Marijuana Dispensary Owner Arrested

[Jim Finnel]

Ca - An operator of a Fresno medical-marijuana dispensary was arrested this afternoon on charges of violating a court order that prohibits his business.

Rick Morse, owner of Medmar in the Tower District, is being held in the downtown jail without bail. His son, Brandon, said he and his father are on a hunger strike and praying to God for guidance.

Rick Morse is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning in Fresno County Superior Court. Violating a court order carries a penalty of up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 per violation. On Feb. 3, Judge Donald Franson Jr. issued a warrant for Morse’s arrest after he failed to show up for his arraignment on the misdemeanor charges.

In a telephone interview, Brandon Morse said Tuesday that God — not Franson — determines whether his father can distribute medical marijuana to ill patients. “This is not the first time someone has been wrongfully imprisoned for their faith,” Brandon Morse said.

He then invited the public to join him and his father on a hunger strike until his father is freed from jail. “We are on a mission from God,” he said.


NewsHawk: User: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: fresnobee.com
Author: Pablo Lopez
Copyright: 2010 The Fresno Bee
Contact: fresnobee.com - Help
Website: Marijuana dispensary owner arrested - Updates - fresnobee.com

 

[sicntired]

They stole the whole thing from the blues brothers.At least I hope they did.It would be a real shame if they were serious.

 

[trekie]

Oh' their nuts because they believe in God. Maybe they are doing Gods work...

 

[honestone]

Maybe their G-d will help them.
I've got to make myself some pancakes now.

 

[trekie]

God's a good politician.... He said let their be free will... and let us be free to choose on our own... Man made the rest up... waffles for me and some pork "Baby"...

 

[Steve McStoferson]

I think claiming the whole religious beliefs to get you out of jail is a bit outdated for our day and age. I can't see a judge going "Oh, well if God said you can do that, who am I to keep you locked up. This man is free to go!"

They will end up eating eventually. What is a hunger strike going to do for their cause?

It's sad that this happens to people over a plant, but some people just need to come back to reality. "God" hasn't helped anyone get out of jail. That should be a sign to them right there.

 

[trekie]

I know of a lot ministers in So Cal that believe in Marijuana is sacred and have co-ops growing it and giving it away and taking donations for it too. So don't knock them... They are making news and doing what they believe in.... what have you done lately to move the cause ahead ... except made fun of people who maybe believe in the cause and are doeing something about it... Their style is not the way I would do it... I don't know about you but growing my plants is a very spiritual thing . . . daily, I thank God for them..

 

[Jim Finnel]

Cannabis needs to be dealt with based on facts. We have plenty of facts to back up our positions so we don't need beliefs. Beliefs are the last refuge of the prohibitionists.

My hats off to any churches who are doing the right things.

 

[sungoddess]

I personally think that facts are the best way to help turn someone around that doesn't believe cannabis is the best medicine. A lot of the same arguments made against pot can be made against religious beliefs, and that's b/c it's all based on "what I believe in" & not evidence, fact, etc. I can argue all day long for what I believe in, want to do, wish I could have (and so can my elementary school children, for that matter).

If religion is, in fact, a part of using cannabis, then that's great. I'd be more apt to use that in my defense than tossing in a hunger strike. I don't know if I'm explaining what is in my brain correctly, but I just feel like the hunger strike is drawing negative attention. Almost like a kid refusing to eat their dinner b/c they didn't get the meal they wanted. It happens a lot at my house & my kids just get sent to bed w/o eating. Doesn't get them any positive attention. Eventually, they get hungry and do eat though at some point (the next day or whatever).

 

[Steve McStoferson]

Almost like a kid refusing to eat their dinner b/c they didn't get the meal they wanted. It happens a lot at my house & my kids just get sent to bed w/o eating. Doesn't get them any positive attention. Eventually, they get hungry and do eat though at some point (the next day or whatever).

