In a message dated 06/26/2000 12:59:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time, PRUDYL
writes:
<<
Peter McWilliams, 50, author of the 1993 book "Ain't Nobody's Business
If You Do," died at home in Los Angeles June 14.. Struggling for breath in
his bathtub, Peter choked to death on his own vomit.
But it was not an accident.
McWilliams suffered from both cancer and AIDS. A prescribed cocktail of
toxic drugs was capable of holding his viral load to zero -- in effect,
producing complete remission. Problem was, these drugs produced such severe
nausea that McWilliams was unable to keep them down.
Fortunately, it turned out a natural and harmless herb exists which was
almost fully effective in relieving McWilliams' nausea -- whereas a
synthetic variant of the herb's dominant ingredient, the patented and thus
pharmaceutically profitable Marinol -- proved only one-third as effective.
Unfortunately, following the effective yellow journalism campaign of
William Randolph Hearst to identify this herb, Indian hemp, in the public
mind as the dreaded tool of white women's seduction by minority Lotharios
-- "Marihuana" -- the forces of racism and repression managed to outlaw it,
progressively if unconstitutionally, between the years 1916 and 1934.
Fortunately, the citizens of California since realized that mistake, and
in the autumn of 1996 they re-legalized marijuana there for medical use on
a doctor's "recommendation" -- no prescription required -- by a 55 percent
majority.
Unfortunately, cops operating in California -- the same ones who used to
snarl "If you don't like the law, change it" -- no longer pay any attention
to the law. Now they just break into people's homes, trash or seize their
property, and kidnap them because they feel like it.
"On Dec. 17, 1997, federal drug and tax agents raided McWilliams' home
and offices, confiscating manuscripts and equipment and effectively
shutting down his publishing business," according to J.D. Tuccille of
Freedom Network News (www.free-market.net.) "The ostensible reason for the
raid was a book advance paid to Todd McCormick, an author and fellow
marijuana activist who rented a home where he wrote and grew marijuana with
the money."
Both men said the marijuana grown in the Bel Air mansion was intended to
supply buyers' cooperatives that serve patients in California.
One might imagine a defendant like McWilliams would have had an
open-and-shut dismissal, once he explained his deadly illness, presented
medical testmony that only the medical benefits of marijuana were keeping
him alive, and finally introduced evidence that he was being prosecuted in
spite of the popular victory of Prop 215 in November of 1996 -- that is to
say, "the law."
Ha ha. You see, in federal court, Judge George H. King ruled none of that
information could be introduced into evidence. McWilliams couldn't even
argue that the Ninth Amendment voids any and all federal drug laws.
Deprived of the opportunity to enter any of the facts which would have
constituted his only sensible, valid, and true defense, McWilliams had no
choice but to cop a plea in hopes of getting a reduced sentence. He was
awaiting sentencing for his "crime" at the time of his death.
"Federal Judge George King ordered him not to use medical marijuana
while he was on federal bond," explains McWilliams' friend, Don
Wirtshafter. "Because his mother and brother had put up their houses for
this bond" -- and because he was subject to periodic urine tests, of course
-- "Peter felt obliged to follow this order."
As a result, McWilliams' viral count soared and he spent long hours in
bed, fighting nausea. Unable to work, he defaulted on bankruptcy payments
and recently lost his home.
By thus violating the law which holds any adult of normal intellect
responsible for acts which a reasonable man might expect to cause the death
of another, Judge King -- along with all the other sadists still
prosecuting the War on Drugs -- was directly responsible for the death of
Peter McWilliams, whom they singled out and killed primarily for his
outspoken political opinions.
"Peter McWilliams was a brilliant author and American patriot who was
killed
for his political beliefs -- by an overdose of government," said our mutual
friend Steve Kubby, of Laguna Beach, this week.
Ironically, the Inquisition-like nature of the McWilliams prosecution was
exposed by John Stossel in an interview with McWilliams which aired on
ABC'c "20/20 Friday" on June 9, five days before Peter's death.
But we're not quite done. Scrunch down and check this out:
"Although personnel files are among the most closely guarded of police
secrets, a copy of [that of] Ellis "Max" Johnson II ... was leaked to the
media after he entered the academy last fall, sparking a fierce debate over
the city's hiring practices," wrote Jesse Katz, under a Denver dateline, in
the Los Angeles Times last weekend.
"Under questioning from background investigators, Johnson admitted he had
used drugs on approximately 150 occasions -- not just marijuana, but also
crack, LSD, speed, PCP, mescaline, Darvon, Valium.," reporter Katz
continued. "But Denver's Civil Service Commission, which sets the criteria
for police hiring, insisted that the 40-year-old former karate instructor
had been clean since 1987 and deserved a second chance. ..."
To become a cop, you understand. Busting teen-agers with nickel bags of
dope. Jailing and killing people like Peter McWilliams.
"With their frankness coaxed by a polygraph, 84 percent of Denver's
police applicants -- and at least 65 percent of its recent hires -- have
acknowledged past experimentation," reporter Katz continued. "In some
cases, officers bust people for acts they themselves have committed. ...
" 'Let's wake up,' said Paul Torres, the [Denver's Civil Service]
Commission's former executive director. 'The days of Mayberry are long
gone.' "
OK. I'll buy that. But it also sounds pretty much like what federal Judge
George H. King should have said, in dismissing all charges against Peter
McWilliams. Don't you think?
