LA Criminal Attorney Allison B. Margolin

How lawyer navigates sea of secrecy in bizarre case

2007-08-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

By Henry Weinstein, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
August 15, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO — Oakland lawyer Jon Eisenberg calls the case of Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation v. George W. Bush the strangest he has ever handled. How strange? Eisenberg was required to write one of his briefs in a windowless government office, without notes or lawbooks, under the watchful eye of two federal security guards.

When he got hungry, one of the guards brought him a banana. And when he finished, a security official shredded all his drafts — and even the banana peel, Eisenberg said.

The brief-writing session was just one facet of the extraordinary secrecy surrounding the Al-Haramain case, Eisenberg said. Al-Haramain is one of dozens of plaintiffs across the nation that have filed suit, claiming they were illegally spied on by the government as part of the war on terror.

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LINDSAY LOHAN: LAWSUIT OVER CAR PURSUIT

2007-08-14T15:24:00.000-07:00

Lindsay Lohan was sued Tuesday for assault and negligence by a passenger in a car the actress allegedly chased while drunk last month
“What Miss Lohan did that night was extremely dangerous and reprehensible,” Tracie Rice, the woman who filed the suit, said in statement, according to the Associated Press. “Someone could easily have been killed or seriously hurt because of her irresponsible decisions that evening.”
Rice’s attorney, Paul Hoffman says: “My client, Tracie Rice, thought she was going to die that night, and wants Ms. Lohan to be held accountable because Lohan’s behavior was so extreme and outrageous. Ms. Rice is still traumatized from the incident.

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ON THE RIGHT TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA PRIVACY

2007-08-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

Oregon subpoenas worry medical marijuana advocates

PORTLAND (AP) — Federal subpoenas seeking medical records of 17 Oregon medical marijuana patients have growers and users upset and nervous even as a federal judge considers whether to throw the subpoenas out.
Sunday, August 12, 2007 2:54 AM PDT

‘‘It’s crazy. It’s really scary. If they can get my records, they can get Gov. (Ted) Kulongoski’s, they can get yours,’’ said Donald DuPay, a former Portland police officer and 2006 candidate for Multnomah County sheriff.

DuPay says his records are among those subpoenaed.

A federal grand jury in Yakima, Wash., issued the subpoenas in April as part of an investigation of some growers in Oregon and Washington.

The patients are not targets of the grand jury.

A Seattle spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration declined comment.

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HEMP CAN MAKE US COOL AGAIN by Jay Good

2007-08-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

Remember when the US was considered cool and happening? John Lennon once compared NY to Rome, and moved here to be near the action. Unfortunately our government tried to deport him on a drug charge, but Lennon stayed cool, retained a lawyer, and got his greencard. Soon afterwards Rome began to burn, Lennon was gunned down, we began to lose our cool. Too bad Lennon kept his...

Today our government continues it's domestic drug war as it battles overseas for position. The biggest change for the Globe in the last 25 years it turns out, is the one we can't see; our ozone layer.

To no ones surprise George Bush is ducking out on this one, but we are still a savvy nation with brilliant minds like Al Gore to help shine the light and lead the way. Let's us keep politics off to the side so that we may begin to affect change and rebound. Once we take those first steps in our fight against global warming, the eventual restarting of US hemp production will be much more feasible, perhaps one day, even a no brainer.

After that we can go all out green. Just think we'll be known as a lean green global machince. Hey, won't that make us cool, once again.

HEMP FACTS

PHIL SPECTOR JURORS VISIT CRIME SCENE

2007-08-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

Phil Spector Jurors to Visit Crime Scene

By LINDA DEUTSCH
The Associated Press  Thursday, August 9, 2007; 10:01 AM

LOS ANGELES -- Attorneys want jurors in the Phil Spector trial to stand in the foyer of his home and see for themselves the spot where actress Lana Clarkson's body was found.
The jury will head to Spector's mansion, 15 miles northeast of Los Angeles in Alhambra, on Thursday to get a firsthand look. The question of where Spector was standing when Clarkson was shot in the mouth and how far blood can travel have been key issues in the case.

