T
The420Guy
Guest
Marijuana legalization advocate Ed "njweedman" Forchion is in trouble with
the law again.
Forchion was jailed Monday night after he violated the terms of the
supervisory program in which he is enrolled, officials said yesterday.
As a result, the Pemberton Township resident could be forced to return to
prison to serve the remainder of his 10-year sentence on marijuana- related
charges.
Tom Bartlett, regional director for the Intensive Supervision Program, said
Forchion violated provisions of the program by advocating marijuana use.
Participants in the Intensive Supervision Program are released early from
prison but must remain drug-free and abide by other regulations.
"He agreed he was not going to promote marijuana use," Bartlett said. "We
tried to get him in compliance and he has not cooperated."
In a telephone interview from the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly
yesterday, Forchion said he was told he violated the terms of the program
by taping three television commercials in which he advocated the
legalization of marijuana.
Forchion said he simply expressed his opinions on free speech and the
nation's war on drugs in the commercials.
"This is America," Forchion said. "I have every right to say what I want to
say. (Parole officials) just don't want me to talk."
Forchion has long maintained that his First Amendment rights are being
violated because he cannot freely practice his faith as a Rastafarian or
state his beliefs.
Forchion was charged with helping his brother and another man pick up a
shipment of 40 pounds of marijuana at Bellmawr Industrial Park in Bellmawr,
Camden County, in November 1997. The marijuana was shipped from a supplier
in Arizona via Federal Express.
Forchion was tried on charges of distributing marijuana and possession of
marijuana with intent to distribute in October 2000 but pleaded guilty to
those charges and two unrelated charges during his trial. He was sentenced
to 10 years in prison in December 2000 and served 16 months in prison
before he was admitted into the Intensive Supervision Program.
Under the terms of the program, Forchion must refrain from smoking
marijuana and must obtain a job. He also must provide regular urine samples
to demonstrate that he is staying clean.
Forchion also cannot advocate the legalization of marijuana.
In each of the three, 30-second commercials that he taped, Forchion wears a
shirt bearing a marijuana leaf and stands in front of an American flag.
In one of the commercials, he advocates free speech. In another, he says
that marijuana has medicinal benefits. In the third, he criticizes the
government's war on drugs.
Forchion tried to buy time from Comcast to televise the commercials, but
the cable company declined to air them.
Comcast spokeswoman Nissa O'Mara said the commercials violated the
company's advertising policy against promoting drug use.
Pubdate: Wed, 21 Aug 2002
Source: Burlington County Times (NJ)
Copyright: 2002 Calkins Newspapers. Inc.
Contact: PhillyBurbs.com: Local News & Sports in Bucks and Montgomery County
Website: PhillyBurbs.com: Local News & Sports in Bucks and Montgomery County
Details: MapInc
Author: Mike Mathis
Note: BCT staff writer John Reitmeyer also contributed to this story.
the law again.
Forchion was jailed Monday night after he violated the terms of the
supervisory program in which he is enrolled, officials said yesterday.
As a result, the Pemberton Township resident could be forced to return to
prison to serve the remainder of his 10-year sentence on marijuana- related
charges.
Tom Bartlett, regional director for the Intensive Supervision Program, said
Forchion violated provisions of the program by advocating marijuana use.
Participants in the Intensive Supervision Program are released early from
prison but must remain drug-free and abide by other regulations.
"He agreed he was not going to promote marijuana use," Bartlett said. "We
tried to get him in compliance and he has not cooperated."
In a telephone interview from the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly
yesterday, Forchion said he was told he violated the terms of the program
by taping three television commercials in which he advocated the
legalization of marijuana.
Forchion said he simply expressed his opinions on free speech and the
nation's war on drugs in the commercials.
"This is America," Forchion said. "I have every right to say what I want to
say. (Parole officials) just don't want me to talk."
Forchion has long maintained that his First Amendment rights are being
violated because he cannot freely practice his faith as a Rastafarian or
state his beliefs.
Forchion was charged with helping his brother and another man pick up a
shipment of 40 pounds of marijuana at Bellmawr Industrial Park in Bellmawr,
Camden County, in November 1997. The marijuana was shipped from a supplier
in Arizona via Federal Express.
Forchion was tried on charges of distributing marijuana and possession of
marijuana with intent to distribute in October 2000 but pleaded guilty to
those charges and two unrelated charges during his trial. He was sentenced
to 10 years in prison in December 2000 and served 16 months in prison
before he was admitted into the Intensive Supervision Program.
Under the terms of the program, Forchion must refrain from smoking
marijuana and must obtain a job. He also must provide regular urine samples
to demonstrate that he is staying clean.
Forchion also cannot advocate the legalization of marijuana.
In each of the three, 30-second commercials that he taped, Forchion wears a
shirt bearing a marijuana leaf and stands in front of an American flag.
In one of the commercials, he advocates free speech. In another, he says
that marijuana has medicinal benefits. In the third, he criticizes the
government's war on drugs.
Forchion tried to buy time from Comcast to televise the commercials, but
the cable company declined to air them.
Comcast spokeswoman Nissa O'Mara said the commercials violated the
company's advertising policy against promoting drug use.
Pubdate: Wed, 21 Aug 2002
Source: Burlington County Times (NJ)
Copyright: 2002 Calkins Newspapers. Inc.
Contact: PhillyBurbs.com: Local News & Sports in Bucks and Montgomery County
Website: PhillyBurbs.com: Local News & Sports in Bucks and Montgomery County
Details: MapInc
Author: Mike Mathis
Note: BCT staff writer John Reitmeyer also contributed to this story.