Widowed Cancer Survivor Could Lose Home to Marijuana Charges
The federal law barring medical use of marijuana has already cost Mara Lynn Williams her husband, and may now cost her her home as well.
Williams, 56, said she had no idea her husband, Royce, was growing marijuana on their 40-acre property in Chilton County, Alabama until federal authorities raided their land and found 408 plants growing several hundred yards from their house.
Then in May, Royce Williams committed suicide, rather than serve a potentially lengthy prison sentence for the federal drug charges he was facing. His wife, who works as a nurse at a Montgomery hospital, said Royce smoked marijuana because it was the only medication that helped ease the chronic pain he suffered as a result of several surgeries.
Now the Montgomery Advertiser is reporting that the U.S. attorney’s office plans to seize the Williams’ property – including the house still occupied by Mara Lynn, who in 2003 was diagnosed with breast cancer that spread to her liver, lungs and bone, but is now in remission.
“It is not morally right,” the Advertiser quoted Mara Lynn Williams as saying. “My husband paid with his life. What else do they want?”
According to a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office, “[Royce Williams’] death, which ended the criminal case, had no effect on the ongoing civil case … The bottom line is, we don’t want people to benefit from criminal activity.”
Benefit? I suppose seeing her husband suffer a bit less because of the relief he got from medical marijuana might count as a benefit, but doesn’t driving him to suicide make up for that? Must she be made homeless, too – on top of losing more than $18,000 cash, vehicles, computers and other belongings the Advertiser says were seized by the Feds?
To help us change these cruel laws, go to MPP’s Federal Action Center.
Tagged with: Alabama and forfeiture and law enforcement and Medical Marijuana and victim by the author
44 comments
Ron Paul 2012
This is getting ridiculous
Excuse my French… but FU*K the U.S. attorney general and his hipsters. FU*K Obama and his cronies. FU*K the Federal Reserve. FU*K American corporations and elites.
Suicide to me is terribly sad, far reaching, and a great consequence of something beyond most minds. Being in the career field I am in, I see suicides often and everyone of them is one too many.
The only thing criminal about this is the American hypocrisy of marijuana and its prohibition.
Another example of what a POS Obama is. That’s another death that he has caused with his drug war against American citizens. Obama has become another Bush.
Why do you not print the full name of the US attorney scum that would do this evil to an American citizen?
408 plants. I wonder why he got caught. Shame he committed suicide. Never quit fighting. No matter what.
Ron paul is a kook.
What a moving post. Thank you.
Numero tres:
The president, any president, has absolutely nothing to do with this. The president is no different than the nations drug czar. They’re both bound to uphold a certain position and do and say what they are told. The last time this nation didn’t have a president with strings attached to his head,wrists, and feet, was John F. Kennedy. Nothing but puppets ever since.
Thank God!! Their is obviously no serious or violent crime in that county right? I mean… they wouldn’t concentrate on arresting sick people and taking their property while REAL crimes were still happening would they? Because that would be stupid…
sorry but this is kind of off topic, but important , i follow the blogs on mpp and norml and i also keep my eye on current.com , well i came accross something that was quite interresting that was on current.com news a thred called War breaks out within marijuana legalization movement, and a link that came with it http://www.examiner.com/x-23625-detroit-dr , this artical explaind why Jack Herer was so pessed off at HempStalk Festival , so please give it a read,,,,, and my question to mpp , if marijuana is so much safer than beer why do i have to sick to get my hands on it why can’t i grow it myself why should i have to pay someone to grow it for me , i guess greed will always stand in the way of freedom.
to: end the hypocracy-finally someone understands something i don,t like to talk about for obvious reasons!!!!!!
revolution now
What is going on in this world? It going to hell that whasts going on!
CORRUPTION: A disease that spares no one.
What would Obama do? Does he really care?
Hey ya’ll,
Don’t forget to write the President in support for Marc Emery who the Fed’s are extraditing to the US for selling cannabis seeds. go to cannabisculture.com and support Marc. this is an outrage to Americans that in this time of economic hardships the Fed’s are still playing games with our money. Marc’s only crime is funding the cause, he is a Hero!
Here’s a link to someone who can do something about this.
Fight the good fight, but keep it polite.
I sent the following:
Dear Mr. President-
The link below identifies a gross injustice that you can rectify. Please consider directing the Attorney General’s office to end this outrageous attack on an American widow. Thank you for considering this matter; this would be a change we can believe in.
Widowed cancer survivor fights federal land seizure: http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090927/NEWS02/909270320/Widowed+cancer+survivor+fights+federal+land+seizure
Mara Lynn Williams’ husband, Royce, killed himself in May while awaiting a verdict in a federal drug case against him.
