"Think of the
Sanctuary Kit as
Cannabis insurance"
-Roger Christie
Sanctuary Kit as
Cannabis insurance"
-Roger Christie
Wednesday, August 1, 2001, Hawaii County
paid $75,000.00 to settle a civil lawsuit filed by two marijuana
advocates. Aaron Anderson and Roger Christie, both claimed they were
unfairly prosecuted for their supposed controversial views. Anderson and
Christie sued the county Prosecutor Jay Kimura and Deputy Prosecutor Kay
Iopa, now a private defense attorney. The case started when Anderson and
Christie received sterile hemp seeds in 1991. The two accepted the
$75,000.00 somewhat reluctantly after saying chances are we wouldn't get
much more. Christie said failure at the federal level weakened the
remaining claim, under which the two had first sought $1 million. Agreeing
to accept the settlement meant the two would be required to give up the
right to appeal the federal ruling. "I felt like the ideal time to move on
and get a win," Christie said. "This decision shows that it's possible to
turn negatives into positives in my life."
Nancy Pisicchio, South Kona Councilwoman voted to approve the $75,000.00 offer. Pisicchio stated that she worried the county would end up paying far more money if the case went to trial. "I don't think we would have had a chance at winning because we were at fault," referring to then Deputy Prosecutor Kay Iopa's presentation of false evidence suggesting the hemp seeds had germinated when tested. Pisicchio went on to say "This isn't an isolated example of the county being found at fault in a legal proceeding."
Nancy Pisicchio, South Kona Councilwoman voted to approve the $75,000.00 offer. Pisicchio stated that she worried the county would end up paying far more money if the case went to trial. "I don't think we would have had a chance at winning because we were at fault," referring to then Deputy Prosecutor Kay Iopa's presentation of false evidence suggesting the hemp seeds had germinated when tested. Pisicchio went on to say "This isn't an isolated example of the county being found at fault in a legal proceeding."
