Medical Marijuana Patients in Watertown were were both terrified and terrorized, but not just by the Tsarnaev brothers, but by their own government officials.
By Michael Komorn
The actions of terrorists Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his now-dead brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev to kill and injure innocent people at the Boston Marathon was both sickening and tragic. But not to be overlooked are the actions of the police and politicians to catch these guys, who declared a form of martial law and busted their way into a number of homes in Watertown, Mass.
At least one of those homes had a medical marijuana garden growing in it. Yes, while looking for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev police had 10,000 armed local, state, and federal agents move into Watertown like it was Baghdad or Vietnam, lockdown the citizens, and perform relentless house to house searches.
(Related: Medical Marihuana Review Panel Dissolved, Michigan Admits Embarrassing Mistake)
Free of search warrants and do process, armed government officials at gunpoint ordered a married couple out of their house and stormed in.
There was no time to take down their marijuana garden. Little indication was given that authorities were coming to search every house before doing so, and even with enough warning, they were not permitted to leave their house or be in the street, rendering it impossible to have moved their marijuana plants and grow lights. They were imprisoned in their homes by the martial law-like manhunt for the terrorism “suspects”.
Frightened beyond belief, most Watertown citizens believed that the younger Tsarnaev was wounded and either dead, dying, or had fled from the Boston area. There is no disputing that they wanted him to get caught, but that doesn’t mean they want to forfeit their constitutional rights so police could storm their home and take a look at their entire lives.
(Related: Medical Marijuana Advocates Protest In Berkeley and Launch Peace for Patients Campaign)
An arm comprised of FBI, National Guard, State Police, outfitted SWAT teams with thermal helicopters, armored personnel carriers, and a plethora of other military hardware gave all indications that war had been declared in Watertown.
Despite telling the authorities that they’d been indoors with all the doors and windows locked and no terrorist had come inside, they screamed at them to put their hands up and “get the fuck out of there, now.”
They were immediately frisked, and his wife later told him that one of the men put his hands all over her in a way that more closely resembled groping than frisking.
They were both terrified and terrorized, but not just by the Tsarnaev brothers, but by their own government officials.
They held one another, shaking in fear and praying that they wouldn’t be arrested for growing medical marijuana.
But as the lead officer put it, “we have other things to do right now.” However he did add, “We have to report all violations of law, just so you know.”
(Related: Cannabis Defense Day)
When authorities finally cornered the terrorist younger Tsarnaev hiding in a boat a few blocks from his house, he exalted the loudest cheers in Boston because the police would be leaving his area and he could go outside without conflict and move his marijuana plants to another location.
To this day, he hasn’t been arrested, but both him and his wife spend every waking moment living in fear.
And they also want to start a conversation about what happens to marijuana grow room security when the government decides to suspend the fourth amendment to the constitution:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
If you or someone you know is facing charges as a result of Medical Marijuana prescribed to you as a Medical Marijuana patient under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, contact Komorn Law and ensure your rights are protected.
Michael Komorn is recognized as a leading expert on the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act. He is the President of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association (MMMA), a nonprofit patient advocacy group with over 26,000 members, which advocates for medical marijuana patients, and caregiver rights. Michael is also the host of Planet Green Trees Radio, a marijuana reform based show, which is broadcast every Thursday night 8-10 pm EST. Follow Komorn on Twitter.
