US NJ: NJWEEDMAN Cultivates Another Lawsuit


Media Awareness Project

US NJ: NJWEEDMAN Cultivates Another Lawsuit

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1261/a01.html

Newshawk: EDWARD FORCHION -aka- NJWEEDMAN (njweedman@yahoo.com)
Pubdate: Thu, 04 Jul 2002
Source: Community News (NJ)
Copyright: 2002 Community News
Contact: INGCNews@aol.com
Website: http://www.sjcommunitynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2291
Author:Hartriono B. Sastrowardoyo, staff writer
Cited: http://www.njweedman.com/ (NJWEEDMAN)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/spirit.htm (Spiritual or Sacramental)

NJWEEDMAN CULTIVATES ANOTHER LAWSUIT

$5 Million, Change Of Venue Sought From Girlfriend And County Judges

Like a dandelion on a well-manicured lawn, Ed "NJWEEDMAN" Forchion's newest lawsuit has arrived at the Burlington County Superior Court. This time he filed a $5 Million lawsuit claiming denial of freedom of speech and freedom of religion against his ex-girlfriend, Linda Holden, and Judges Maria Bell, John Almeida, as well as two other Judges. Citing that the Judges sit on a

Burlington County Court, Forchion is also petitioning for a change of venue. ( Docket No. L-0001922-02 )

The lawsuit reiterates Forchion's defense that he is a member of the Rastafarian religion, which uses - emphasizes the use of marijuana in certain ceremonies as a sacrament.

Therefore, he claims he has a legal right to use marijuana, laws regarding its use notwithstanding. Forchion also claims that espousing his beliefs to legalize its use caused Judge Bell to take away his visitation and custody rights to one of his daughters, Ajanea.

Forchion has previously run for

BurlingtonCounty freeholder and the

U.S.

Congress as a means to change the laws regarding the use and possession of marijuana.

Early last month he was jailed for what he said was "legally protesting outside of the Burlington County Courthouse and giving interviews" to various newspapers.

His defense also includes a briefing from the 9th

U.S.

Court of Appeals, which on February 2nd, 1996 ruled that Rastafarian defendants, as a defense against charges of possession of marijuana, should be allowed to show that they use marijuana for religious reasons.

However, Judge John T. Noonan, Jr., writing for the court, stated that the government could challenge whether the defendants were really Rastafarians. "It is not enough in order to enjoy the protections of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to claim the name of a religion as a protective cloak. Neither the government nor the court has to accept the mere say-so."

A May 2002 decision again ruled in favor of allowing religious exemptions to religious laws, including the smoking of marijuana - but only on federal land.

The 9th

U.S.

Circuit Court of appeals ruling, though, only applies to California and the other eight western states under it's jurisdiction. The Court may be best known for its recent declaring of the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance as unconstitutional, stating that an atheist or holder of certain non-Judeo-Christian beliefs could see the phrase "under god" as an endorsement of monotheism.

MAP posted-by: Ariel


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LAWSUIT UPDATE

The “motion for a change of venue” was granted and the case was transferred to Mercer County and assigned docket No. – ooo376-02. Althought the Judges and Linda were served the complaints and the Amendment complaint they failed to answer.

Unfortunatedly on August 19^th, 2003 other state officals again violated “NJWEEDMAN” constitutional Right to free speech and freedom of religion by jailing him for talking about “marijuana” in a series of commercials he shot and for continuing to update his website: http://www.njweedman.com/ you can see the details of this unconstitutional abuse of government at the above (image link) . After spending nearly 6 months in jail “njweedman” was released on Jan. 25^th, 2003.

So on Feb. 5^th, 2003 when “njweedman” was released he filed a motion for default Judgement against the defendants (see: default Judgement ) on Feb. 13th, 2003 the state answers in opposition of default for the Judges (see: state response). On Feb. 20th^th, 2003 “NJWEEDMAN” files his reply brief (see: Reply brief) and on March 09^th, 2003 Linda files her answer to “motion for default”.

ON MARCH 22nd, 2004 JUDGE LIHOTZ grants NJWEEDMAN visitation!!! So while I didn't expect to win anything in my civil court hearing I did expect it to gain me visitation and I was RIGHT!!!

ON APRIL 4th, 2003 my civil court case is dismissed.