Bryan Epis' current prison address is: Bryan Epis 09636-097 Terminal Island Federal Correctional Institution P.O.Box 3700 Terminal Island CA. 90731. Please write to him, as he will write back to everyone who writes to him, as this helps to keep busy. If you'd like to make a $1 donation towards Bryan Epis' legal defense, please make a check out to Barbara Epis (Bryan's Mom) and send it to Bryan Epis 227 W22nd Street Chico, CA. 95928. If the amount is just one dollar it can be sent as cash.

Petition To Pardon Bryan Epis or Dismiss his Case (please download, sign and have others sign): Download Here. (Download Bryan's 2255 MOTION recently filed on January 17, 2011, and the APPENDICES to the motion. This motion should get Bryan out of prison within a year. You'll be amazed at the government misconduct that occured when you read it.) Half-page document you can give to those who sign the petition that asks them to e-mail Obama, metioning that they signed the petition, and also asks them to make hotel reservations at bestlodging.com and lodgingsite.com. It also asks them to do petitions#3 and #4 below:Download leaflet.

Web page for those who want to know a little more about Bryan's Case, with a picture of him, and a picture of Bryan's daughter, Ashley Epis in front of one of 40 billboards put up throughout California, holding a sign saying "My Dad Is Not A Criminal." Also includes information on helping Bryan by making a donation towards his legal fees, making a hotel reservation at bestlodging.com, lodgingsite.com and mention how to make a donation directly to him:Web Page to view/print/download.

Another way you could help is to donate towards Bryan's defense. He is in need of $35,000 to file a habeas corpus and our pardon grant. If you could donate just $1 (or more) towards his defense, it would be greatly appreciated. Donate here

The political activism that we ask you is listed below.

For tasks (1), (4), (6), (7) and (8), it would be nice if you could add a comment as short as one sentence into the comment field at the petition (which helps to show that it is unique and we remind you again to do this below).  It would be appreciated if you could provide your e-mail address by making it available to the petition creator on (6), (7) and (8) as I'm the one who created these petitions and I promise I won't spam you or sell your e-mail address. It helps for the legitimacy of the signing.

For (9) below, please write a unique letter to Obama at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact. To save time, all you have to do is modify one of the 5 sample letters at the bottom of this page or just make it short and sweet). 

1: Please go to http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/ssdp/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1815&t=ObamaPetition.dwt and sign the petition to stop arresting medical marijuana patients.  (Total time to do: 2 minutes since you should add a unique comment for this petition in the comment section which can be as little as one sentence).

2: Please go to http://apps.facebook.com/causes/petitions/69/ and sign the petition to stop raiding medical marijuana dispensaries. (Total time to do: 1 minute)

3: Please go to https://secure2.convio.net/mpp/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=346 to write your U.S. House of Representatvies member in Congress, asking him/her to support the support the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act (Total time to do: 1 minute)

4: Please go to http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=13532281 and sign the petition to support the "Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act" of 2009. (Total time to do: 2 minutes since you should add a unique comment for this petition in the comment section which can be as little as one sentence).

5: Please go to http://criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/legalize_marijuana and sign the petition to end marijuana prohibition. (Total time to do: 1 minute)

6: Please go to http://www.petitiononline.com/epis/petition.html and sign the petition for Attorney General Eric Holder to dismiss the federal case of Bryan Epis due to outrageous prosecutorial misconduct, and due to the fact that he was acting in compliance with California's medical marijuana law. (Total time to do: 2 minutes since you should add a unique comment for this petition and you should make your e-mail address available to the "petition creator", who is me for this petition. Don't worry I wont spam you or sell your e-mail address).

7: Please go to http://www.PetitionOnline.com/holdermj/petition.html and sign the petition for Attorney General Eric Holder to dismiss all pending cases of defendant's who were following California's medical marijuana law who have not yet gone to trial, as well as to dismiss all cases of federal medical marijuana defendants who's case is in the appeal process such that the conviction is not final. (Total time to do: 2 minutes since you should add a unique comment for this petition and you should make your e-mail address available to the "petition creator", who is me for this petition. Don't worry I wont spam you or sell your e-mail address).

8: Please go to http://www.PetitionOnline.com/medcann/petition.html and sign the petition for President Barack Obama to pardon all federal defendants who's convictions are final, who followed state medical marijuana laws. (Total time to do: 2 minutes since you should add a unique comment for this petition and you should make your e-mail address available to the "petition creator", who is me for this petition).

