stevenragland

You raise very good questions -- obviously UMASS is doing right by you. If we do have to confront a trial, we will have to address these issues then. There are unknowns with regard to the evidence that will be admitted, the interplay of federal and state law, and the proclamations made by the government that people like Matt who comply with state law with regard to medical marijuana will not be prosecuted by the feds. Our fervent hope, however, is that enough people will hear about this case, go to KeepMattFree.org and sign the petition, and that will result in the Obama Administration or the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California to reevaluate their position, sit down with us, and discuss a just resolution which does not involve sending this good man to prison.

An advice of Hidden Valley Ranch, I must decline to answer that question...

Seriously, being a Californian with year-round access to fresh, delicious lettuces of all kinds, avocadoes, etc., I prefer a very light balsamic olive oil dressing.

Right now, it is raising enough awareness about this injustice to provoke decision-makers to take notice and reevaluate the prosecutor's current position. I hope everyone out there can give us a boost over that hurdle by going to KeepMattFree.org and signing the petition.

On your other question, I do think that if Matt Davies is sent to prison for a decade, by the time he gets out Phillip Morris may be selling medical marijuana cigarrettes and Merck may be manufacturing edibles.

I don't think I'm qualified to comment on the politics in individual states. I just wish the federal government would abide by its promises and respect the will of the people in states like California who overwhelmingly approved medical marijuana and leave good, law-abiding people like Matt Davies alone.

I don't like to throw out odds on my client's cases. I do, however, believe that anyone who sits down with Matt and his lovely family and hears the whole story, and looks at all the records, will be convinced that justice will not be done by sending Matt to prison. He is a model of how things should be done. I do not think there is any valid purpose in prosecuting Matt Davies, who paid taxes, employed dozens of people with good jobs, and provided a legitimate, safe source of medical marijuana to qualified patients.