From: [f--e--n] at [indy.net] ()
Newsgroups: rec.drugs.cannabis,alt.drugs.pot,alt.drugs,rec.drugs.misc
Subject: DRUG WAR VICTIMS REVISITED
Date: 21 Sep 1995 09:23:07 GMT

The Scripps Howard News Service recently published a article by Andrew 
Schneider about the Sept. 1991 government invasion of the home of a 
Mountainair New Mexico couple and their neighbor. The following contains 
excerpts from Schneider's insightfull journalism.

      "COUPLE WANTS FEDS TO APOLOGIZE FOR WRONGFUL RAID"

It takes the a long time to forget that armed troops invaded your home. 
It takes the government even longer to apologize when they invade the wrong 
place. "We're still angry as hell and hurt that our government can do 
this, but after what happened at Ruby Ridge and in Waco, I quess we 
should be glad to be alive", says Leland Elder, a retired florist with a 
white beard and pony tail.  Adds his wife, Mary Schultz: "What they left 
behind was a neighborhood filled with suspicion, doubt and general paranoia."
"They" are the 85 law enforcement agents and soldiers who, four years 
ago this month, stormed the 32 acres the couple owns..."

The raiders target: "A massive marijuana production operation" that 
police believed Schultz and Elder were operating.
Their score: Lots of sunflowers but not a single marijuana plant.
Their legacy: Anger, dismay and one more measure of the deepening distrust  
of the government by those it governs. ...  Schultz and Elder are still 
waiting for an apology.

The couple sent dozens of letters and made scores of calls to federal and 
New Mexico officials... for an explanation for the armed assault and a 
promise that authorities would more carefully investigate rumors and 
allegations before mustering and unleashing troops.

"Answers were few and none addessed the issue", Elders says,...so we sued 
them for a million dollars to see if that might get their attention.
Three months ago the federal court ruled that the agents, police and 
national guard involved in the raid had immunity and could not be sued 
for the invasion. ...

The scene was classic Hollywood. Men with guns everywhere, their faces 
streaked with earth-tone camouflage grease. They wore steel combat 
helmets and bullet proof vests. They were prepared for serious combat. 
Some carried three weapons. ... It all started around 7 am.
"We heard a helicopter hovering over our roof.  We took our coffe cups 
and went outside to see what was happening," says Schultz. 

A who's who of federal agents, backed by a tank like vehicle swarmed 
through the ... property.  The D.E.A., B.A.T.F., the Customs Service, the 
Forest Service and a platoon of New Mexico National Guardsmen were there.
Elders and Schultz were surrounded by six heavily armed, uniformed men. They 
were handcuffed and he was thrown to the ground. The agents kept screaming,   
"Tell us where the drugs are!" Tell us where the drugs are!"


Less than a half mile away, a door was kicked in on a trailer that the Elders
rent out..  Six more agents in paramilitary garb stormed through the 
wrecked entrance, pulled half naked Sina Brush and her daughter from 
their beds, forced them to the floor and handcuffed them. "These totally 
innocent women were violated and humiliated by the search, left standing 
around handcuffed and almost naked, says Stuart Stein, the lawyer for the 
Brushs. .... The mother and daughter filed a $1 million suit against the 
federal government but it too was blocked by the immunity defense. ....

Schultz was treated for depression and post-tramatic stress after the raid.
"We are innocent victims in the war on drugs," she says.   "As law 
enforcement changes from a 'Lets talk about it' philosophy to a Delta 
force, invade first program there will be many more innocent people 
swept up in these raids."

Allegations in the search warrent authorizing the 1991 raid made the bust 
of an enormous marijuana operation seem a sure thing.  A U.S Customs    
surveillance plane had flown over the area with a thermal imager...
The results were, "typical of the heat image generated by lights used in 
marijuana cultivation," the warrant said.  It didn't mention that other 
houses in the area, not under suspicion showed the same degree of heat.
Hundreds of feet of black rubber hosing criss-crossed the property, and 
was "typical of the irrigation system found in marijuana cultivation," 
the warrant said.  The water pipes actually ran beside hundeds of Russian 
olive trees Elder had planted on the property.

The warrant alleged that large "marijuanalike" foilage was visible in the 
area. ...but they were Maximillian Daises, know as New Mexico sunflowers.
Other "suspious" plants were reported near or within green houses with 
solar energy panels.  The panels turned out to be clear plastic windows 
to let light into the garage and storage sheds.  Those other "suspicious" 
plants were geraniums and marigolds. There were no traces of underground 
growing rooms or armed men patrolling the roads--as reported by an informant. 

The above story was written by journalist, Andrew Schneider


Very scary shit going on in the U.S.A.  Now it's becoming illegal to grow
sunflowers, olive trees, geraniums and marigolds.  I quess the government 
criminals can't even trust their miscreant informants to tell the truth.
                                                  Jon Freeman
                                             
"The police force is watching the people 
 And the people just can't understand"   Steppenwolf-Monster  
 

The Bill of Rights-void where prohibited by law breaking cops