9: Please go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact and write a unique letter to President Barack Obama to uphold his promise to not use federal tax dollars to circumvent state medical marijuana laws, and/or to pardon all federal medical marijuana cases of people who were following state medical marijuana laws.  Below are sample letters for the President. (Total time to do: 5 minutes since all you have to do is modify one of these sample letters, or write a short letter yourself).

10: Finally, please send an e-mail to 5 other friends/associates who you believe will also write the letter and sign the petitions.

10b: Please visit the following web sites and consider making a donation: (1) http://www.norml.org (2) http://www.mpp.org (3) http://www.drcnet.org (4) http://safeaccessnow.org

Sample Letters for Task (9):

Dear President Barack Obama,

According to a recent national poll of 1,053 likely voters by Zogby International, voters were asked: During the presidential campaign, Barack Obama said he would stop federal raids against medical marijuana providers in the 13 states where medical marijuana has become legal. Should President Obama keep his word to end such raids?

Response: Yes - 72% No - 21% Not sure - 7%.

Yes votes outnumbered No by over 2 to 1 in all geographic, political, and demographic groups. The poll, conducted Jan. 29-31, 2009 had a margin error of +/-3.1%.

Are you going to uphold your promise and act in according to the overwhelming desire of Americans, or go back on your word? So far it appears the latter, as non-profit dispensaries are still being raided and prosecuted. Are you going to pardon the 25 or so people who were convicted for "conspiracy to follow state medical marijuana laws"?

Awaiting your reply,
Your Name

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Dear President Barack Obama,

Why are federal raids, prosecutions, and incarceration of people implementing state medical marijuana laws continuing, business as usual, when you repeatedly promised that you would not use federal tax dollars to circumvent state law on this issue?

Using federal tax dollars would include pending federal prosecutions, since this uses federal tax dollars to circumvent state law. For people in currently in federal prison for the "crime" of "following state law", which uses federal tax dollars, they should be pardoned. You can find out who is being prosecuted and who is in prison for the federal "crime" of "following state medical marijuana law" by visiting http://www.safeaccessnow.org/section.php?id=184.

Either you're going back on your word, or federal prosecutors and the DEA don't seem to be listening to your statements on this issue, and are continuing to use federal tax dollars to circumvent state law. For example, Charles C. Lynch will be sentenced on June 11 in Los Angeles, CA, for the federal "crime" of "conspiring with the mayor, city manager, and representatives from the Morro Bay, California police department to follow California law," as these officials all routinely inspected the facility he ran for compliance. He had a license to operate from the city of Morro Bay. Technically, this makes the whole city, and the whole state of California co-conspirators, since California voters supplied the legal framework under state law for Mr. Lynch and every other federal medical marijuana prosecution to proceed (analogous to Jay Bybee, John Yoo,  William J. Haynes II, David Addington, and Douglas J. Feith supplying the legal framework for the United States to torture prisoners at Guantánamo bay, which is why Spain is about to indict them).

This man's case, and every other pending federal prosecution of people following state law should stop immediately, if your word is to mean anything. This man shouldn't have to spend a day in jail, and yet, under your command, everything is continuing business as usual (absolutely no difference at all) as it did under the Bush administration.  Soon this man will be sentenced to many years in a federal prison under your command. Please uphold your promises. To do this, it is clear that you'll have to rein in these prosecutors and the DEA immediately. Please personally intervene, or have Eric Holder do it, because so far, there has been no change in policy and it seems there won't be until you do.

With regard to the "raids" that have happened under your command (in South Lake Tahoe and San Francisco) these shouldn't have happened. A person should at least be given a warning that they are not in compliance with state law before they are raided federally. Please have the DEA give them notice so they have at least have an opportunity to get in compliance with state law.

Thanks,
Your Name
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Dear President Barack Obama,

1: Are you really going to instill "change" in the way politics are run in Washington, which would HAVE to include keeping your campaign promises?

2: If so, are you going to keep to your promise not to use federal tax dollars to circumvent state medical marijuana laws?

So far the answer is NO.

You promised not to use federal tax dollars to circumvent state medical marijuana laws. Yet there has been no change in policy.

People are still being prosecuted for following California law.

Take the case of Bryan Epis. He let four other people grow at his house, all who were allowed to do so under California law, so he was labeled the "organizer" qualifying him for a mandatory minimum sentence and charged with everyone's plants. He was charged with conspiracy to grow marijuana, and there wasn't any evidence that ANY of it was sold. This is legal under California law.

