May 4

Protestors gathered outside Van Nuys City Hall on Monday, April 30, 2007
Medical Cannabis patients appeared today before the Los Angeles City Council , decrying alleged misconduct by elements of LAPD Van Nuys Division and calling for regulation of collectives by city officials. Patients’ comments dominated the approximately 40 minute public comment portion of the Council meeting at the Van Nuys City Hall. Comments were heated at times, and some Council and audience members were obviously moved, with Councilman Bill Rosendahl at one point demanding an investigation into the allegations of misconduct, while being asked by Eric Garcetti, president of the Council, to please sit down. Several patients related the experience of medical cannabis relieving their symptoms when nothing else could, all the while pointing out that they were in strict compliance with California state law, and tax-paying, law-abiding citizens to boot, collective operators included and demanded that LAPD start obeying state law and leave sick people alone. Even the gentleman who stood up to defend the LAPD and to ask that folks not judge the whole department by the actions of a few (he was right, in this writer’s opinion) stated that he was a cancer patient. He commented, “I have a tumor, and I have been told I should use it [Medical Cannabis]. I’m not there yet, but when the time comes, I’m sure I will.” A number of the audience members were visibly moved by his comments. Several representatives of The Karma Collective were present, and requested that the Council investigate the incident, at which point Councilman Rosendahl stood up. I met with several of the speakers outside, and some were moved to tears.
To update the situation since the events of Monday, April 30: LAPD Narcotics officer Dennis Roy Packer has ordered all bank accounts of Karma Collective and its employees and volunteers (most Collective staff members are volunteers and are not compensated) frozen. I was told that even the personal account of one of the staffers, containing the money her mother sent so that the rent could be covered, was also frozen. There were reports of yet another collective being burglarized but not willing to report the crime to the police. At this point, it appears that at least four legitimate, compliant collectives have been targets of this type of operation this year alone.* Several in the group voiced the opinion that the same group of officers was responsible for all of these actions. Another development was the May 1, 2007 police action in McArthur Park near downtown LA, during which numerous demonstrators were injured, along with several members of the press. Needless to say, the city is in a complete uproar.	Antonio Villaraigosa 41st Mayor of Los Angeles (Photo from the Mayor's Press Website)
KNX news radio interviewed a law enforcement expert who voiced the opinion that LAPD has experienced a “complete breakdown of command and control” on Wednesday, and other military & law enforcement experts around the nation have agreed with him. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who was on a trade mission to Mexico, immediately canceled the rest of his trip, returning late Thursday. He immediately had a briefing with Chief William Bratton, followed Friday morning by a press conference, during which he promised to “Make things right”, and gave out several phone numbers citizens could call to make complaints both to City and Federal agencies. Several members of the press have already filed claims against the city and LAPD, the first step in filing a lawsuit. The FBI has opened a Civil Rights investigation into the LAPD, yet another in a string of recent such actions. LAPD currently operates under several federal consent decrees, some related to civil rights violations. At the same time, a Swastika and anti-Semitic slogans were found painted on the front of the Sherman Oaks field office of Los Angeles Councilman Jack Weiss. Police report that they have a suspect. Taken together, these events paint a shocking picture of prejudice and racism in a city that has been known for tolerance and liberal thought. It is as if the bright beast of pernicious racism is smiling in the face of the citizens of Los Angeles. In Part Three, we will hear from the staff of The Karma Collective in their own words. We will be sitting down the first part of next week (May 7), and will be printing their comments verbatim. Mondo Cult would like to thank all who took the time to comment, especially the members of the Medical Cannabis community. We intend to follow the struggle of patients to secure safe access to medication as far as it goes, and right now it looks like it goes pretty far. *For those who have not read the first installment of this series, LAPD burglary responded to The Karma Collective (a fully compliant Medical Marijuana Dispensary and licensed by the State of California and the City of Los Angeles) to take the report of a minor break-in and burglary. Burglary officers immediately called in Narcotics and a raid ensued. According to sources within LAPD who wished to remain anonymous, such actions are outside of departmental policy and procedure.

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