, and sent through the Post Office) are best. Typed is better, but handwritten is fine. Please use the most impressive letterhead to which you have legitimate access. (Your business stationery is better than your personal stationery, for example.) If you don't have stationery, you can create a letterhead on any word processor in about two minutes. Please address the letters to: " The Honorable George H. King " and begin the letter: " Dear Judge King, " Please mail the letters TO ME at: Peter McWilliams 8165 Mannix Drive Los Angeles, California 90046 If you know you're probably not going to get around to writing a letter (and I know just how you feel -- I don't know where to find an envelope any more, much less a stamp -- please send a fax (signed, on letterhead, if possible, but if not, that's fine) to: 323-650-1541 If you think you might not get around to sending a fax, please send an e-mail. Please write at the bottom of the e-mail " You have my permission to reformat this letter, print it, and sign my name at the bottom. " Your name will be signed for you, next to which will be the initials of the person signing it. Please include your complete mailing address. The e-mail address is peter Finally, please circulate this request as widely as you can -- post it on bulletin boards, send it to receptive people on your e-mail list, send it out in newsletters, put it on your web page. Kindly use your creativity, but, please, no spamming. If you cannot post the entire message of this missive, the online address of this request is www.petertrial.com/letters.htm. Thank you from the bottom of my weary but very grateful heart. Enjoy. Peter McWilliams peter ____________________ _ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 4, 2000 Report Share Posted February 4, 2000 Dear Bart Of course I'll write - he sounds like a really nice man who has hurt nobody. Only one question - what's the BSA? Forgive my English ignorance. Cheers Cathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 4, 2000 Report Share Posted February 4, 2000 Hi, Just a reminder that this is an animal-related list. If you are so inclined, here is a short list of ways you can help animals... http://www.peta-online.org/alert/index1.html Seattle Ready to Take a Strong Stand Against Animal Abuse Australian Hens Need Your Help to Get Out of Cruel Cages Homeless Dogs Burned Alive Tupelo Airport Employees Charged with Malicious Killing of Lost Dog Stop Construction of Huge Primate Breeding Facility in Spain Help Make Dissection Alternatives the Law in Illinois Help Win Freedom for Four Baby Elephants Stop Dog Shooting in Moulton, Iowa Help End Federal Funding for Chimp Killers Stop Government-Sanctioned Cruelty in Our National Parks Urge Swift Return of Indian Baby Elephant End Medical Training on Live Kittens Ask Chicago Mayor to Ban Breeding and Importation of Dolphins " Shelter " Gives Animals to Experimenters Animal " Actors " Still Need Your Help Help Make Animal Cruelty a Felony in Georgia Update: Turkey Farm Cruelty Investigation Unilever and the FDA's Unnecessary Rat Test Requirement Stop the Poisoning of Starlings in Jefferson County, Ky. Ask Wal-Mart to End Live Animal Sales Help save the Prairie Dogs from being killed to extinction Martha Stewart Promotes Pet Shops Urge Cat Toy Companies to Stop Using Real Fur Demand University End Use of Live Turtles in Physiology Lab Help End " Dog Labs " at LSU Urge Petland to Stop Selling Animals Support Sanctuaries for " Retired " Research Chimpanzees Stop Nature Park's Capture of Wild Monkeys for Laboratories Urge New Hampshire Officials to Hold Breeder Accountable Help Convict Dog Breeder of Animal Cruelty End Use of Dogs by the Chicago Transit Authority Stop the Reintroduction of Cruel Body-Gripping Traps in Massachusetts Ask Department Stores to End Fur Sales End CU Dog Labs Urge Coke to End Greyhound Race Sponsorship Stop the Bullfighting Bloodbath in Nogales Kappa Sigma Fraternity Fails to Follow Through on Opossum Torture Case Help Free Monkey Trapped in Seattle Dentist's Office Urge Prosecution of Tennessee Puppy Mill Owners Massive Illegal Predator Control Program in Georgia Urge Support of Elephant Accident Prevention Act Mayor James T. " Cookie " Cook Not So Sweet to Dogs Stop Cruel Spectacle at Chinese Zoo Cockfighting: End the Slaughter Urge Disney to Leave Real-Life Dalmatians Out of Movie Help Dogs in South Korea Urge Lew Magram to Stop