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Check out Allison's Phil Spector Video on her prediction on the case's outcome

GO ASK ALLISON - ON THE DA & LOW LEVEL MARIJUANA CASES

2007-08-03T12:23:00.000-07:00

LA's Dopest Attorney Allison Margolin talks about a recent incident where a Torrance District Attorney intimidated and coerced a medical marijuana patient to plead guilt

SEATTLE HEMPFEST 07 SHAPING UP TO BE THE DOPEST

2007-08-02T00:29:00.000-07:00

Invitation to speak at Hempfest 2007

Dear Allison Margolin,

Seattle Hempfest is one of the world's foremost drug policy reform events, the largest pot rally on earth. On behalf of our one thousand strong volunteer crew, the Hempfest speakers crew extends our deepest thanks for the work you do. We would like to invite you to speak at this year's event, to be held August 18-19, 2007 at Myrtle Edwards Park on Seattle's waterfront

I would love to be there and I graciously accept!

BRITNEY SPEARS DIVORCE OFFICIAL

2007-07-31T08:20:00.000-07:00

Spears, Federline Divorce Is Final
By AMANDA BECK, Associated Press Writer
7:54 AM PDT, July 31, 2007

LOS ANGELES -- Britney Spears' marriage to Kevin Federline officially ended Monday. "They are divorced," the pop star's attorney, Laura Wasser, said after a Superior Court hearing. "Everything is finalized."

Court Commissioner Scott Gordon signed orders for dissolution of marriage, an alimony agreement and child custody.

The alimony agreement will not be made public unless there is an enforcement issue, Wasser said.

"Most of that tracks the prenup," the attorney said, without elaborating.

The child custody order was tentatively sealed, pending an Aug. 14 hearing.

"The best interests of the children could be harmed" if the arrangement were not sealed, Gordon said.

Spears married Federline in October 2004, eight months after her first marriage to childhood friend Jason Alexander was annulled. She cited irreconcilable differences when she filed for divorce from Federline on Nov. 7, 2006.

Wasser said that Spears was "OK" with the terms of the settlement but that "she would like to be with her kids more."

Since February, Spears, 25, and Federline, 29, have shared joint custody of their two sons, 22-month-old Sean Preston and 10-month-old Jayden James.

MARIJUANA SCHIZOPHRENIA REPORT IS PURE BUNK

2007-07-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

Will One Joint Really Make You Schizoid? 
Maia Szalavitz, July 30, 2007

Just what did a new study on marijuana and schizophrenia actually say – and what did the media leave out?

Watching the media cover marijuana is fascinating, offering deep insight into conventional wisdom, bias and failure to properly place science in context. The coverage of a new study claiming that marijuana increases the risk of later psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia by 40% displays many of these flaws.
What are the key questions reporters writing about such a study needs to ask? First, can the research prove causality? Most of the reporting here, to its credit, establishes at some point that it cannot,though you have to read pretty far down in some of it to understand this.

Second – and this is where virtually all of the coverage falls flat –, if marijuana produces what seems like such a large jump in risk for schizophrenia, have schizophrenia rates increased in line with marijuana use rates? A quick search of Medline shows that this is not the case-- in fact, as I noted here earlier, some experts think they may actually have fallen. Around the world, roughly 1% of the population has schizophrenia (and another 2% or so have other psychotic disorders), and this proportion doesn’t seem to change much. It is not correlated with population use rates of marijuana.

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NICOLE RICHIE TO SERVE 90 HOURS IN JAIL FOR DUI VIOLATION

2007-07-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

Nicole Richie, co-star on"The Simple Life" was sentenced this moring at the Glendale courthouse to serve 90 hours in jail for driving under the influence in December. Richie has been given until September 28th to serve her jail hours.

Richie is rumored to be four months pregnant. She showed up at the courthouse with no immediate family, just her boyfriend, As part of her sentencing she is to complete 21 days of rehab, and will be on probation for three years.

GO ASK ALLISON- WHY'S THE DEA SO HELL-BENT ON CLOSING CANNABIS CLUBS?

