Members of California’s largest medical marijuana advocacy group mounted a protest on Dec. 27 at the San Luis Obispo County courthouse to commemorate the anniversary of the county’s largest raid on medical marijuana providers to date.
It’s been one year since people were arrested, but a majority of the defendants from “Operation Green Sweep” have yet to make it to trial— thanks in large part to a complicated series of legal squabbles over how to handle the cases involving a less-than-clear state law.
Members of the local chapter of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) wielded signs reading “STOP Medical Raids Now” and “DA Shea: Drop the charges against ALL of the ‘SLO 12.’” Though protester turnout was significantly less than a similar demonstration held during the defendants’ arraignments in the first days of 2011, the organizers were not dissuaded.
“It’s hard to get people to come out early on a Tuesday morning in 38-degree weather right after Christmas, but we’re glad for the support we’ve gotten,” said Rich Donald, chairman for the local ASA chapter.
On Dec. 27 and 28, 2010, the now-defunct San Luis Obispo County Narcotics Task Force arrested 12 local residents in a number of dramatic raids on private residences following a two-month investigation into mobile medical marijuana delivery services.
Law enforcement officials alleged that those arrested were not following the law as defined in the 1996 voter-approved Proposition 215, or the Compassionate Use Act, by accepting money for the marijuana they provided. Those arrested claim they followed the guidelines drafted by then-Attorney General Jerry Brown for compliance with state law.
Peter Miller, one of the “Doobie Dozen” defendants, attended the Dec. 27, 2011, protest. When asked how the last year has affected him, Miller told the Sun, “Where do I start?”
“I’ve got a lot of anger and a lot of stress,” Miller said. “I’m trying to stay afloat but every month that goes by I find myself a little deeper in the hole. But I’m going to have my day in court.”
Trials for Miller and other defendants from Operation Green Sweep are scheduled to begin in late January, but Miller said with the pace set thus far, he’s not holding his breath.
This article appears in Dec 29, 2011 – Jan 5, 2012.