firesalesman
firesalesman's JournalFeds seek prison for rural Washington pot growers
Source: AP
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The green-cross storefronts of medical marijuana dispensaries are common in much of Washington, and the state is plowing ahead with licensing people to grow and sell recreational pot to adults.
But a federal trial scheduled to begin in the coming weeks for five people in Spokane suggests not all is OK with weed in the state.
Larry Harvey, a 70-year-old medical marijuana patient with no criminal history, three of his relatives and a family friend each face mandatory minimum sentences of at least 10 years in prison after they were caught growing about 70 pot plants on their rural, mountainous property.
The Harveys did have guns at their home, which is part of the reason for the lengthy possible prison time. They say the weapons were for hunting and protection, but prosecutors say two of the guns were loaded and in the same room as a blue plastic tub of pot.
Medical marijuana advocates have cried foul, arguing the prosecution violates Department of Justice policies announced by Attorney General Eric Holder last year that nonviolent, small-time drug offenders shouldn't face lengthy prison sentences.
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/feds-seek-prison-rural-washington-pot-growers-163636772.html
Another contradiction between the words and deeds of Eric Holder.
Saudi Arabia orders 1,000 lashes and ten-year sentence for editor of website that discussed religion
Source: Independent (UK)
A Saudi Arabian court has sentenced the editor of a website that discussed religion in the ultra-conservative Islamic kingdom to 10 years in jail and 1,000 lashes.
Raif Badawi, who started the "Free Saudi Liberals" website, was arrested in June 2012 and charged with cyber-crime and disobeying his father - a crime in the Arab state, local media has reported.
His website included articles that were critical of senior religious figures such as Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti and allegedly insulted Islam and religious authorities, according to Human Rights Watch.
Badawi was originally sentenced to seven years in prison and 600 lashes in July last year, but an appeals court overturned the sentence and ordered a retrial - which then earned him a more severe sentence.
His retrial led the judge to impose a harsher punishment and fine him one million riyals (£157,000).
In April, the Kingdom introduced a series of new laws which define atheists as terrorists, according to HRW.
Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-orders-1000-lashes-and-tenyear-sentence-for-editor-of-website-that-discussed-religion-9338285.html
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