Fur Sales Ask Shriners to End Animal Acts The FDA Needs You to Help End Cruel Forced Molting Practices Help the Plight of Greyhounds and Podencos in Spain Downed Animal Protection Act Urge American Express to Permanently Ban Fur Stop Dog Shootings by West Virginia Shelter Demand That Intel Prohibit Cruel Animal Experiments by Students in Science Fair Demand Humane Treatment for Colombia's Strays Help End State Department Animal Labs Demand Strengthened Animal Protection Laws in Spain New UniverSoul Circus using animals Texas Tech University experimenters have decided to see whether fire ants kill fawns Urge Museum to Hatch Humane Exhibits Keep " Free to Good Home " Animals Safe Help Save " AquaBabies " and " Tiny Tanks " Fish, Frogs, and Snails Stop Animal Abuse in Taiwanese Dog Pound End Med School " Dog Labs " Urge Louisiana Shelter to End Cruel Killing Method Speak Out for Animals in Petco Stores Ask Whatever Works to End Animal Urine Sales Ask University to Stop Using Live Tiger as Prop Demand Holland America End Support of Cruel Dog Race PetSmart Urged to End Sales of Small Animals, Reptiles, and Birds Disneyland Dismal for Mice Tell Melaleuca to End Animal Tests Help Get Fur Out of Nordstrom Get Fishing Out of the National Parks Burger King: Time for a Veggie Burger Tell Macy's To End Fur Sales > Hey everybody! > > The following is a very important message by a sick man facing the > horrible conditions of jail! Even if you don't read the news, or just > don't want to read this READ IT!!!! This man needs our help and we must > give it to him! Show him your support, and tell him your in the BSA to let > him know he has the support of the organization! We must stick together on > this one and get this man out of jail! > > bart. -- _____________ Free email services provided by http://www.goodkarmamail.com powered by OutBlaze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 5, 2000 Report Share Posted February 5, 2000 Hey, Don't people get enough support in this human centred planet? Let's do something for the animals here ... Vikas Sharma of Operations & Media Carnival Management Web: http://www3.sympatico.ca/carnival Email: carnival Phone bart [bart] Friday, February 04, 2000 4:28 AM EMERGENCY !!! bart Hey everybody! The following is a very important message by a sick man facing the horrible conditions of jail! Even if you don't read the news, or just don't want to read this READ IT!!!! This man needs our help and we must give it to him! Show him your support, and tell him your in the BSA to let him know he has the support of the organization! We must stick together on this one and get this man out of jail! bart. The following was written by McWilliams himself: Please help keep me out of federal prison by writing a letter to the judge My name is Peter McWilliams. I am a cancer survivor living with AIDS. I was arrested in July 1998 on federal medical marijuana charges, even though I live in California, a state that approved medical marijuana use in 1996. In November 1999, the federal prosecutors successfully obtained an order prohibiting me from mentioning to the jury that I have AIDS, that marijuana is medicine, that the federal government supplies eight patients with medical marijuana each month, or that California has a law permitting the very act that I was accused of violating. As I never denied my medical marijuana cultivation, that left me with no defense whatsoever. To avoid an almost certain guilty verdict and a ten-year mandatory-minimum sentence, I pled guilty to a lesser charge. (The whole story is at www.petertrial.com) My sentencing for this charge will be on March 27, 2000. The deadline for turning in letters of support is February 20, 2000. Would you please take the time to send a letter, or a fax, or even an e-mail, to the judge on my behalf? It would make all the difference in my world. The letter need not be long or eloquent. One sentence is sufficient. The judge can sentence me to 0 to 5 years. The federal sentencing guidelines place my recommended (but not mandatory) sentence in the 5-year range. It is probably unavoidable that I get a sentenced to some time -- perhaps the full five years. What I am asking the judge -- and what I am asking you to ask the judge -- is that I be able to serve my sentence under " home detention, " also known as " electronic monitoring. " (An electronic transmitter would be permanently fastened to my ankle