Ed Rosenthal, 2003 News

California marijuana grower, was sentenced to 1 day in jail and fined $1,000 for cultivating marijuana. He had been growing the drug for medicinal purposes, legal under Oakland's medicinal marijuana ordinance, and was arrested by federal officials in 2002 for violating federal laws. The judge, Charles Breyer, didn't allow him to use the medicinal purposes as a defense. He was convicted, and some jurors complained that the trial was unfair because they weren't informed of Rosenthal's intent. The judge meted the most lenient sentence possible.