A Sad Day for Shasta County

It is now obvious to the citizens of Shasta County that if you speak out against government tyranny that you become a target. Especially when it comes to Sheriff Tom Bosenko and his campaign against legal marijuana patients.

Eric Salerno Global News Centre

The month of May is planting season for many medical marijuana patients and collectives here in Northern California. Shasta county is no different except the man who is planting his legal collective garden is James Benno, a long time outspoken advocate for medical marijuana in the county.

Recently in Shasta an attempt was made by the Board of Supervisors to ban outdoor cultivation of any medical marijuana. This biased effort was thwarted thanks to activist and advocates like James Benno and others from Shasta and nearby counties who rallied to get signatures gathered and file a successful referendum to overturn the decision by the Board of Supervisors.

It would seem that the battle was over and the good citizens had prevailed over the evil of prejudice against legal Prop. 215 patients in the county. That was until Tuesday May 20th when one of the most influential and supportive collectives in the county run by James Benno of the NorCal Patients Coalition a private non-profit collective was raided and it’s entire garden was sub sequentially cut down.

With Shasta County code enforcement officers and Shasta County Sheriff deputies in tow the medicinal garden was raided and with SWAT team style tactics, James Benno and his two sons were arrested and charged with the following;
11359 (HS) POSSESSION of MARIJIUANA FOR SALE
11379.6(A)(HS) MAKE CONTROLLED SUBS 11358 (HS)
PLANT/ETC MARIJUANA 148(A)(1) (PC)
OBSTRUCT/ETC PUB OFC 653X (PC)
TELEPHONE CALLS 911 25800(A) (PC) CARRY LOAD FIREARM in COMMISSION of a FELONY

His son Jacob Benno is being held and charged with;
11359 (HS) POSSESSION of MARIJUANA FOR SALE 11358 (HS) PLANT/ETC MARIJUANA 11379.6(A) (HS)
MAKE CONTROLLED SUBS
25800(A) (PC)
CARRY LOAD FIREARM in COMMISSION of a FELONY

His other son Logan Benno is also being held and charged with;
11359 (HS) POSSESSION of MARIJUANA FOR SALE 11358 (HS) PLANT/ETC MARIJUANA
11379.6(A) (HS) MAKE CONTROLLED SUBS
25800(A) (PC) CARRY LOAD FIREARM in COMMISSION of a FELONY

Despite the fact that these men are all long time residents and legal Prop. 215 patients, and that the county lost in its effort to ban marijuana cultivation, it seems the tables are turned on those who opposed the ban and stood up for others in the process.

Almost like a big bully who wants his revenge the Shasta. County law enforcement departments stepped in like a true thug.

Sheriff Tom Bosenko

These men are each being held on a $100,000 bail which seems astronomical given the fact that there is no flight risk of previous history of arrest.

In a video available on YouTube you can see the aftermath of the code enforcement officers and Sheriff officers flaunting the fact that Federal grant money was used to support the raid.

During one portion the cameraman asks if the code enforcement officer enjoys stealing patients medicine, which gets a gleaming sly smirky smile from one of the code officers.

One has to wonder when this insanity will all end?

It is now obvious to the citizens of Shasta County that if you speak out against government tyranny that you become a target, especially when it comes to Sheriff Tom Bosenko and his campaign against legal marijuana patients.

But that comes at no surprise, the day that Prop. 215 was passed in 1996, law enforcement unions proclaimed that they would not enforce the law and this has held true ever since.

Police and sheriffs administrators like Bosenko are falling in line with their powerful unions and the wishes to campaign harshly against law abiding Prop. 215 patients and their collectives with federal funding. But the patients, regular citizens, and advocates have not stood idle while this tragedy unfolds, court supports from as far away as Sacramento have joined the fight to see the “Shasta 3 Set Free “a term coined for the three male Benno family members.

The community is waiting to see when justice will truly prevail and the three men released from jail and returned safely home. To follow court dates and case progress please go to this link below.

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Eric Salerno is a Global News Centre writer from Butte County, California. His background is with State and Federal Agencies assisting in recovery efforts in disaster stricken states.

In 2008 he began advocating for medical marijuana in his home state. This journey began after the supervisors in his district of Butte County enacted a moratorium on legal Prop. 215 patients rights to access and grow their own medicine. He was one of only 10 people to show up at the meeting and voice his concerns with their actions.

That year a coalition of mores than 300 residents was formed and a Vote NO on measure A campaign began. These residents of Butte County united to stop the interference of the county.

This campaign was successful with a large voter drive initiative and media campaign securing 55% of the voters saying NO on measure A.

Today Eric works endlessly from Southern California to Northern California advising and implementing political tactics, to ensure every Californian has the right to access legal safe medicine under the law.

You can write to Eric at this address: [email protected]

One Response to A Sad Day for Shasta County

  1. Glenn Ross says:

    Thank you Eric, James Benno is a LOUD hero. He “IS” standing for all of us and we need to stand with him and his boys. I know him and I would STAND with him anywhere , anytime . FREE the Shasta 3,,,( no victom-no crime)

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