NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE REFORM OF MARIJUANA LAWS
1001 CONNECTICUT AVENUE NW
SUITE 1010
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036
TEL 202-483-5500 * FAX 202-483-0057
E-MAIL natlnorml@aol.com
Internet http://www.norml.org/

... a weekly service for the media on news items related to Marijuana Prohibition.

May 18, 1995

JIMMY MONTGOMERY STILL IN PRISON: CONDITION DETERIORATING,
AS GOVERNOR'S OFFICE DOES "SPIN CONTROL"

        May 18, Oklahoma City, OK.  Paraplegic Jimmy Montgomery remains in prison, and he is still not receiving adequate medical care to properly treat his anti-biotic resistant infections.  As a result, his life remains in danger.  However, he is now receiving showers, a change of clothes, clean bandages (from his mother), and is now able to wash his clothes separately from the other prisoners.
        The office of Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating is telling callers that they are doing everything possible to get Montgomery released to house arrest and they are actually urging people to call and complain to the prosecutor, Richard Dugger, who blocked his release.  Callers have also received various versions of spin control, depending on whom they talked to.  One caller was told that Montgomery had been selling marijuana to children.  Another was informed that since he was convicted by a jury, he must have done something much more serious than what "the propaganda [NORML] is saying," but that the state wanted him out of prison because he was costing them too much money.  A third caller was told that the Governor's staff couldn't understand why this case was getting so much attention, because they had not read anything about the case in the local media.
        Montgomery will eventually be released, if he doesn't die first, and if you keep calling the governor's office.  Your calls have clearly made the difference in the way he is being treated.  The State of Oklahoma may eventually free him to house arrest, but they will not free the people of Oklahoma from the chains of a lifetime of hate propaganda.  NORML would be interested in hearing any novel efforts at spin control callers may have encountered from the governor's office.

[Please contact Governor Keating's office at (405) 521-2342 and Prosecutor Richard Dugger (at home) (405) 225-3678.]

ATLANTA MAYORS' PROHIBITIONIST SUMMIT A PROPAGANDA FAILURE!  ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY LAUNCHES NEW "ANTI-LEGALIZATION" EFFORT

        May 15, Atlanta, GA.  Prohibitionists at a sparsely attended mayors conference were disappointed to find organized opposition and minimal media coverage, which they had to share with anti-prohibitionists.  Bob Keizer, the Dutch Minister who heads the Department of Alcohol, Drug and Tobacco Policy of the Dutch Ministry of Health joined a group of prominent American anti-prohibitionists--including the former mayor of Hartford--to object to the misrepresentation of European drug policies at a Press Conference on Monday, May 15th.  The day before the summit, reform activists demonstrated against the conference from 1 to 4 PM.
        The conference, billed as "American Cities Against Drugs," was held at tax-payers expense and had promised that attendees would "Hear from key European mayors about the devastation Legalization is bringing to their cities."  Instead, attendees heard the former mayor of Stockholm warn against flying KLM out of Amsterdam because the pilots may be stoned on marijuana.
        The conference was more notable for announcing the formation of a new prohibitionist propaganda effort by Hollywood known as the National Drug Prevention League.  This was founded by the Entertainment Industries Council (EIC), which is sponsored by such great moral leaders as Frank Sinatra, Aaron Spelling, and Fred Silverman.
        Now the wonderful folks who brought us Reefer Madness, Mary Jane, and other film classics are pushing a new music video, "Will you be there tomorrow?"  The video purports to present "the legalization issue [as seen] through the eyes of children."  Perhaps they will also make other videos giving us their view -- "as seen through the eyes of children" -- of other complex issues such as health care reform, nuclear waste disposal, and flat rate versus progressive taxation.  "Will you be taxed tomorrow?"
        EIC says that it will be sponsoring an industry briefing session on drugs and violence for Orlando-based entertainment executives in July and is now organizing the industry's "Drugs, Violence and Youth, Truth or Tragedy Conference" in October.  Is hypocrisy too complex a subject for a music video?

NORML TO PRESENT LETTER TO DUTCH AMBASSADOR;
JOINS INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR DUTCH DRUG POLICY

        May 19, Washington, D.C. NORML has joined an international coalition of anti-prohibitionists in voicing its support for Dutch drug policies-as they apply to marijuana.  In a letter to the Dutch Ambassador, NORML saluted the Dutch for their cannabis policies.  By making cannabis available in almost 2,000 coffee shops around Holland, the Dutch have broken the connection between hard drugs and cannabis.  Instead of studying the success of Dutch drug policies, American prohibitionists are waging a propaganda campaign against our oldest and most reliable ally, falsely claiming that peaceful Holland has become a violent country as a result of its drug policies.

        [For more information on the successes of Dutch drug policy, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML, (202) 483-5500.]

SLAIN MARIJUANA USER'S FAMILY FILES WRONGFUL DEATH SUIT

        May 10, Beaver Dam, WI.  According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, in response to the April 17 shooting of their son, Scott Bryant, 29, by Dodge County sheriffs detective Robert Neuman, parents Boyd and Shirley Bryant have filed a wrongful death claim.  Law enforcement's yield from the Bryant killing; A very small amount of marijuana [According to NORML activists in WI, less than 1 gram of marijuana was discovered!) along with two .22-caliber rifles and five pellet guns.  Bryant was unarmed when he was killed.
        Beaver Dam lawyer Scott Rasmussen will be representing the Bryants in their lawsuit on behalf of their dead son, his 8 year-old boy (who was home at the time of the shooting), and his family.  Rasmussen told the Press Gazette, "We will be claiming that the shooting was both negligent and an intentional act.  Both of those are questions for a jury to determine."

CALIFORNIA IS 'BUZZING' WITH MEDICINAL MARIJUANA NEWS

        May 17, Sacramento, CA.  Despite the likelihood of passing legislation (AB 1529) that will enable sick and dying medical patients to have legal access to marijuana, Governor Wilson is making noises that he will veto the bill.
        Anticipating the Governor's appalling position on this issue, California NORML and Californians for Compassionate Use (CCU) are sponsoring a medical marijuana initiative for the 1996 ballot.  On May 15, CA NORML and CCU received a significant endorsement for their initiative strategy when The San Jose Mercury-News editorialized, "A ballot measure may be the only hope for a rational marijuana policy."  [emphasis added -ed.]

        [For more information on California's 1996 Medical Marijuana Initiative, please contact CCU, (415) 675-9985.]

Counting Down: The 10 Millionth Marijuana Arrest Will Take Place In July.
Will you be the one?

--End--

ALMOST 10 MILLION MARIJUANA ARRESTS SINCE 1965 ... ANOTHER EVERY 90 SECONDS!