 Ed Forchion Arrives
at Cherry Hill twp court July 2,1998 with a small
marijuana plant from his own medical marijuana plot.
Inscribed on the Pot Plants pot are the words "Grown
by God". Ed is in court for his charges stemming
from his arrest April 28th at Democratic Headquarters.
Where he was protesting Congressman Andrews plans
to vote against the Medical Marijuana Bill-HR 1732
.
`Pot party' hopeful
Drug charges no obstacle in political bid
by Rob Laymon
For the Philadelphia Daily News
7-2-1998
Edward Forchion walked to the front of a packed municipal courtroom in Cherry Hill yesterday and placed a small marijuana plant on a table. On the pot was written, "Grown by God." Then he returned to his seat. The judge hadn't arrived. The astonished crowd didn't move. And for two or three minutes, the plant sat there, a wild, green thing in a room of suits and plastic desks, until a police officer, smiling, took it away.
So began the latest chapter in Edward "Rob" Forchion's strange quest to win acceptance for his favorite herb.
In hopes of legalizing marijuana, he has gotten his name on the ballot in November for both Camden County freeholder and U.S. congress, even as he sank deeper into trouble with the law. Forchion appeared in court yesterday to plead not guilty to possession of a controlled dangerous substance -- despite having openly smoked a joint in both the Camden County Democratic headquarters and the office of U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews. "I think the whole drug war is a sham," Forchion said.
"I have done things that I was embarrassed about, but not this. I always say, I love my country, but I fear my government."
A former long haul trucker, the Chesilhurst resident is unemployed and facing charges that could jail him for 18 years. Most weeknights, he parks his black van along a busy road, sets out books, pamphlets and T-shirts and holds forth upon the benefits of pot to anyone interested.
Sometimes the cops chase him out. Sometimes they sit nearby. Sometimes they just wave. Often motorists stop to chat with Forchion, he said.
Despite his legal troubles, hostility from some cops and recently getting Maced in Gloucester Township, Forchion claims he gets enthusiastic support. No one who stops disagrees with his contention that marijuana has medicinal uses. Forchion claims it has helped ease his asthmatic breathing. His van gets plenty of supportive honks from the passing traffic. Not even the cops seem keen to arrest him. But last year he got busted for possession of marijuana in excess of 40 pounds.
For some politicians, political careers end with criminal proceedings. Forchion hopes to end his criminal proceedings by becoming a politician. He hopes that acceptance of marijuana use will void the charges against him. He will run for office as the founder of the Legalize Marijuana Party.
But Forchion was the first person charged under New Jersey's recently toughened drug law, signed last August, which made possession of marijuana a far more serious offense than before. With a stroke of the pen, Forchion said, Gov. Christie Whitman made him a first degree felon.
He said younger cops give him a harder time than older ones.
"The older cops have fought this 'drug war' for a long time, so they can distinguish between marijuana and other drugs. The younger cops are all graduates of DARE programs. They believe pot is really dangerous."
"My daughters learn in school that marijuana is a dangerous drug," added Forchion, who doesn't smoke tobacco, drink or do other drugs. "But they've seen me smoke marijuana all their lives and they know it's not true. What happens when the school tells them heroin is a dangerous drug? Do they figure that's not true, either? " No court date has been set for Forchion's most recent arrest. But he looks forward to a more important trial: when voters go to the polls next fall.
"In November, you'll get an idea of the numbers who like the ideal of legalization".
On April 28th 1998 a day after I smoked 2
joints in Congressman
Rob Andrews office office in Haddon Heights New
Jersey, I decided to also protest at the local Democratic
Party headquarters. The Democratic Party headquarters is
located in Cherry Hill township New Jersey.
This time it didn't take much, when I arrived I was
arrested almost immediately. But a strange thing has
happened again. Here it is a year later and my case
hasn't gone to trial yet. The last time it was scheduled
for 3-31-99, it was I guess my fault, the trial was
delayed. I was in the hospital. I was in the
hospital because I had been complaining repeatedly to my
doctors that "although I had this chronic pain for
quite sometime now, what I was experiencing now was quite
different".
I was admitted to the hospital on 3-26-99, it was then
discovered I had a spinal infection. I under went two
operations and was released on 4-9-99. The new
court date is set for May 27th. I can barely walk now, I
have a bag full of medicine's, and a permanent IV line in
me so I can relieve my pain with drugs like
morphine.
 -- 
The IV line is for anti-biotic's
Yet they want to send me too jail for using marijuana
for pain. If jury trials hadn't been stolen from us at
the local level I'm sure I'd be acquitted. Fuck the law,
it's my body I'll put what I want in it. I choose to use
marijuana.
GO BACK to Ed's Main
Page
The Seventh
Amendment Right to a Jury Trial
"In suits at common
law, where the value in controversy shall exceed
twenty dollars, the right of the trial by jury shall
be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be
otherwise re-examined in any court of the Unites
States of America, than according to the rules of the
common law.".
Although this is what is
guaranteed by the US Constitution the municipal court
system in New Jersey strictly forbids them. Why,
because during the Alcohol Prohibition citizen juries
refused to convict their neighbors of violating the
alcohol policies of the moralist, elitist,
Democratic, Republican Parties. JURY
NULLIFICATION was used, regularly. Citizens
guilty of possession of alcohol were set free by
their neighbors who believed the law was wrong.
