2002 DEA Raid
On September 5, 2002, armed federal agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raided the WAMM garden just weeks prior to their annual harvest, arresting the Corrals and destroying all the collective's medicine (150 plants). Valerie and Mike were detained and later released. The government never filed charges, though the Corrals decided to challenge the federal ban with assistance from Santa Clara University law professor Gerald Uelmen and advocates at the Drug Policy Alliance.
Several weeks later, WAMM handed out medical marijuana on the steps of city hall in Santa Cruz, California. WAMM members, whose illnesses include multiple sclerosis, cancer, and AIDS, came out in support of their organization. Many protests and media articles followed the raid, and the DEA received negative and unfavorable worldwide media attention as a result of the raid against the terminally ill.
Read more about this topic: Valerie Corral
Famous quotes containing the word raid:
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