and my whereabouts would be monitored 24 hours a day. I would not be able to leave my home except for medical or court appointments. As I live in Los Angeles, this will allow me to write my books, including Galileo LA.) In writing the Judge King, please observe these commonsense guidelines: 1. Please be respectful. The judge owes me, or you, nothing. You are asking for a favor. When Judge King was asked to allow me to use medical marijuana while out on bail, he said to the attorneys on both sides, in a voice trembling with compassion, " I am struggling mightily with this. Please, struggle with me. " Alas, there was nothing in federal law that permitted him to allow me to break federal law, even to save my life, but I believed the sincerity of his struggle. Personally, I don't want judges rewriting law as they see fit. Judge King is a good judge upholding a bad law. My sentence, however, is at his discretion. I believe he will be fair, that he will read the letter you send, and he will be moved by your heartfelt request. I believe we owe courtesy to the King. 2. Please focus on my health (www.petertrial.com/undetectable.htm) and my contributions to society (through my books www.mcwilliams.com/books) as reasons why I should receive home detention or electronic monitoring (the term can be used interchangeably). The legal arguments will be made by my attorney. 3. If you know me, please say so, and state any positive character traits you may have noticed wafting by from time to time. (This letter is not written under oath, so you will not be arrested for perjury.) 4. If you have read any of my books, please say so. If they helped you, please say how. (Exception: Please do not mention " Ain't Nobody's Business if You Do. " See 5.) 5. Please do not give your opinion of the War on Drugs (unless you're in favor of it), how the government treated me in this case (unless you approve), your views on medical marijuana (unless you're against it), or anything else critical of the status quo. Save those remarks, however well-reasoned and accurate, for letters-to-the-editor. Such comments may be counterproductive in a letter to a federal judge. 6. If you can, please keep the letter to one page, and no longer than two. Actual letters (those things made popular in the last millennium, printed on paper, put into envelopes, and sent through the Post Office) are best. Typed is better, but handwritten is fine. Please use the most impressive letterhead to which you have legitimate access. (Your business stationery is better than your personal stationery, for example.) If you don't have stationery, you can create a letterhead on any word processor in about two minutes. Please address the letters to: " The Honorable George H. King " and begin the letter: " Dear Judge King, " Please mail the letters TO ME at: Peter McWilliams 8165 Mannix Drive Los Angeles, California 90046 If you know you're probably not going to get around to writing a letter (and I know just how you feel -- I don't know where to find an envelope any more, much less a stamp -- please send a fax (signed, on letterhead, if possible, but if not, that's fine) to: 323-650-1541 If you think you might not get around to sending a fax, please send an e-mail. Please write at the bottom of the e-mail " You have my permission to reformat this letter, print it, and sign my name at the bottom. " Your name will be signed for you, next to which will be the initials of the person signing it. Please include your complete mailing address. The e-mail address is peter Finally, please circulate this request as widely as you can -- post it on bulletin boards, send it to receptive people on your e-mail list, send it out in newsletters, put it on your web page. Kindly use your creativity, but, please, no spamming. If you cannot post the entire message of this missive, the online address of this request is www.petertrial.com/letters.htm. Thank you from the bottom of my weary but very grateful heart. Enjoy. Peter McWilliams peter ____________________ _ --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- Don’t buy your Valentine a Gift by clicking here. <a href= " http://clickme./ad/SparksValentine11 " >Click Here</a> ------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - List owner: -owner Shortcut URL to this page: /community/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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