"NOT GUILTY", was heard routinely, this
was JURY
NULLIFICATION .
In the 1940's the Democrats and
Republicans stole our 7th amendment right to jury
trials in municipal courts thus allowing their
appointed Judge's and fellow elitists to rubber stamp
their policies. Never again they said, "would
dumb citizens change their policies they wanted as
laws". The marijuana prohibition would long ago
have ceased if it weren't for this thief of our
rights. "Nobody
would send anybody to jail for marijuana"
There is no doubt in my mind if I were to face
a jury for the charges of possession of marijuana
stemming from my protests in Cherry Hill and Haddon
Heights I would be acquitted. The law is wrong. No
where in the Constitution does it give the State or
Federal governments the authority to regulate our
bodies. This is my body, I choose to ingest marijuana
into it, for several reasons the state of New Jersey
can-not prevent me from doing it. It tries with it's
pathetic version of the "WAR on Drugs" wish
is a absolute failure, mainly because there will
always be citizens like me who refuse to have our
bodies illegally regulated by the government. "Fuck the law this is my body
and I choose to use Marijuana".
I currently (Sept. 1, 1999) have over $2,450.00
in arrest warrants issued by NJ municipal courts, for
my refusal to participate in these illegal courts,
(where my 7th amendment rights are ignored). Where
the present prohibition on marijuana is forced onto
all of us. Without the right of a jury trial. I do
not have the $2,450.00 so eventually I will be jailed
for what I choose to put in my own body. Why should
I participate in a illegal New Jersey Municipal
court that refuse's to follow the constitution of the
United States. I have a right to a jury of my peers.
Winslow Twp-
$500.00
Cherry Hill
- $500.00
Woodbury
- $501.00
Haddon Hgts. -
$750.00
Gloucester Twp. - $450.00
UPDATE-Ed's
Arrested
READ
ABOUT another ARREST HERE
|
On Oct. 12th 1999
I was arrested in Stradford NJ. One of the
charges I was arrested for was for failing to
show in Haddon
Heights NJ, there's no jury there why
should I show anyway? The warrant and arrest
were for the 1st amendment Demonstration at
Rob Andrews office. (above)
I had a valid
Arizona lic.#, my New Jersey lic I had
surrendered them ( 1995) to the state of
Arizona. as per the CDL regulations. One of
the reasons I surrendered it was because of
New Jersey's profiling and Insurance
surcharges (which are punishments handed out
by street cops). "A
police officer's ticket can ruin you and you
have no right to a jury in New Jersey's
municipal court system. A person like me, I
get ticket's just because of who I am, and
what I say-publicly." I
had a legal residence in Arizona, and given
the choice between Arizona or New Jersey I
chose Arizona. My lic was legal per federal
rules.
I was in compliance with
Federal CDL Regulations. The State of New
Jersey as a way of punishing me for my
outspokeness on the marijuana issue has
attacked not only my ability to speak freely
in public but also to travel. My right to
travel was taken in spite of the federal
regulations I was in compliance with. I have
maintained my Arizona issued lic while I
remain in New Jersey on bail, for charges
stemming from my Nov. 24, 1997 arrest .
Apparently On the 7th of July 1999 the
state of New Jersey's request to Arizon that
my licences be rescinded was approved
unbeknownst to me.
The car I was driving was
insuranced and etc.etc. but I wasn't given
the oppurtunity to present it. - I know I was
not exceeding the speed limit, I was stopped
in a speed trap where municipalities lower
the speed limit from 45 to 25 and township
police officer's wait to collect revenue. The
officer say's I was going 44mph. (SPEED-TRAP)
I was not, I'm very familar with the area, I
was taking my 13 year old daughter home to my
ex-wife's house. I did it just about every
Sunday. I called her " on the phone
" before I left. I was stopped and
arrested 200 yards from the house. I police
immediatedly began seaching my car, looking
for my medicine. This was simply a POLICE
ARREST to create what they thought would be
harmful publicity. Yes, I do beleive my
phone's and e-mail are tapped.
I have no money for a lawyer to
fight these charges. That was always a tactic
of the prohibitioner's to keep me broke
arrest me regularly and take his money with
bail. This is one of the reason's I filed the
17 million dollar Lawsuit. The state and it's
agents have issued numerous bogus citations
just to cause harm to myself. All because of
what I've been saying. "LEGALIZE
MARIJUANA". I didn't have these
troubles before I opened my mouth.- Was a
totally bogus politicial stop the officer was
waiting for me.
I've
become a "enemy of the State!"
NOV. 5th, 2000 UPDATE on this
case. - The case was scheduled
once Nov 99, at the time the Judge decided
the public defender in stradford who is State
Assemblyman George Geist (4th dist.)was also
the prosecutor in Haddon Heights (where I was facing
charges for smoking marijuana in Congressman
Rob Andrews Office), the Judge
decided a conflict existed and ordered the
case heard somewhere else. A conflict court
she called it. - No other town ever contacted
me about this charge but on July 27th, 2000
-I was arrested for failure to appear in
Stafford, no date was ever scheduled. - It
was obsurd, I had to pay $500 to get out. As
of today still there is no trial date set or
new court that has contacted me about
appearing for these charges. ( recently Judge Trabosh assumed
Judge duties in Strafford-another conflict
now exist I think - he's formerly of
Gloucester Twp.) -
Political Persecution?
HELP ? Who do I ask for help?
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