How You Can Help Peter
McWilliams
August 1, 1998
From Todd McCormick: At Peter’s request we are sending out update information to
everybody on his e-mail list (BCC for privacy). We hope we will be able to get him out
soon.
We would like to encourage everyone to write to Peter while he is in prison to help
keep his spirits up, his address information is below.
It is clear that the government is trying to break his spirit for so openly and vocally
opposing their policies. Listen to Peter’s Speech at the libertarian convention last
July 4th: "Peace on Drugs - A New Paradigm for Fighting theDrug War" http://www.aennet.com/libertarian/libertarianconvention.htm
Peter was arrested 19 days later, he has been in prison 10 days since.
Peter McWilliams
Prisoner #13835-112
P.O. Box 1500
Los Angeles, CA 90053
From Mark Greer:
**PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE**
**SPECIAL FOCUS ALERT #75 AND FUNDING APPEAL FOR PETER MCWILLIAMS, ET AL.**
ITEM ONE - FUNDING
Mr. Steve Markoff has launched an effort to raise bail for Peter McWilliams and secure
his release so that he can be freed from the clutches of a ruthless federal government
that is refusing to allow him much needed medication.
If you can help in providing money for this purpose please contact Steve Markoff. The
funds can be in the form of a donation to the defense fund or a loan that will be repaid
upon trial completion.
Mr Steve C. Markoff
A-MARK
100 Wilshire Blvd
3rd Floor
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Lisa Sutherland Executive Secretary
310 587 1470
ITEM TWO FOCUS ALERT - LETTERS OF SUPPORT
As many of you know Peter McWilliams, Todd McCormick and six others have been arrested
on charges relating to conspiracy to cultivate large amounts of marijuana for commercial
sale, according to a federal grand jury indictment.
According to Steve Markoff, McWilliams was crying and obviously under incredible stress
as he is being held on $250,000 bail, and has been denied crucially needed medication.
McWilliams suffers from AIDS, and cancer. It appears the federal government, either
deliberately or through unconscionable negligence, is intentionally harming McWilliams by
denying him medication.
McWilliams has been a leading advocate of medical marijuana for many years is a
nationally acclaimed author of many books including the best selling "Life 101"
and "Ain’t Nobody’s Business If You Do."
The last time the feds had a run in with McWilliams was shortly
after he published a full page ad in Variety last December criticizing the DEA.
See: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v97.n412.a02.html
The government doesn’t like people who disagree with them and McWilliams may be
their latest victim.
As a result of marijuana laws a seemingly harmless individual
with a solid reputation is being held on an exorbitant bail and is being denied much
needed medication. This is a life-threatening situation. This would be an unlikely event
in Communist China and seems unconscionable, even unbelievable, in the United States.
Please write a letter to the newspapers below and/or take the other actions suggested.
Express your views on the treatment of McWilliams.
WRITE A LETTER TODAY- LIVE IN A FREER WORLD TOMORROW Just DO it!
PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID ( Letter, Phone, fax etc.)
Please post your letters or report your action to the MAPTalk list if you are
subscribed, or return a copy to this address by simply hitting REPLY to this FOCUS Alert
and pasting your letter in or by E-mailing a copy directly to MGreer@mapinc.org
CONTACT INFO
Please send your letters to all of these papers all of whom had articles on the
McWilliams arrest:
Los Angeles Times
letters@latimes.com
Contra Costa Times
cctletrs@netcom.com
Antelope Valley Press
letters@avpress.com
"EXTRA CREDIT"
Call or write your Congressman or senator to express outrage at this treatment of a
sick individual. Call or write Amnesty International and ask whether this qualifies as a
human rights violation. Amnesty International USA General Address admin-us@aiusa.org
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
NOTE: Most articles were quite similar but we have provided additional URLS for those
who wish to review them. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v98.n621.a02.html
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v98.n617.a02.html
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v98.n612.a04.html
McWilliams full page ad in Variety can be viewed at: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v97.n412.a02.html
PRIMARY LA Times Article
July 24, 1998
Los Angeles Times
letters@latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com/
By David Rosenzweig
MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATES ACCUSED OF CULTIVATION FOR SALE
Todd McCormick, the medical marijuana advocate who says he was growing pot at a Bel-Air
mansion to help relieve chronic cancer pain, was actually part of a conspiracy to
cultivate large amounts of marijuana for commercial sale, according to a federal grand
jury indictment unsealed Thursday.
The nine-count indictment charges McCormick and eight others with conspiracy and
possession of marijuana for sale. Several defendants, including McCormick, had been
previously indicted.
At the center of the scheme, according to the new indictment, was Peter McWilliams, 48,
owner of Prelude Press, a West Hollywood publishing house, who allegedly advanced more
than $100,000 to rent the properties and purchase equipment to grow the plants.
McWilliams was arrested Thursday and held on $250,000 bail. His lawyer, Harland Braun,
said the indictment was part of a government campaign to discredit medical marijuana
advocates.
They allegedly tried to sell some pot to the Los Angeles Cannabis Buyer’s Club,
which has been dispensing marijuana since Californians voted to legalize the drug for
medical usage in 1996.
Scott Imler, executive director of the Buyer’s Club, said Thursday that his
organization has never purchased marijuana from outside sources. "We grow everything
here," he added.
EDITOR NOTE; Mr. Scott Imler has since denied saying "We
grow everything here" to the television media here in Los Angeles. He then added that
the only way the LA CBC can get it’s medical marijuana is if some one grows it and is
willing to sell the CBC some of their harvest. They do prefer if the marijuana they buy is
grown by patients.
In addition to McWilliams and McCormick, 27, those named in Thursday’s superseding
indictment included David Richards, 25, of Lancaster; Kirill Dyjine, 33, of Hollywood;
Andrew Scott Hass, 34, of Malibu and Bellingham, Wash.; Christopher Carrington, 22, of
Manhattan Beach; Greg Collier, 25, of Van Nuys and Bellingham, Wash., and Aleksandra
Evanguelidi, 24, and Renee Boje, 28, both of Los Angeles.
Sample letter from Mark Greer of the Media Awareness Project www.mapinc.org
Dear Editor:
Re: MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATES ACCUSED OF CULTIVATION FOR SALE (LAT 7/24)
Peter McWilliams is the latest victim of a control mad government that can’t stand
scrutiny or criticism of its immoral, illogical, degenerate, failed, and wildly expensive
"War on Drugs."
Not only has McWilliams been indicted for what appears to be the "heinous
crime" of growing medicine for sick people but this nationally famous author is being
held on $250,000 bail as if he were likely to flee the country. To say I am ashamed of my
government doesn’t begin convey my feelings.
To add insult to injury, McWilliams is being denied medication. He is an AIDS and
cancer patient, and withholding this medication for any serious length of time amounts to
a death sentence for this "dangerous criminal."
I guess we have come full circle. The country that used to be proud of its freedom and
openness now puts a death sentence on an individual without trial. Communist China is
looking better and Drug Czar McCaffrey is looking more sinister and wicked all the time.
Mark Greer
Executive Director
DrugSense
WRITE AWAY!!
Mark Greer
Media Awareness Project (MAP) inc.
d/b/a DrugSense
MGreer@mapinc.org
http://www.DrugSense.org/
http://www.mapinc.org
"The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of
tyrants."—Camus
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