2007-07-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

LA's Dopest Attorney Allison Margolin talks about what is motivating the DEA to go after cannabis clubs so aggressive

YESTERDAY'S LA DEA RAIDS SECOND BIGGEST ALL TIME

2007-07-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

DEA raids LA medical marijuana clinics

By ANDREW GLAZER, Associated Press Writer Thu Jul 26, 2:41 AM ET

LOS ANGELES - Federal agents raided 10 marijuana clinics Wednesday, the same day city leaders introduced a measure calling for an end to the crackdown on the dispensaries allowed under state law.

The bust netted five arrests, large quantities of marijuana and cash, and was the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's second-largest since California voters approved medical marijuana sales in 1996. The drug remains illegal under federal law.

DEA spokeswoman Sarah Pullen said the timing of the bust and the city's action was "purely coincidental."

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Allison has been asked to represent five medical marijuana prostesters that were arrested during the raids.

MORE DEA CANNABIS CLUB RAIDS IN LA

2007-07-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

The DEA at it again in LA!

The DEA raided several cannabis clubs today in Hollywood. One of those clubs includes the California Patient’s Group on Santa Monica Blvd and Vine St. As police officers stand by it's been reported that up to two hundred protesters have been gathering ouside the popular cannabis club to show thier support

Several members of the CPG's staff as well as some patients are being held inside the dispensary.

LINDSAY LOHAN ARRESTED IN SANTA MONICA

2007-07-24T05:56:00.000-07:00

Another bust. Say it ain't so Lindsay Lo

Lindsay Lohan was arrested in Santa Monica this morning for allegedly driving under the influence, narcotics possession and driving with a suspended license. Lohan was reported to be chasing another vehicle drven by the mother of her personal assistant before she was arrested.

Not to overstate the obvious here but Ms Lohan should employ a full time driver right away.

Blair Berk, counsel to actress Lindsay Lohan, has released a statement following her arrest on DUI and cocaine charges early Tuesday morning.

“Addiction is a terrible and vicious disease. Since Lindsay transitioned to outpatient care, she has been monitored on a SCRAM bracelet and tested daily in order to support her sobriety. Throughout this period, I have received timely and accurate reports from the testing companies. Unfortunately, late yesterday I was informed that Lindsay had relapsed. The bracelet has now been removed. She is safe, out of custody and presently receiving medical care.”

GO ASK ALLISON - ALLISON ASKS BRUCE MARGOLIN ABOUT THE MARGOLIN GUIDE

2007-07-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

ALLISON asks her dad BRUCE MARGOLIN a question concerning his "Margolin Guide". Bruce Margolin's guide covers pot laws of all fifty states.

The Margolin Guide is a must weed read!

LINDSAY LOHAN SURRENDERS TO BEVERLY HILLS POLICE

2007-07-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

Police book Lohan on charges spurred by May crash

By Richard Winton, Times Staff Writer
July 20, 2007

Actress Lindsay Lohan surrendered to Beverly Hills Police Thursday in connection with a driving under the influence incident in May.

A Los Angeles County Sheriff's website record shows she was taken into custody at about 4 p.m. and booked 15 minutes later. She was released an hour later in lieu of $30,000 bail.

Lohan was initially arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in May after she crashed her Mercedes convertible in Beverly Hills shortly before dawn. Lohan, 21 was slightly injured after she lost control of her car traveling west on Sunset Boulevard about 5:30 a.m., Beverly Hills police said. The car ended up striking a curb and shrubbery along Foothill Road. Two other people in the 2005 Mercedes SL65 -- a car that normally seats a driver and one passenger -- were not hurt. The "Georgia Rule" and "Mean Girls" star left the scene of the crash and was taken by an unidentified associate to Century City Doctors Hospital, Lt. Mitch McCann told the Times at the time.

