Please Donate $1 to Bryan Epis's Defense & Sign His Pardon Petition

Bryan Epis was the first medical marijuana patient arrested by federal authorities. He was arrested on June 25, 1997 for following California's medical marijuana law. His case has lasted 13 years so far, but is not over, as he still has a habeas corpus and a pardon application left. Because he was compassionate enough to allow 4 other people to grow with him at his house in Chico (two of whom died from cancer before his trial), he was charged with a conspiracy. At a federal court trial, he was denied a defense that he complied with California law, was convicted, and because it was his house, he was deemed the "supervisor" of the group, and was sentenced to a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison.

The unfairness of his trial coupled with the W.A.M.M. raid and sham conviction of Ed Rosenthal, spurred U.S. House Representative Sam Farr to introduce the "Truth in Trials Act" in 2003. See story at http://bestlodging.com/brenda/sam-farr.html. Sam Farr invited Epis' 8 year old daughter, Ashley Epis, to Sacramento for the press release and stood by her, holding her shoulders while formally introducing this bill.

 Pictured left: Bryan Epis - Pictured right: Ashley Epis, in front of one of 40 billboards placed throughout California, featuring her holding a sign saying "My Dad is Not a Criminal" 


Bryan has a petition to pardon him at bestlodging.com/politics - please download it, try hard to get 25 signatures, and mail it back to the address at the bottom of the petition. His prison address is located there too. He'll write back to everyone that writes to him, as it helps keep him busy. Bryan is in debt for more than $200,000 in legal fees from the past 13 years, and now needs $35,000 to file a habeas corpus, order transcripts, and file a pardon. Please donate $1 (or more) through us, and we'll make sure it gets to his legal defense fund. To put money on his books, so he can buy things in prison, you can donate it through us as well. You can also help Bryan by making a hotel reservation at lodgingsite.com, and specifying "Bryan Epis Defense Fund" as the charity. See the "10% Cash Back" link for details. If you'd rather send a donation directly to Bryan's girlfriend, Monica Focht, than through us, you can make a check out to Bryan Epis, and mail it to 227 W. 22nd St., Chico, CA, 95928. Thanks!