Breaking information, a federal choose ordered the early launch of Luke Scarmazzo, the final identified federal medical marijuana prisoner in California. Luke has served 14 years out of a 21-year sentence in federal jail for working a medical marijuana dispensary in California.
On September 27, 2006, Luke Scarmazzo and his co-proprietor Ricardo Montes’ California Healthcare Collective dispensary was raided by the DEA, based on California Norml. Each males have been discovered responsible of working a “continuous prison enterprise” in Might of 2008. Scarmazzo and Montes have been sentenced to twenty+ years in jail for this conviction.
Whereas President Barak Obama launched Montes in Might of 2017, Scarmazzo was not granted that very same privilege.
Activist’s Get Busy
Activists, equivalent to Weldon Angelos, have performed their half to boost consciousness of the injustice surrounding hashish sentencing and prosecution. Angelos met Scarmazzo in jail, the place they served seven years collectively. Angelos was launched in 2020 by President Donald Trump.
In line with Marijuana Motion, Angelos mentioned that “Luke’s story is without doubt one of the most tragic tales of our prison justice system,” He additional acknowledged that Scarmazzo “was following state legislation however handled as a drug kingpin by the federal system. I’m relieved he can go dwelling to his household and have an opportunity at rebuilding his life after serving 14 years in jail.”
Scarmazzo’s Launch
On Thursday, February 2, 2023, Decide Dale Drozd ordered the early launch of Luke Scarmazzo. Activists within the hashish motion hope that the dynamic shift within the hashish trade within the final a number of years underneath Trump and Biden will proceed to convey different tales, equivalent to Scarmazzo’s, to gentle.
After being launched, Scarmazzo posted on Fb,
“As we speak, after serving almost 15 years in jail for working a hashish dispensary, I used to be granted my freedom. The sensation is surreal. We’ve labored towards today for therefore lengthy. This was an enormous victory for my household, associates, neighborhood, and the hashish motion. I’ll take a second to get pleasure from this, however make no mistake, there’s nonetheless a lot work to be performed—by folks must be free—and that tough work begins now.”
Comply with Luke Scarmazzo’s story as he continues his combat in opposition to hashish injustice.