Exactly. Couldn't have put it better.

 

[trekie]

All of you are judging someone for their beliefs...but yet you do not want or like to be judge for your beliefs ... What a bunch of Hippocrates... beliefs is what made this country...

 

[bnzapilot]

Don't confuse politicians with the facts. They don't deal in facts. They deal with issues that help them. Not the people they are supposedly representing. That is why it will never be legalized. Too many of their big business contributors will be hurt.

 

[honestone]

The owner of Organica in Marina Del Rey was also arrested today. This is the 3rd time Organica has been raided. The city served 18 eviction notices to Los Angeles dispensaries. 21 dispensaries were raided today in Los Angeles.

 

[sungoddess]

All of you are judging someone for their beliefs...but yet you do not want or like to be judge for your beliefs ... What a bunch of Hippocrates... beliefs is what made this country...

I have zero problems with anyone's beliefs. Actually, I'll stand up and help fight for someone else's right to have the freedom to make the choice that they want, even if I don't agree with it. I just think that it's easier to use facts to win a war in the courtroom, and even in the media. When you are dealing in a venue where everything has "spin" to it, I think that you have to try an angle that can be spun as little as possible. Things like beliefs, religion, etc, you just can't put them up on a power point presentation in the courtroom or air a blurb on the nightly news and expect people to nod their heads and go "Yes, I see. That makes perfect sense. They believe in it, therefore I respect it. Let's vote yes." In my eyes, when using facts, at least there is less of a chance for things to be misconstrued. Will things still get all jacked up & will people still misinterpret the facts, even if they are presented accurately and 110% correctly? Well, duh, of course they will.

Anyway, my two cents & even while writing this, I realize someone's gonna read this and get annoyed. LOL

 

[Warbux]

All of you are judging someone for their beliefs...but yet you do not want or like to be judge for your beliefs ... What a bunch of Hippocrates... beliefs is what made this country...

After being "judged" for all these years i'm the first to say enough...Your accusation is unfounded. There are religious sites here if thats what you want to learn about..But this is about "prosecution" not "persecution.....

 

[trekie]

I guess it's ok to put people down and if you do not understand them... especially if they are fighting for medical marijuana rights. I think it takes a small mind to put people down. its easier than standing up like a real person would and take the heat... This is not about religion it's about dumb asses putting people down...Go smoke a bowel than come back and tell me it's OK to put people down or make fun of them....I still stand by what I wrote....

 

[Steve McStoferson]

All of you are judging someone for their beliefs...but yet you do not want or like to be judge for your beliefs ... What a bunch of Hippocrates... beliefs is what made this country...

Judge me for my beliefs. I don't believe there is a God, judge me for that. I'm not judging the man for his beliefs, I'm just saying going on a hunger strike has nothing to do with his prosecution. He should be spreading facts that relate to the law, not saying that his religious beliefs grant him the use of Cannabis.

Hell, I can say my religious beliefs grant me the right to murder as many people as I choose, that doesn't make the murder law obselete, nor will have any effect on changing ones mind.

 

[smokeloads]

do you think i could have his job i need a good job and to work with weed all day sounds good to me.HeHe.

 

[smokeloads]

QUOTE=smokeloads;985718]do you think i could have his job i need a good job and to work with weed all day sounds good to me.HeHe.

[/QUOTE]

 

[Steve McStoferson]

I guess it's ok to put people down and if you do not understand them... especially if they are fighting for medical marijuana rights. I think it takes a small mind to put people down. its easier than standing up like a real person would and take the heat... This is not about religion it's about dumb asses putting people down...Go smoke a bowel than come back and tell me it's OK to put people down or make fun of them....I still stand by what I wrote....

fighting for rights and going on a hunger strike are 2 different things.. It's like the people who are climbing a mountain for clean water awareness.. WTF does climbing a mountain have to do with getting better water filtration systems in developing nations? Nothing at all, its pointless.