See
A Message From Peter
McWilliams, Prisoner Of The War On The Sick And Dying
and links
JULY 31, 1998
LOS ANGELES, CA:
The Federal Court kept the bail set at $250,000 for Los Angeles author, AIDS and Cancer
patient Peter McWilliams. The best-selling author, who was arrested on July 23, 1998 at
6:00 A.M. Pacific Time when Federal Agents stormed his Laurel Canyon home, had submitted a
Motion before the Court to lower bail from $250,000 to $50,000. He remains in jail pending
a future hearing or the posting of the full $250,000.
McWilliams, 48, is an outspoken advocate of medical marijuana and Proposition 215 who
suffers from AIDS and Cancer who uses medical marijuana to ease the nausea caused by the
"cocktail" of drugs he must take to sustain his life.
"It was months ago that he voluntarily offered to turn
himself in to federal authorities at any time for questioning!??" said a member of
McWilliams’ staff.
"There was no need to storm his house—let alone at 6:00
AM—handcuff him, expose him to infection, leave him without his medication for 5
days, and then set his bail for $250,000... He has AIDS, must take his medication
6-times-a-day, and is weak from the disease. How can this man possibly be perceived as a
flight risk?!!"
When McWilliams was first arrested, Pre-Trial Services recommended bail be set for
$50,000. It was only at the request of the Prosecutors that McWilliams bail was raised to
$250,000.
"His health is our biggest concern" said
McWilliams’ attorney, Bruce Margolin.
The bail hearing was held at 11:00 AM at The Federal Court Building at 255 E. Temple
Street, In Los Angeles.
McWilliams is the author and publisher of more than 35 books which have soldmore than ten
million copies. His books have appeared five times on the NewYork Times best-seller list,
and in June, celebrated 30 years as a self-publisher. His books include How to Survive the
Loss of a Love, How to Heal Depression, Hypericum & Depression, and Ain’t
Nobody’s Business If You Do—The Absurdity of Consensual Crimes in Our Free
Country (a book openly critical of the drug war). These books can be read on-line at www.mcwilliams.com
Supported