Dispensaries are legal if they operate as a "non-profit-corporation." California law requires a dispensary to be a non-profit operation. There are those who operated a "medical marijuana dispensary" with local permits and set up under the Secretary of State as a "non-profit-corporation" and the group is prosecuted because there is money involved. The fact is, an owner of a dispensary can receive compensation and the entity can still be non-profit. See http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/press/pdfs/n1601_medicalmarijuanaguidelines.pdf

The NAACP is non-profit, yet the people who run it receive compensation. People are still being prosecuted under your command in this regard. Take Charles C. Lynch for example. He was following local rules (which were written by people paid by the state so under state law he would at least have an "entrapment by estoppel" defense). His dispensary was operating as a "non-profit-corporation" and the Executive Branch of the US government is prosecuting him saying that because money involved, there has to be "profit".
 
At the very least, try to get the "Truth in Trials" Act enacted into law. California U.S. House Representatives, Sam Farr, Lynn Woolsey and Dana Rohrabacher introduced this in 2003. It will allow a defendant  to present a defense that they were following state law.

You likely said you wouldn't trample on state laws on this issue because 72% of the public believes you shouldn't (see the Zogby polls conducted Jan. 29-31). But bringing change in the way things are done in Washington includes not saying anything to get elected and then going back on your campaign promises. So are you going to keep your campaign promises, or go down in history as being another politician who said anything to get elected, then went back on his word?

Thanks,
Your Name
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Dear President Barack Obama,

The last time an attempt of a "jury nullification" defense was used was in response to the "Fugitive Slave Act". The federal government was prosecuting Northerners who helped slaves escape to the North to be free. Juries routinely refused to convict, as this law was sickening to their sense of morals. Recently, "jury nullification" has been tried in federal court in medical marijuana cases, to no avail, because juries can't hear the whole truth that these people were following state law, and also today, people are more scared of the federal government. After all, they are threatened and intimidated into being prosecuted themselves if they try jury nullification.

Since you said while campaigning that you wouldn't use federal tax dollars to circumvent state medical marijuana laws, and since people relying on this statement continue to be raided, arrested and prosecuted by US attorneys, while you help to get a bill started in the House and Senate that will allow a defendant to use a defense that they were following state law, and if so the jury should not convict them?  In 2003, U.S. House Representatives, Sam Farr, Lynn Woolsey and Dana Rohrabacher introduced the "Truth in Trials" Act which would allow this. Will you help to resurrect this bill and get it passed, since US attorneys won't listen to you?

Sincerely yours,
Your Name
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Dear President Barack Obama,

Last fathers day you made a speech addressing black fathers, asking them to step up, take responsibility and be strong male role models for their children. But why do you think they would listen to someone who can't keep their campaign promises? Talk about being a role model. Part of being a role model means keeping your word. I'm talking about  your persistence to continue to prosecute people who follow state medical marijuana law. Raids on dispensaries are still happening and people are still being prosecuted business as usual, with absolutely no "CHANGE" from the previous administration, and I'll bet you probably haven't thought of our state law abiding POW's currently in federal prison: those who followed state medical marijuana laws and then went to federal prison for it because the voters of their state and local city officials sanctioned their conduct. You can see who they are by visiting http://www.medicalmarijuanaofamerica.com/content/blogcategory/68/131/ (not all are shown here are federal cases, but this is sick to see them still in prison). You should be thinking about pardoning them ASAP. Otherwise, you're still doing nothing but using federal tax dollars to continue to circumvent state medical marijuana laws, in direct contradiction to your promises.

You even repeated this promise back in February right after a Zogby poll came out saying that 72% of Americans say the federal government shouldn't raid medical marijuana dispensaries and punish patients who grow the plant. Many people were vocally happy when you announced that you would uphold your promise, but now there is SILENCE as there as been no change. It would have been much better to just say that you would do exactly as the Bush administration did in the first place instead of lying to us all, just like all the past Presidents (there is no "CHANGE" involved here). Your campaign theme should have been "BUSINESS AS USUAL" not "CHANGE." How do you expect black men to step up when you can't keep your word? If you don't start to do something soon you are going to get a lot more criticism about this issue. People don't want liars for role models.

Did you hear about the recent San Francisco Board of Supervisors resolution calling on you to halt current federal medical marijuana prosecutions, and to stop raiding dispensaries and to provide some clear guidance? Isn't that what you want for black fathers who have children, to provide clear guidance for their children? The DEA needs someone to step up to the plate and provide them some "clear guidance" as so far there isn't any. Step up to the plate. Excuse me for being harsh but if you continue these policies, a lot of people aren't going to listen to you anymore because they won't trust you.

Very truly yours,
Your Name