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McWilliams
and
McCormick
to
Plead
Guilty
11/19/99
Last week, we reported that
a judge had ruled to not allow Peter McWilliams and Todd McCormick to mention
medical marijuana in their upcoming federal trials (http://www.drcnet.org/wol/update11-12-99.html).
In light of this, McWilliams
and McCormick have decided to plead guilty to federal charges against them
in exchange for more lenient sentencing. The pleas will be entered
on Friday, November 18, 1999, in the courtroom of Judge George King, Roybal
Federal Building, Los Angeles at 2:00pm.
"We had no place else to
go," said defendant Peter McWilliams. "We couldn't present our medical
marijuana defense, so we would be automatically found guilty, taken into
custody on the spot, and begin serving a mandatory 10-year sentence.
By pleading guilty, we take the crime out of the mandatory-minimum category
and permit the judge to use compassion in his sentencing. We believe
Judge King will do just that."
The medical condition of
the defendants can be presented to the judge at a sentencing hearing to
be held in approximately two months. The precise wording of the charges
is still being negotiated.
DRCNet will be posting a
letter-writing alert on behalf on McWilliams and McCormick, if they and
their attorneys feel it will be helpful.
-- END --
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Issue #116, 11/19/99
Hypocrisy II: More Special Treatment for Politicians' Families | Youth Violence Subcommittee Holds Field Hearing on Heroin Upsurge | Reformers Express Concern to Bolivian Government Over Illegal Arrest of Leonilda Zurita | In Memoriam: Gil Puder | New Mexico: Governor Holds Forum on Legalization, Top Cop Resigns, Republican Chairman Acknowledges Authoring Private Pro-Decriminalization Paper in 1997 | "Judge Judy" on Drug Users and Their Families: "Let 'Em Die" | Student Conference Report | DEA Lifts Hemp Seed Embargo | McWilliams and McCormick to Plead Guilty | Drug Education: New Publication from The Lindesmith Center | Needle Exchange Forum: Newark, New Jersey 20-Nov | New Report on Injection-Related AIDS Finds Prevention Neglected in Large States and Major Cities | Editorial: Guest Editorial: US Senate Should Pass Forfeiture Reform Bill
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