Violent Crimes Associated With Medical Marijuana

The late Jimmy Wheeler, a medical marijuana patient in Washington, created this artwork. Now a proposed patient protection bill will be named in his honor..

There is an idea floating around that Marijuana is a harmless drug that escapes the violent world that is associated with other drugs. When people think of Marijuana, they hardly think of guns, murder, and robbery; sadly, those three things all play a part in the billion dollar marijuana industry. Washington's medical marijuana advocates and law officials are claiming that the violent crimes associated with medical marijuana in the last week are unprecedented. Marijuana is a valuable commodity that people will try and exploit if they see an opportunity to score. Marijuana lives in a gray area within state laws, people think that growers will not call the police if they get robbed even though they are producing an illegal substance. That being the case, growers will fight to the death to protect their crop as is seen in the case of a man in Orting, Wash., near Tacoma, who "died after he reportedly was beaten while confronting people trying to steal marijuana plants from his property", according to the New York Times. On Monday, a man was shot while trying to rob a prominent medical-marijuana activist near Seattle. People are starting to wonder if this kind of violence will only get worse.

Steve Sarich, who runs a group called CannaCare out of his house in the Seattle area, shot one of the five individuals who attempted to rob his home on Monday while also being peppered himself by shotgun fire himself. Police arrested the five the very next day on robbery charges in connection with the shooting. The New York Times reports that, "In both cases, the victims appear to have been chosen because they were known to have relatively large amounts of marijuana in their homes. They say the crimes underscore conflicts in state policy that have become evident since Washington legalized medical marijuana in 1998". Sarich has been demanding that law officials protect the legal growers of medical marijuana; however, many growers are not following the law and growing much more than the allotted amount. Sarich himself had 385 plants in his house after the shooting on Monday; they were authorized to have 50 plants.

Why would the police protect the rights of people who are breaking the law? Sure, there is no reason why people should be robbed, but, how can growers expect to be protected if they break the law - a law that is murky to say the least.

Obama Administration Issues New Policy On Medical Marijuana

The marijuana question and the argument of legalization made a huge stride today in Washington. It seems as though every passing month brings new developments that are in favor of legalization; if people are following state law then they are relatively free of any federal punishment. Obama administration issues new policy on medical marijuana. "The Obama administration delivered new guidance on medical marijuana to federal prosecutors Monday, signaling a broad policy shift that will mean fewer crackdowns against dispensaries and the people who use them", according to the Washington Post. The idea is that federal prosecutors should focus on those growers who exploit state law and traffic drugs behind the veil of medical marijuana.

"It will not be a priority to use federal resources to prosecute patients with serious illnesses or their caregivers who are complying with state laws on medical marijuana, but we will not tolerate drug traffickers who hide behind claims of compliance with state law to mask activities that are clearly illegal", said Attorney General Eric Holder. Obama's new policy raises a lot of questions about what kind of good will come of it; on one hand, every plant grown legally in the U.S. is another dollar that Mexican Cartels cannot get there hands on to fund their war. Obviously, taking money from the cartels is a good thing and may reduce the number of murders that happen everyday along the border. There are those who argue that giving addicts the ability to grow marijuana without the fear of punishment may increase addiction rates throughout the country.

Only time will tell whether the new policy will do more harm than good and there seems to be more people in favor of medical legalization then there are against it. The Mexican cartels should be the main focus of federal agents due to the violence that goes along with their business. the Washington Post reported that, "Tom Angell, a spokesman for the advocacy group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, said in an e-mail message that the shift appears to be a "major step" in the right direction". The new development in Washington is in no way an all out legalization of the drug, rather, it is simply put in place to guide investigators toward the more important cases where serious laws are being broken. What is the right answer in all of this remains unclear because the new policy has yet to be put to the test. Is less crime and more addiction the right path to take?

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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Will Be Front And Center In The Supreme Court

Tomorrow, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) will be front and center in the Supreme Court. The case of Holmes v. Louisiana has raised a lot of controversy regarding FAS, and whether or not someone with the disorder should be eligible for the death penalty. "Brandy Holmes, is a 29-year-old woman with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome currently on death row in Louisiana. She and a codefendant were convicted of a 2003 murder in Louisiana. Brandy's lead attorney is noted Harvard Professor Charles Ogletree", according to the PR Newswire. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is the number one preventable form of retardation in the world; there are 40,000 newborns each year just in the United States. There are more cases annually than: autism, Downs syndrome, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, and sudden infant death syndrome - combined.

There are many states that do not execute people who suffer from mental disabilities; society believes that to be inhumane. "Thirty-three states and the Federal Government don't execute persons with mental retardation - 16 more than only ten years ago. Evolving standards of decency place Brandy's case squarely within the precedent established by the court and society with regard to intellectual disabilities and the ultimate punishment". It is clear that Brandy, a person named after her mother's favorite drink, is a convicted murderer that deserves the consideration of mitigating circumstances. "Brandy has a hallmark case of FAS. Her mother testified that she drank throughout her pregnancy, and in fact named her daughter after her favorite drink", states NOFAS President Tom Donaldson. NOFAS is the The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome; they fight for the rights of those who suffer from the disorder. NOFAS is there for children, as well as adults, who seek help for the wide range of problems associated with the disorder.

