Remember David Kowal

A jury just convicted California medical marijuana provider Charles Lynch of federal drug distribution charges.

His marijuana dispensary was entirely legal under California law, and he operated it wth the blessing of local officials, including the mayor and city attorney of Morro Bay. However, he was charged under federal anti-drug laws, so none of that mattered.

He was also charged with providing marijuana to a minor. That would be 17-year old cancer patient Owen Beck who was using marijuana with prescription from his Stanford-trained oncologist.

Owen Beck was not allowed to testify to his illness. Neither were any of Lynch’s other customers.

For his crimes, Lynch is now facing a minimum 5-year sentence. (The maximum is 100 years, but that won’t happen unless the judge is insane.)

So, remember what happened to Charles Lynch, and the next time some self-described conservative starts telling you about about the importance of limited government, federalism, and states rights, put him to the test. Ask him what he thinks about the Charles Lynch case. If he’s serious about limited government, he’ll agree that this is a travesty. Otherwise, he’s a poser.

You’ll notice that I didn’t title this piece “Remember Charles Lynch.” That’s because as important as it is to remember the victimes of the War On Drugs, it’s even more important to remember the perpetrators.

David Kowal is the lead prosecutor in the case against Charles Lynch. Remember his name, and the next time that name pops up in your life—as a candidate running for for office, as a guy stranded on the side of the road whom you stop to help—remember the thing that he did. And give him hell for it.

[Update: Make sure it’s the right David Kowal. This guy had nothing to do with it.]