Who is Reverend Eddy Lepp

Please send Eddy Lepp some snail mail. It is one of his favorite things to do.

Eddy @: Charles Edward Lepp
90157011 Federal Correctional Institution
3600 Guard Road
Lompoc, Ca 93436

California medical marijuana grower, spiritualist, and activist Eddy Lepp was sentenced Monday to a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence on federal marijuana cultivation charges in a case where he grew more than 20,000 pot plants in plain view of a state highway in Northern California's Lake County. US District Court Judge Marilyn Patel also sentenced him to five years probation. He must report to federal authorities by July 6.

Lepp contended that the plants were a medical marijuana grow for members of the Multi Denominational Ministry of Cannabis and Rastafari and legal under California law. But during his trial, he was not allowed to introduce medical marijuana or religious defenses. He was found guilty of conspiracy to possess marijuana with the intent to distribute more than 1,000 pot plants and of cultivating more than 1,000 plants, which carries a maximum life sentence.
According to California NORML (CANORML) and the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, there were gasps and sobs from Lepp supporters in the courtroom as Patel passed sentence. The sentence was "extreme," Patel conceded, but said her hands were tied by federal law.

In a nod toward the current turmoil over the status of federal prosecutions of medical marijuana providers, Judge Patel said Lepp could apply for a rehearing if the laws changed. Lepp and his attorneys plan to appeal the verdict and the sentence.

Lepp attorney Michael Hall told Patel the sentence was "incredible."

"Incredible is what the law requires," Patel responded, adding that legalizing marijuana appeared to be Lepp's driving passion. "Maybe you want to be a martyr for the cause," she said.

Sentencing Lepp, a 56-year-old veteran in ill health, to prison is a travesty and a waste, said supporters. "This case sadly illustrates the senselessness of federal marijuana laws," said CANORML's Dale Geiringer. "The last thing this country needs is more medical marijuana prisoners. Hopefully, we can change the law and get Eddy out of jail before he completes his sentence."

"Locking up Eddy Lepp serves no purpose and is a huge waste of life and scarce prison space," said Aaron Smith, California policy director of the Marijuana Policy Project. "The community would be a lot better served if we taxed and regulated California's $14 billion marijuana industry rather than continuing to incarcerate nonviolent people like Eddy, who are clearly of no danger to society."

Up lift your spirit and come party with Eddy, Linda and all of our friends on the largest media farm in the world! Come see the BEST in underground marijuana music! Come smoke with the BEST in the underground marijuana movement. Eddy Lepp and his wife Linda Senti open their home to you and your friends. See hip hop, rock, reggae, and everything in between. So come to Nor Cal for the herb, but stay for the music!

http://www.myspace.com/musicfromthehealingfield
http://www.myspace.com/eddylepp

LETTER TO OBAMA: FREE EDDY LEPP
The White House
President Barack Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
FAX: (202) 456-2461

Dear President Obama,

I am writing to you to request that you intervene in the Federal sentencing of Reverend Charles "Eddy" Lepp. Reverend Charles "Eddy" Lepp of the Multi Denominational Ministry Of Cannabis & Rastafari was sentenced to 10 years in Federal Prison on May 18, 2009 for growing more than 1,000 marijuana plants. Eddy Lepp had notified the Governor, the Attorney General, the Board Of Supervisors of Lake County, the Lake County District Attorney, and the local Sheriff; all by certified mail that he was growing the sacred herb for medicinal and spiritual use - by the members of his ministry.

He was denied a religious defense even after the judge ruled he met all the standards necessary to allow this.
Reverend Lepp protected all members of his church, and was the only one charged. Eddy Lepp was forbidden from entering any real sort of defense to the charges, since federal courts do not allow testimony regarding California's medical use law.

After four years of litigation, his trial was reduced to two very short days of testimony due to restrictions placed by Judge Marilyn Hall Patel. The whole trial was over in less than one week.

To know that this gentle man is going to prison for a decade at age 57 makes me physically ill. This religious man who so bravely helped so many sick and dying and sense-threatened Californians find relief through the medicine grown on his land is going to spend more time in prison than the average rapist, man slaughterer, and child molester because our country has not yet overcome its prudish impulse to punish people for moral reasons.

President Obama, you can commute his sentence. With the stroke of a pen, you can see that Rev. Eddy Lepp receives no more punishment for being convicted of growing plants for sick people than Scooter Libby received for felony convictions of obstruction of justice, perjury (twice), and providing false statements to federal investigators. Eddy Lepp's felony conviction will still stand, but we will save the taxpayers the unnecessary burden of feeding, clothing, and housing a man who is no threat to society.

Please Mr. President, you could do the truly just thing. Pardon Eddy Lepp, removing all prison punishment and the felony convictions that loom over the head of this middle-aged Rastafarian minister who grew medical marijuana and now must be punished according to strict adherence to the "rule of law".

President Obama, the California Medical Marijuana Laws are based on the 10th Amendment to the Constitution. You have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution. I plead with you to have your Department of Justice officials dismiss the case and conviction of Charles "Eddy" Lepp.

Even the Judge in the case was quoted at the Sentencing Hearing saying that "I have to say I think that amount of time is excessive. But it is not up to me to legislate, it is up to Congress,"

The investigation, trial, conviction and sentencing of Charles "Eddy" Lepp are a miscarriage of justice. Please use your Executive powers to end the persecution. PLEASE FREE EDDY LEPP.

SEND IT HERE
AskDOJ@usdoj.gov
oig.hotline@usdoj.gov
David.Kowal@usdoj.gov
Rasha.Gerges@usdoj.gov
president@whitehouse.gov

AND PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO USE OBAMA's FORM http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Estimates are that a personal phone call has 1000 times the impact of a petition and 10 times a personal letter. Call to follow-up on your email, let them know it is coming, and to give the personal touch that only voice can.