California Medical Marijuana Activist Ed Rosenthal Freed by Federal Judge Charles Breyer

Drug Policy Alliance Executive Director Ethan Nadelmann responds to decision:

“The Bush administration’s prosecution of Ed Rosenthal was a political act masquerading as federal law enforcement,” said Nadelmann. “Judge Breyer’s decision today sends a powerful message that the criminal justice system can not, and must not, be used to pursue crass and inhumane ideological ends.”

“The real criminals are the people in Washington who want to put law-abiding citizens and parents behind bars for providing medicine to sick and dying patients,” Nadelmann said, referring to the fact that Rosenthal’s actions were legal under state law.

“We hope the zealots in Washington have heard the chorus of support for Ed — from the patients, activists and California leadership up to the state’s attorney general, to the very jury who repudiated its own conviction of him,” Nadelmann said.