| Jacki Rickert and
Gary Storck spent the week of October 17-24, 1999 in Washington, D.C. The two joined the
Cheryheart Project's Jim and Cheryl Miller of Silverton, New Jersey in an effort to
dramatize the need for legal access to medicinal cannabifor sick, disabled and dying
Americans. Logistical support including nearly live updates of the cherylheart.org website
was provided from a distance by Cherylheart Project webmaster and communications director
Gary Sage, back home in New Jersey. The visit was a combination of meetings with members
of Congress and staff along with direst political action at Rep. Bob Barr's office on
Thursday October 21, 1999. Along with representatives from the Marijuana Policy Project
and members of SSDP and other groups, Jim, Cheryl, Jacki and Gary staged a demonstration
that included Jim placing Cheryl Miller on a sleeping bag in Barr's
doorway and conducting a spasticity demonstration, and later accompanying activists chanting from inside the office. Jim Miller ended up being arrested
and Cheryl was placed back in her wheelchair, with no padding underneath her, by Capitol
police. After a couple court appearances, and faced with the judge's refusal to hear
about Cheryl's condition and why they were there, Jim accepted a plea bargain where one
charge was dropped if he pled guilty to protesting at the Capitol on March 1, 2000. He
received a sentence of paying $50.00 to the victim compensation fund, along with a fine of
$0 with no jail time, probation, or community service. Read an update about it on the
cherylheart.org website here. |
