El Dorado County organic farmer David Harde ran a natural foods store that he stocked
daily with fresh salad greens from his own personal garden. The father of two sons with his wife Toby Landis, Harde served
on the county fair board, install solar-power cells at his store, and managed a small
collective garden for local medical marijuana patients. When he was raided, on September 1, 2005, by local sheriffs, Harde maintained his garden was connected to a five-patient collective. Facing difficult prosecution, county turned case over to feds. The number of plants in his garden tipped over the 100 mark, subjecting Harde to mandatory minimum penalties upon sentencing if convicted. He ultimately accepted a plea deal in Sacramento federal court, troubled by the realization that this move would deprive him of his voting rights. Charges against Landis were dropped. In December 2006, Harde was sentenced to 30 months in prison, which he served in Lompoc, CA. Information provided by www.medicalmarijuanaofamerica.com (now defunct) and www.calnorml.org. |
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