Five defendants from the San Francisco Cannabis Buyers’ Club plead “morally not guilty” at their arraignment in Alameda County Superior Court. The five individuals have been charged with possession of marijuana for sale, the sale or transportation of marijuana, and conspiracy, stemming from an August 4 raid by state law enforcement on the nearly 12,000 member club.
“The fact is, we did sell marijuana in San Francisco to sick and dying people for three and a half years,” CBC founder Dennis Peron told reporters outside the courtroom. “We were morally compelled to do this.”
Judge Larry Goodman scheduled a December 17 hearing on a motion filed by the defendants to move the trial from Oakland to San Francisco. They argue that the trial should be conducted in San Francisco because that is where the club was located.
Judge Goodman has already denied a gag order sought by the attorney general’s office, saying he was not persuaded by arguments that pretrial press coverage could prejudice potential jurors.
For more information, please contact Californians for Compassionate Use at (415) 621-3986.
CBS Morning News will air a comprehensive feature on state marijuana reform efforts this Monday, November 18, at 8:10 AM (EDT).