From: [c--o--n] at [dsmnet.com] (Carl E. Olsen)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.drugs
Subject: Ganja Man (by Robert Lawrence)
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 1994 16:41:22

Sept. 6, 1994 
Carl & whoever will help tell the story, 
	Young Brian Tranmer and his fiancé, Lori, first came to our 
home in the spring of '91.  They brought us a stack of T-shirts 
made in their own shop in Tallahassee which extolled the virtues 
of 'ganja'.  Some Coptic friends in South Florida had told them 
about us and they brought their 'merchandise' as a donation to 
TEACH.  It was quickly apparent that Brian's childhood in Jamaica 
among the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church community had influenced 
his personality to become the envy of any father.  Brian, a 
vegetarian, was cordial, soft spoken and well informed on the 
attributes of this 'plant of renown' (a favorite Coptic 
expression from Ezekiel 34:29).  The next time we saw Brian & 
Lori was a couple of months later on the local news.  Both were 
wearing orange jump suits of Federal prisoners.  There were 
arrested bringing almost 5,000 pounds of Jamaican marijuana into 
port here in Panama City.  Knowing the dangerous territory that 
they would be traveling through, the young blond 'Lori' carried a 
small caliber hand gun on her person for protection.  Once the 
2&½ tons of pot were loaded onto a U-Haul trailer, the DEA 
agents, who had not yet identified themselves as such, attempted 
to drive away with the entire load.  This definitely not being 
part of the plan, Brian quickly asked Lori for her 'weapon' and 
began to plead with the men who he suspected to be thieves.  At 
that point they did identify themselves as they wrestled Brian to 
the ground, breaking his arm in the process.  Though he had never 
gotten so much as a parking ticket in his life, Brian was denied 
bail.  One of the reasons given by the DEA was that such a large 
amount of marijuana just represented "too much of a danger to the 
community".  (At that point I laughed out loud in the court room 
and drew ugly stares from everyone).  Brian plea bargained so 
that he received only fourteen years for his 'abominable' act. 
	During my visits with Brian, I was privileged to meet his 
father and thus learn another reason for Brian's mature and well 
mannered character.  Jim Tranmer can keep everyone around him 
laughing even if they are all imprisoned on death row.  I suppose 
that to the government this makes him 'dangerous'.  As Brian was 
being shipped off to a Federal facility, Jim was being released 
from his latest 'probation'.  He moved to New York, opened a very 
nice little shop in the village on Saint Marks where he sold high 
quality art and crafts.  A few months later the shop was raided, 
everything confiscated and Jim was brought back to Panama City to 
stand trial for conspiracy in Brian's case.  Part of the time 
Jim's involvement was to have taken place he was actually in 
prison.  He confided to me, and I believe him, that he actually 
tried to discourage Brian from the adventure to Jamaica and back.  
Things had simply become much more dangerous than in the 'good 
ole' days'.  But for Jim's long reputation of hemp advocacy, over 
20 marijuana arrests, and his complete lack of repentance, he was 
sentenced to 35 years in prison.  See attached and other news 
clipping for more info. 
	Sincerely, Robert Lawrence, 2833 Frankfort Avenue, Panama 
City, Florida 32405, (904) 785-5394. 
	P.S.  Asia, Jasher & I witnessed the pelican crash into the 
power line outside the courthouse.  There was a great flash of 
light, smoke and deathly 'thud', as the large pelican hit the 
concrete.  All power was shut down for about an hour around the 
court house only moments after Jim gave his impassioned warning 
that America's "fight against the herb" is a "fight against 
creation." 
	Oh yes, I was arrested at Jim's trial for laughing when 
Brian was asked if he hated the DEA.  "No I don't hate the DEA.  
I think they do some corrupt and greasy things to get another 
notch on their guns".  I spent the rest of the trial locked up 
with some of the nicest people I've ever known.