Source: Associated Press
Copyright: 1998 Associated Press
Pubdate: Wed, 20 Jan 1999
Note: The Kubby for Governor website is at: www.kubby.com/

LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR ARRESTED IN MARIJUANA INVESTIGATION

TAHOE CITY, Calif. (AP) -- The 1998 Libertarian Party candidate for
governor and his wife were arrested after authorities found some 300
marijuana plants in their home.

Steve and Michele Kubby were detained Tuesday at their Olympic Valley
home
near Tahoe City for investigation of cultivation of marijuana,
possession
of marijuana for sale and conspiracy.

They were being held Wednesday at the Placer County jail in Auburn in
lieu
of $100,000 bail each, and were scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in
Tahoe
City.

Lt. Mike Allen of the North Tahoe Task Force, a law enforcement unit
made
up of investigators from Placer and Washoe counties and the Nevada
Division
of Investigation, said officers found about 300 marijuana plants at the
Kubby residence.

Officers said the plants are capable of producing five ounces to a pound
each of marijuana and have a street value of about $420,000.

The couple's attorney, Dale Wood of Truckee, said the marijuana officers
found at the Kubbys' home was being legally grown for medical purposes
and
that the amount of bail was ``insane.''

``You find people who committed robbery, crimes of violence who have
lower
bail settings than that,'' Wood said. ``It's like they have some heinous
criminal that has hurt someone. In fact, what they are growing is
medical
marijuana.''

Proposition 215, approved by California voters in 1996, attempted to
allow
seriously ill patients to grow and use marijuana to ease pain and nausea
with a doctor's recommendations.

But efforts to implement the measure have largely failed because
opposition
from former state Attorney General Dan Lungren and the federal
government.

Lungren's successor, Democrat Bill Lockyer, says he wants to make the
proposition work.

Wood said Steve Kubby uses marijuana as part of his treatment for cancer
and hypertension.

``Marijuana is the only thing that has been able to assist him,'' Wood
said. ``He has been advised by more than one physician to use
marijuana.''

Wood said Michele Kubby also uses marijuana for a medical condition but
he
said he didn't know any details about her illness.

Steve Kubby, 52, publisher of an online recreation magazine, ran fourth
in
the race for governor last November, taking nearly one percent of the
vote.

Mark Hinkle, chairman of the California Libertarian Party, called the
arrests ``an outrage and a slap across the faces of California
voters.''

``Steve and Michele Kubby are law-abiding citizens and the police have
no
authority to raid their home, throw them in jail and jeopardize Steve's
health,'' Hinkle said in a statement.

``How long will the state of California continue violating the will of
the
voters? How many people will have to suffer or die before the government
realizes the extreme harm it is causing medical marijuana patients who
are
denied their rightful medicine?''
_________________________________________

Newshawk: compassion23@geocities.com (Frank S. World)
Pubdate: Wed, 20 Jan 1999
Source: U.S. Newswire
Copyright: 1999, U.S. Newswire

'98 GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE, WIFE JAILED IN PLACER COUNTY, CALIF.

AUBURN, Calif., Jan. 20 /U.S. Newswire/ -- What happens when you don't
win
an election for Governor in California? Like many third world nations,
you
go directly to jail without passing Go.

In a morning raid yesterday, 1998 Libertarian Party gubernatorial
candidate
Steve Kubby and his wife, Michele, were arrested at their Olympic Valley
home and incarcerated in the Placer County Jail in Auburn. According to
the
Kubbys' attorney, Dale Wood, officials apparently "stacked" felony
marijuana
cultivation charges to bring bail up to $100,000 for each of the Kubbys.

The Kubbys will learn the actual charges tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. when
they are
arraigned in Tahoe City. At that time, Wood will ask that his clients'
bail
be reduced to a signature for their own recognizance. "It's appropriate
that
they reduce bail in this case," said Wood noting that Kubby has strong
ties
to the community, posing no flight risk.

Kubby was instrumental in the passage of Proposition 215, the medical
marijuana initiative that voters approved more than two years ago. Kubby
himself is a medical marijuana patient who made no secret of his need
for
the medicine during his campaign for Governor last year. According to
Kubby,
he was only growing what was medically necessary to ensure the
successful
treatment of the usually fatal cancer that has been with him for more
than
22 years.

__________________________________________________

NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA 400 Capitol Mall, Suite
900
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 449-3941
===============================================
For immediate release: January 20, 1999
===============================================
For additional information:
Juan Ros, Executive Director
Phone: (818) 506-0200
Fax: (818) 506-0212
Mailto:director@ca.lp.org
Web: www.ca.lp.org/
===============================================
FORMER LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATE ARRESTED;
PARTY CONDEMNS POLICE ACTION

SACRAMENTO -- Steve Kubby, the 1998 Libertarian
candidate for governor of California, and his wife Michele were arrested
Tuesday morning in a police raid of their home in Olympic Valley.

Steve, 52, and Michele, 32, were taken to Placer County
Jail where bail was set at $100,000 each. Arraignment is scheduled for
Thursday afternoon in Tahoe City Court. The Kubbys are charged with
unauthorized cultivation, harvesting and processing of marijuana;
possession with intent to sell; and conspiracy.

"This arrest is an outrage and a slap across the faces
of California voters," declared Libertarian state chair Mark Hinkle.
"Steve and Michele Kubby are law-abiding citizens and the police have no
authority to raid their home, throw them in jail, and jeopardize Steve's
health."

Steve, publisher of the online recreational magazine
"Alpine World," played a key role in Proposition 215, the medical
marijuana initiative which voters overwhelmingly approved in November,
1996.

Steve was diagnosed with adrenal cancer in 1975 and
uses medical marijuana under doctor's orders. His cancer is currently in
remission. He also takes medical marijuana to treat high blood pressure.
Since his arrest, Steve has been denied access to his medicine.

"How long will the state of California continue
violating the will of the voters? How many people will have to suffer or
die before the government realizes the extreme harm it is causing
medical marijuana patients who are denied their rightful medicine?"
asked Hinkle.

State Attorney General Bill Lockyer announced earlier
this month that he would be taking a softer stance on Prop. 215 than his
predecessor Dan Lungren did. But Libertarians aren't holding their
breath.

"Is yesterday's action an example of what Californians
can expect under Lockyer's watch? The Libertarian Party of California
condemns the Kubbys' arrest in no uncertain terms, and we urge Mr.
Lockyer to order all local law enforcement to immediately cease raiding
and arresting medical marijuana patients who are following the law,"
Hinkle stated. "Let Steve and Michele Kubby go."

Yesterday's arrest was the first for both Kubbys.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Forwarded by:
Richard Lake
Senior Editor; MAPnews, MAPnews-Digest and DrugNews-Digest
email: rlake@DrugSense.org
www.DrugSense.org/drugnews/
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