Vin Suprynowicz is assistant editorial page editor of the Las Vegas
Review-Journal. His book, "Send in the Waco Killers" is available at
1-800-244-2224. >>
Peter McWilliams, 50, author of the 1993 book "Ain't Nobody's Business
If You Do," died at home in Los Angeles June 14.. Struggling for breath in
his bathtub, Peter choked to death on his own vomit.
But it was not an accident.
McWilliams suffered from both cancer and AIDS. A prescribed cocktail of
toxic drugs was capable of holding his viral load to zero -- in effect,
producing complete remission. Problem was, these drugs produced such severe
nausea that McWilliams was unable to keep them down.
Fortunately, it turned out a natural and harmless herb exists which was
almost fully effective in relieving McWilliams' nausea -- whereas a
synthetic variant of the herb's dominant ingredient, the patented and thus
pharmaceutically profitable Marinol -- proved only one-third as effective.
Unfortunately, following the effective yellow journalism campaign of
William Randolph Hearst to identify this herb, Indian hemp, in the public
mind as the dreaded tool of white women's seduction by minority Lotharios
-- "Marihuana" -- the forces of racism and repression managed to outlaw it,
progressively if unconstitutionally, between the years 1916 and 1934.
Fortunately, the citizens of California since realized that mistake, and
in the autumn of 1996 they re-legalized marijuana there for medical use on
a doctor's "recommendation" -- no prescription required -- by a 55 percent
majority.
Unfortunately, cops operating in California -- the same ones who used to
snarl "If you don't like the law, change it" -- no longer pay any attention
to the law. Now they just break into people's homes, trash or seize their
property, and kidnap them because they feel like it.
"On Dec. 17, 1997, federal drug and tax agents raided McWilliams' home
and offices, confiscating manuscripts and equipment and effectively
shutting down his publishing business," according to J.D. Tuccille of
Freedom Network News (www.free-market.net.) "The ostensible reason for the
raid was a book advance paid to Todd McCormick, an author and fellow
marijuana activist who rented a home where he wrote and grew marijuana with
the money."
Both men said the marijuana grown in the Bel Air mansion was intended to
supply buyers' cooperatives that serve patients in California.
One might imagine a defendant like McWilliams would have had an
open-and-shut dismissal, once he explained his deadly illness, presented
medical testmony that only the medical benefits of marijuana were keeping
him alive, and finally introduced evidence that he was being prosecuted in
spite of the popular victory of Prop 215 in November of 1996 -- that is to
say, "the law."
Ha ha. You see, in federal court, Judge George H. King ruled none of that
information could be introduced into evidence. McWilliams couldn't even
argue that the Ninth Amendment voids any and all federal drug laws.
Deprived of the opportunity to enter any of the facts which would have
constituted his only sensible, valid, and true defense, McWilliams had no
choice but to cop a plea in hopes of getting a reduced sentence. He was
awaiting sentencing for his "crime" at the time of his death.
"Federal Judge George King ordered him not to use medical marijuana
while he was on federal bond," explains McWilliams' friend, Don
Wirtshafter. "Because his mother and brother had put up their houses for
this bond" -- and because he was subject to periodic urine tests, of course
-- "Peter felt obliged to follow this order."
As a result, McWilliams' viral count soared and he spent long hours in
bed, fighting nausea. Unable to work, he defaulted on bankruptcy payments
and recently lost his home.
By thus violating the law which holds any adult of normal intellect
responsible for acts which a reasonable man might expect to cause the death
of another, Judge King -- along with all the other sadists still
prosecuting the War on Drugs -- was directly responsible for the death of
Peter McWilliams, whom they singled out and killed primarily for his
outspoken political opinions.
"Peter McWilliams was a brilliant author and American patriot who was killed
for his political beliefs -- by an overdose of government," said our mutual
friend Steve Kubby, of Laguna Beach, this week.
Ironically, the Inquisition-like nature of the McWilliams prosecution was
exposed by John Stossel in an interview with McWilliams which aired on
ABC'c "20/20 Friday" on June 9, five days before Peter's death.
But we're not quite done. Scrunch down and check this out:
"Although personnel files are among the most closely guarded of police
secrets, a copy of [that of] Ellis "Max" Johnson II ... was leaked to the
media after he entered the academy last fall, sparking a fierce debate over
the city's hiring practices," wrote Jesse Katz, under a Denver dateline, in
the Los Angeles Times last weekend.
"Under questioning from background investigators, Johnson admitted he had
used drugs on approximately 150 occasions -- not just marijuana, but also
crack, LSD, speed, PCP, mescaline, Darvon, Valium.," reporter Katz
continued. "But Denver's Civil Service Commission, which sets the criteria
for police hiring, insisted that the 40-year-old former karate instructor
had been clean since 1987 and deserved a second chance. ..."
To become a cop, you understand. Busting teen-agers with nickel bags of
dope. Jailing and killing people like Peter McWilliams.
"With their frankness coaxed by a polygraph, 84 percent of Denver's
police applicants -- and at least 65 percent of its recent hires -- have
acknowledged past experimentation," reporter Katz continued. "In some
cases, officers bust people for acts they themselves have committed. ...
" 'Let's wake up,' said Paul Torres, the [Denver's Civil Service]
Commission's former executive director. 'The days of Mayberry are long
gone.' "
OK. I'll buy that. But it also sounds pretty much like what federal Judge
George H. King should have said, in dismissing all charges against Peter
McWilliams. Don't you think?
Vin Suprynowicz is assistant editorial page editor of the Las Vegas
Review-Journal. His book, "Send in the Waco Killers" is available at
1-800-244-2224.