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DEA, CANNABIS CLUBS & LANDLORD LETTERS

2007-07-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

LA Weekly helps hype Simpson's movie while LACityBeat gets down in the Grass

MORE LA WEAKLY COVERAGE ON DEA AND CANNABIS CLUBS
July 19th 07 By Jay Good

About ten days ago random cannabis club landlords began receiving forfeiture letters from the DEA causing the landlords to make a decision; possibly lose their property, or evict the cannabis club owners. For many it was not much of a choice and in no time cannabis club owners began getting thirty day eviction notices.

The news was kept quiet by the club owners so as not to cause a panic among the landlords …Some of the first people outside of landlords and cannabis club owners to hear about the DEA letters were the weekly papers who advertise dozens upon dozens of display ads for these cannabis clubs . Then Tuesday morning the story officially broke in the LA Times

For some strange reason LA Weekly the second largest alt paper in the country didn’t touch the DEA/Landlord letter story. So what’s up with that, I'd like to know? I like the LA Weekly and Allison Margolin occasionally places her LA’s Dopest Attorney ads with them but the people over at Village Voice/New Times blew it and get a great big fat “Doh!” for ignoring this one... The voice of the people...lately, I think not.

Thankfully LACitybeat saw the DEA Landlord letter story for what it was and is; big breaking news effecting thousands locally with huge national ramifications. In today’s LACityBeat issue they are running a four page feature called
“Stay off the Grass” Read it and weep...that goes for you too, LA Weekly. - Jay Good

Allison Margolin has been busy in court the past two weeks fighting a medical marijuana case and plans to have a few things to say about this unfolding event soon

DEA MAILS WARNING LETTERS TO CANNABIS CLUB LANDLORDS

2007-07-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

DEA targets landlords of pot outlets

About 150 L.A. owners are told they could face jail and lose properties rented to dispensaries.

By Eric Bailey, Times Staff Writer
July 17, 2007

Raising the stakes in the federal government's war against medical marijuana, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has warned more than 150 Los Angeles landlords that they risk arrest and the loss of their properties if they continue renting to cannabis dispensaries.

The two-page letter sent last week by Timothy J. Landrum, DEA special agent in charge of the Los Angeles office, has whipped up worries among landlords and dispensary operators in a region that has seen a proliferation of the businesses in the last two years.

"I'm devastated," said Lisa Sawoya, who left her lucrative job selling high-tech hospital equipment to open a dispensary 18 months ago in Hollywood. "My landlord believes in cannabis as medicine. But they're taking the letter very seriously. So I'll be closing my doors at the end of this month."

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excerpt from landlord letter:

"The DEA has determined you own, or have under your management or control, a building located at [ADDRESS]. The DEA has determined there is a marijuana dispensary, [NAME], operating on the property.

This is a violation of federal law...."

ORANGE COUNTY ACCEPTS MEDICAL MARIJUANA

2007-07-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

O.C. to license medical marijuana

In a switch from an earlier stand, the county will issue ID cards and validate prescriptions.

By Christian Berthelsen, Times Staff Writer
July 18, 2007

Orange County will begin licensing medical marijuana use and issuing identification cards to patients who are entitled to it under a plan approved by county supervisors Tuesday.

The decision marked a surprise turnabout from just three months ago, when the proposal initially seemed doomed to failure.

Under the plan, the county will create a system to identify patients eligible to use marijuana for medical purposes, and issue them identification cards, validate prescriptions and monitor the qualifications of care providers who dispense the drug.

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CATHOLIC CHURCH AGREES TO PAY 660 MILLION FOR CLERGY ABUSE

2007-07-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Lee Bashforth says the church settled at the last minute to avoid a public trial.

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- A judge on Monday approved a $660 million settlement between the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles and more than 500 alleged victims of clergy abuse, the largest payout yet in a nationwide sex abuse scandal.

Some of the plaintiffs sobbed as the deal was formally approved and a moment of silence was held for others who had died during the years of negotiations.

"This is the right result," said Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Haley Fromholz.

"Settling the cases was the right thing to do, and it was done by dint of a number of extremely talented and dedicated people putting in an awful lot of time."

The deal came after more than five years of negotiations and is by far the largest payout by any diocese since the clergy abuse scandal emerged in Boston in 2002.