The statistics are available and the evidence is clear, we cannot continue to ignore this problem. The effects that alcohol have upon a pregnancy are devastating and we can no longer ignore the truth. Brandy may have committed the act of murder, but, because of her disability she should be granted a stay of execution. There needs to be more awareness via education regarding what alcohol does to babies. Donaldson believes that there needs to be more campaigns for the cause, "It's time to stop playing Russian roulette when it comes to alcohol and pregnancy". It is the 21st century, in an era of technology and information there is no excuse for why so many children are still born with such a disadvantage.

We have discussed Fetal Alcohol Syndrome earlier this month and we will continue to follow this story. We will watch to see if the Supreme Court makes a decision to hear Brandy Holmes' case.

Jesse James Hollywood is Now a Convicted Murderer

Jesse James Hollywood is now a convicted murderer after four days of jury deliberation. Last Wednesday, a jury decided that Jesse James was indeed guilty of the murder of 15-year-old Nicholas Markowitz. Hikers found Nicholas buried in a shallow grave at a place called Lizard’s Mouth in the mountains above Santa Barbara on August 12, 2000. After 9 years the Nicholas' family finally has some closure and sentencing will start this morning.

Jesse James Hollywood is eligible for the death penalty because the conviction comes with a special circumstance enhancement due to the fact that the murder was committed during a kidnapping. "Prosecutors believed Hollywood and friends kidnapped Markowitz as the result of a $1,200 drug debt Markowitz’s older brother, Ben, a former marijuana dealer friend of Hollywood’s, owed. An ongoing feud escalated over time. One day, as Hollywood was looking for Ben Markowitz, he instead came across Nick and threw him in a van. Less than three days later, Nick Markowitz was shot nine times and killed by Hollywood’s friend Ryan Hoyt."

Whenever drugs and alcohol are involved with acts of crime bad things are sure to happen to those involved. Decision making is obscured and people make rash choices as seen in Jesse James Hollywood's case. No matter the sentence Jesse receives, his life is ruined and a young boy was killed; we can't help but say, "for what", how could any of this be worth it? Nicholas' family may have some closure in this case but they no longer have a son; and they also have to live with the fact that their other son Ben was directly involved with the string of circumstances that led up to his brother's kidnapping and ultimately his murder.

It will be interesting to see if Hollywood receives the death penalty or life in prison. Let me know what your thoughts are on the conviction?

P.S. Don't forget to tune in to A&E tonight for Intervention to see Bret's Story. I will be back on Wednesday to talk about Bret's story.

Jesse James Hollywood the Alpha Dog

Jesse James Hollywood the Alpha Dog, is a former drug dealer and fugitive, currently on trial for kidnapping and ordering the murder of Nicholas Markowitz. The movie Alpha Dog chronicled the events leading up to the kidnapping and murder of 15 year old Nicholas Markowitz; Alpha Dog quickly became a hit having an all-star cast including: Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, Shawn Hatosy, Ben Foster, Olivia Wilde, Amanda Seyfried, Anton Yelchin, along with Sharon Stone and Bruce Willis.

Alpha Dog hit home with Southern Californian residents and especially parents for its real life portrayal of the drug world and where it leads people. Prosecutors have finally rested their case against Jesse James Hollywood (born January 28, 1980), also known as Michael Costa Giroux and Sean Michaels, who is accused of ordering the murder of Nicholas Markowitz who he allegedly kidnapped to force payment of a drug debt. Prosecutors contend that Hollywood and others kidnapped the boy in 2000 in the San Fernando Valley to force his half brother, Ben Markowitz, to pay the $1,200 he owed Hollywood for drugs.

Hollywood disappeared after the killing and was finally arrested in 2005 on a Brazilian beach by FBI Agents. The trial was slowed down by the making of Alpha Dog, because during the filming Santa Barbara County Deputy District Attorney Ronald J. Zonen provided copies of many documents on the case and served as an unpaid consultant to the film, citing his desire to have Hollywood captured. Zonen prosecuted Hollywood’s co-defendants and was poised to prosecute Hollywood. Hollywood's defense claimed there was a conflict of interest, and the California Court of Appeals for the Second District ruled on October 5, 2006, that based on Zonen's disclosure of the files and consultant service—he should be recused from further involvement in prosecuting Hollywood.

After four years Prosecutors have rested their case against Jesse James Hollywood, the defense will begin calling witnesses today and a jury could begin deliberations on June 26 or June 29. Hollywood, now 29, has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and murder charges. He could face the death penalty if convicted. Defense witnesses could include Alpha Dog director Nick Cassavetes, who interviewed some of the witnesses, and Ron Zonen.

I will be following this case as the defense begins their case and I will keep you posted. The story of Jesse James Hollywood and the untimely death of Nicholas Markowitz is an extreme example of how the disease of addiction can impact one's life and one's family. Remember to call Hope by the Sea if you need help with your recovery, untreated addiction is always a matter of life and death.