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InvisibleveggieM

Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 17,538
[CA] Sheriff Pays Grower $25K For Wrongly Seized Marijuana Plants
    #13375152 - 10/23/10 08:14 AM (13 years, 6 months ago)

Sheriff Pays Grower $25K For Wrongly Seized Marijuana Plants
October 22, 2010 - tokeofthetown.com

In yet another embarrassing fiasco for the hapless San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department, it is about to buy 43 dead marijuana plants for $25,000.

Rather than go to trial in federal court and fight a civil rights lawsuit brought by Los Osos, California resident Richard Steenken, the county and Sheriff's Department agreed to settle the case by paying up, reports Colin Rigley at the San Luis Obispo New Times.

The monetary amount is said to be roughly the cash value of the cannabis plants, which were seized in a botched pot raid on Steenken, a medical marijuana patient.

"I guess it could have been more," Steenken said of the settlement. "But it's a long time coming."

Steenken, a 45-year-old addiction specialist, was arrested on October 15, 2008, and two days later he was charged with felony cultivation of marijuana and possessing concentrated cannabis, among other chasrges. With his bail set at $40,000, Steenken decided to stay in jail, where he remained until November 3, when the District Attorney's Office dismissed all charges.

Upon his release, Steenken fought to have his property returned, which eventually happened, after a court order. But by the time he got his stuff back, the 43 plants -- which he was allowed to cultivate under state law as an authorized medical marijuana patient -- had died.

"Basically they told us, 'We're going to enforce federal law,' " said Steenken's attorney, Dana Rosenburg, a specialist in police misconduct cases. "So they're using state money... to enforce federal law, and that's unconstitutional."

Steenken got home during the middle of the raid, and found armed deputies invading his home. Not satisfied with just busting up his place, the cops raided the home of his then-girlfriend, three hours later.

Steenken filed a complaint with the U.S. District Court on November 9, 2009, with 257 claims including emotional distress, battery, false arrest, and violations of his First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights.

"The county is really getting off easy here, because we're settling only for the value of the marijuana," Rosenburg said.

San Luis Obispo County supervisors gave authority to settle the case on October 5, according to County Counsel Warren Jensen. Though a verbal agreement was reached to settle the case for $25,000, the paperwork had not been finalized as of Thursday.

Jensen declined to comment on the case because the settlement had not been finalized, but said the county typically doesn't admit liability in such settlements.

Sheriff's Department spokesman Rob Bryn also passed the buck, declining to comment and deferring to the county.

Steenken said the settlement doesn't completely offset all the legal fees, but "it lets people know that what they did was incorrect."

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Offlineauronlives69
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Registered: 04/19/09
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Re: [CA] Sheriff Pays Grower $25K For Wrongly Seized Marijuana Plants [Re: veggie]
    #13375224 - 10/23/10 08:39 AM (13 years, 6 months ago)

shit yeah, mabe the cops will think twice before doing any raids if prop 19 passes


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InvisibleBoutang
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Registered: 01/25/06
Posts: 1,660
Re: [CA] Sheriff Pays Grower $25K For Wrongly Seized Marijuana Plants [Re: auronlives69]
    #13375332 - 10/23/10 09:30 AM (13 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

auronlives69 said:
shit yeah, mabe the cops will think twice before doing any raids if prop 19 passes




They'll just use federal agents and charge them federally and call it good.


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North to the future is our motto I'm still up north no future to follow
We do these things and we don't give a fuck, we fire up a blunt in the car bumping Cougnut.

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InvisibleSuperD
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Registered: 10/05/03
Posts: 6,648
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Re: [CA] Sheriff Pays Grower $25K For Wrongly Seized Marijuana Plants [Re: veggie]
    #13375468 - 10/23/10 10:20 AM (13 years, 6 months ago)

If the Feds honestly believe in "vigorously enforcing" their corrupt marijuana laws in Cali after Prop 19 passes, they can expect to lose a lot of respect from the average taxpayer.  Even some people who are against marijuana realize how big of a waste it is to go after everyone who grows or uses.


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:super:D
Manoa said:
I need to stop spending all my money on plants and take up a cheaper hobby, like heroin. :lol:

Looking for Rauhocereus riosaniensis seeds or live specimen(s), :pm: me if you have any for trade

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OfflineSalCato
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Registered: 01/01/08
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Loc: South Side Chicago
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Re: [CA] Sheriff Pays Grower $25K For Wrongly Seized Marijuana Plants [Re: SuperD]
    #13375992 - 10/23/10 12:32 PM (13 years, 6 months ago)

What happened to the COCK SUCKERS that always value mj plants when some poor s.o.b. is getting charged for growing, huh? I thought those plants were worth over $2,000 a piece; capable of producing pounds upon pounds of demoralizing, child raping, old folk beating devil weed!!!!!!

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InvisibleSuperD
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Registered: 10/05/03
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Re: [CA] Sheriff Pays Grower $25K For Wrongly Seized Marijuana Plants [Re: SalCato]
    #13376000 - 10/23/10 12:34 PM (13 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

SalCato said:
What happened to the COCK SUCKERS that always value mj plants when some poor s.o.b. is getting charged for growing, huh? I thought those plants were worth over $2,000 a piece; capable of producing pounds upon pounds of demoralizing, child raping, old folk beating devil weed!!!!!!




I noticed that too.  Anytime there's a bust, pot plants are worth $10k each.  But now that the police owe someone money for the plants, that number is diminished greatly.


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:super:D
Manoa said:
I need to stop spending all my money on plants and take up a cheaper hobby, like heroin. :lol:

Looking for Rauhocereus riosaniensis seeds or live specimen(s), :pm: me if you have any for trade

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OfflineMickalopagus
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Re: [CA] Sheriff Pays Grower $25K For Wrongly Seized Marijuana Plants [Re: SuperD]
    #13376269 - 10/23/10 01:41 PM (13 years, 6 months ago)

theyre paying out with taxpayer money anyways so its not costing them a dime really.

the guy should have taken it to court, I would have.... and not for the money, but for exposure. 40k is rather insignificant to the damage one could cause in court.


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notapillow said: "you are going about this endeavor all wrong. clear your mind of useless fear and concern. buy the ticket, take the ride, and all that.... "

ChrisWho said: "It's all about the journey, not the destination."

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Invisibledurian_2008
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Registered: 04/02/08
Posts: 18,037
Loc: Raccoon City
Re: [CA] Sheriff Pays Grower $25K For Wrongly Seized Marijuana Plants [Re: Mickalopagus]
    #13377319 - 10/23/10 06:20 PM (13 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

the settlement doesn't completely offset all the legal fees



So, the growers lose plants, money, peace of mind, and the legal precedent.

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