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CELEBRITIES LINE UP FOR HOLLYWOOD'S WONDERLAND

2007-07-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

Is Celebrity Rehab Effective?

With So Many Going To Get Sober, It Now Just Seems Like A Trend

Lindsay Lohan, show here parting at the nightclub Warehouse on April 12, 2007, in Tokyo, is one of many celebrities who have checked into rehab.

Not so long ago, alcohol and drug addiction in Hollywood were considered taboo, something shameful. But now hardly a week goes by without a celebrity announcing they've checked into rehab.

Young Hollywood just loves to party but the seduction of alcohol and drugs has led many to rehab facilities like Wonderland, co-founded by Howard Samuels. It was reportedly where Lindsay Lohan went to get sober the first time.

"I have kids lining up at the door that are 19, 20, 21, that are on cocaine on a daily basis. They're doing ecstasy. They're smoking pot 24 hours a day," Samuels said.

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SARA CAPLAN TO TESTIFY IN SPECTOR CASE

2007-07-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ex-Spector Lawyer Decides To Testify

Sara Caplan Could Have Faced Jail Time For Refusing To Testify About Evidence Allegation

AP) A former attorney for Phil Spector agreed Thursday to testify in his murder trial about evidence allegedly withheld by a defense expert rather than go to jail for contempt of court.

The turnabout by attorney Sara Caplan came a day after the California Supreme Court refused to hear her appeal of a contempt order issued by Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler, who had ordered her jailed to coerce her testimony.

The judge ordered her to return to court Thursday afternoon to give her testimony.

Caplan was part of an original defense team that examined the foyer of Spector's mansion where actress Lana Clarkson died from a bullet fired from a snub-nose .38-caliber revolver stuck in her mouth on Feb. 3, 2003. The defense claims Clarkson
shot herself.

Watch my recent Phil Spector Youtube that details why the jury will acquit Mr Spector

LEE BACA - NON VIOLENT OFFENDERS SHOULD GO HOME

2007-07-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

Baca seeks authority to order home detention

Some legislators call the practice too lenient, while sheriff says it ensures more dangerous inmates will serve full sentences.
By Patrick McGreevy, Times Staff Writer
July 12, 2007

SACRAMENTO — Under fire for overcrowded jails, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca is seeking the power to force thousands of inmates to be placed on detention in their homes, but prisoners rights advocates are fighting the move, saying that it would mean many more inmates would be deprived of the medical and mental healthcare they get behind bars.

Baca called the proposed new power a short-term solution to the jail overcrowding problem that has forced him to release thousands of inmates after they served only a fraction of their sentences.

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Is anyone else coming up with solutions to reduce LA's insanely overcowded prison population? Right on Sheriff Baca!

GO ASK ALLISON - ALLISON ASKS CHRIS CONRAD A QUESTION

2007-07-10T21:32:00.000-07:00

LA's Dopest Attorney asks Chris Conrad what the five golden rules are for not getting arrested for growing marijuana

ALLISON'S MYSPACE FRIEND'S HEADLINES

2007-07-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

LA's Dopest Attorney "On the right to get High"

MYSPACE; Love it or hate it, you gotta love a good headline...

MY SPACE FRIEND'S HEADLINES

"Nice shoes....wanna fuck."

"Change is inevitable; except from a vending machine....."

"Are you suggesting i fondue your vagina?

"And then I was like yeah whatever..."

"The well behaved rarely make history......"

"Only Dead Fish Go with the Flow"

"If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention."

"DONT HATE, APPRECIATE!"

"Go fuck yourself"

"DO NOT BOTHER WITH ME IF YOU ARE FULL OF SHIT!"

"Tryin to stay number 1 without steppin in number 2"

"Stop bitching- start a Revolution!"

"I may not be Mr. Right, but I'll fuck you till he shows up!"

"Reality is really just a fucked up dream"

"Wait till they get a load of me!"

"Dear Lord, give me patience & give it to me NOW!"

"If you don't desire to change the world, you are a collaborator in everything that is wrong with it."

Thanks Myspace friends!