09/11/2017
Court Support Request- READINESS Hearing Downtown
Who: James Slatic, Jessica McElfresh and MedWest Defendants
What: Readiness Conference
Where: Begins in Depart. 11 in Downtown Courthouse - 220 W. Broadway, SD. 92101
When: Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at 8:30a.m.
Donation Page: https://www.freefunder.com/campaign/mcelfresh-legal-defense-fund
James Slatic and the MedWest defendants will be assigned a courtroom from department 11. If you are late, please ask the bailiff to which courtroom they’ve sent James Slatic and Jessica McElfresh.
This will be a conference to determine readiness for preliminary exam between the court, prosecution and defense. Please come and show your support for the defendants of the MedWest raid. In January 2016, two MedWest employees were arrested and a business was ransacked by San Diego Narcotic Task Force, Team 9. San Diego Americans for Safe Access members watched as police detective Mark Carlson carted away boxes of records from the business. A few days later, Carlson signed an affidavit that led to the seizure of the Slatic family personal assets. James is the CEO of MedWest and his family does not work in the business.
The police did not stop there. Among the business records and electronics they took, they found privileged correspondence between James and his attorney, Jessica McElfresh. Using private counsel advice against them, our vicious district attorney’s office filed a criminal complaint of conspiracy, manufacturing and other cannabis related charges against not only James and four MedWest employees but also Jessica. The charges were filed two days after a judge ordered the District Attorney to return the Slatic family assets. The DA searched and seized records and electronics at Jessica’s home and office following the criminal filing.
There have been ongoing hearings about the reach of the warrant served on Jessica and the level of privilege to be given to her client records. There will be another hearing dedicated to just that portion of the prosecution on September 27, in Dept. 36 at 1:30.
MedWest had a seller’s permit, paid all their taxes and had been in communication with the city’s land use staff. They had a staff of employees who had benefits. The team was doing everything they could to follow ever- changing cannabis law and they were raided as an asset grab for the DA’s office.
The hearing on September 12th is a hearing for the entire group of defendants. There are six. They have been out on bail and four have had their civil rights suspended. This is their readiness hearing as a precursor to the preliminary exam. The cannabis community of attorneys has been faithfully attending hearings along with SDASA and many concerned cannabis patients. Please join us in standing with James, Jessica and the MedWest defendants.
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