The U.S. attorney’s office accused Royce Williams of growing marijuana on his Chilton County land with the intent to sell it. They now are attempting to seize his land — about 40 acres — and the house where Mara Lynn Williams still lives.
Mara Lynn Williams, 56, said she didn’t know that her husband was growing marijuana, and she said federal authorities should not be trying to take the land, which has been in her husband’s family for generations.
“It is not morally right. My husband has paid with his life. What else do they want?” Williams said.
Asset Forfeiture Coordinator Tommie Brown Hardwick said the U.S. attorney’s office is following standard procedure.
A Biblical caution:
Matthew 23:14- Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
]”Asset Forfeiture Coordinator Tommie Brown Hardwick said the U.S. attorney’s office is following standard procedure.”]
Just cause its standard procrdure doesnt make it right. This land was in his family for generation. He didnt buy it with profit from canabis. How can they take it?
Forfeiture laws are a main reason if not THE reason that law enforcement remains so entrenched for the most part against legalization. If law enforcement loses the ability to seize all property from growers and drug dealers then they would most likely face serious budget shortfalls. Which begs the question…Why don’t we give law enforcement one less thing to worry about. Justice is not always blind. Keep up the pressure and I believe that this widow will keep her home.
The sad part is the majority of Americans have no idea this is happening. Mainstream media wont cover the story because of the word “Marijuana”. When did the press become so worthless? Why aren’t more people standing up for what is right instead of an outdated law. It makes me sick. I wish nothing but the best for that poor woman.
i was thinking, because getting high makes me think and think and think and think…. is that common??? but anyways… you all know how gold prices have more than doubled in the last decade? well the dollar is based on gold…. for every dollar out there, there needs to be enough gold to back it up…… well, if we are printing money like crazy to pay for all this crap and the price of gold is going up just to cover those freshly printed bills…..
When is this bubble going to burst??? ever wonder why all of a sudden you see all these “buy gold” commercials on now? if anyone knows anything about the stock market its buy low, sell high….. you dont buy high and hope it goes higher….. they are trying to get as much money as possible to avoid a catastrophic failure in our economy….. funny huh?
second great depression….. HERE WE COME!!!!
“I dont know if hemp will save the world, but its the only thing that can” ~Jack Herer get well buddy!!!
Just Legalize It: This isn’t a remark against what you said sweetie, you’re an acquaintance that I find to be a valuable part of my life, o.k? With that said, the MJ bubble is going to pop when more people get serious about ending Prohibition. The harder we hit, the more facts we throw out there, the greater the possibility of changing the law exists.
I have a dear friend in Australia. She’s been following the conversation at the science blog DarthNole and I have been commenting at and this morning I got an email from her. She was polite and loving, as usual, but basically argued with me that MJ should not be legal. This has opened yet another door for me to one-on-one and educate her. I’m excited! And from that excitement I’m determined to get better at the art of debate so I can stomp down, (politely), any resistance or ignorance surrounding MJ.
Not many comments at the link provided by #16 put two that hit home for me were:
“This is the kind of thing that ought to P*SS off every American so bad that they do something to help this woman whether they smoke pot or not. Remember…all it takes for evil to exist is for good people to do nothing. It won’t be long and they will be at your door for some reason or another.”
—————-
“This case was NOT cut and dry. I was on the jury and there were 3 of us that never would have convicted him of 2 of the charges. The computer nor the prosecution had ANY proof of him selling or giving away marihuana or of him being a dealer. The government never proved anything other than the amount of plants. Mr. Williams was a crane operator and made very good money. He had medical problems of which he used the marihuana for medicinal purposes. His wife knew nothing of the pot. The majority of the guns were small caliber. I have more powerful guns in my home than he owned. The case was very sad with his death and now the feds are trying to take the land and everything she owns? I don’t agree. I hope Mara Williams has a good attorney and pray that she wins. Mara you can fight them and win. I personally had a federal law changed, so anything is possible. Good luck and God be with you.”
The United States of America is a corrupt nation of slaves.
Marching naked people en masse into gas chambers was once “standard procedure” . Imprisoning an entire group of people SPECIFICALLY because of their race (see Manzanar) was once “standard procedure” Right is right and wrong is wrong, standard procedure notwithstanding.
This is so sad…
JLI #20 :
The dollar is no longer backed by gold anymore. The federal reserve changed that long time ago.
Nope no gold standard for us anymore…we just print print print.
These days we are based on debt bought by china. I believe right now we owe the chinese somewhere around 775,000,ooo.00 A month. Ya Seven hundred and seventy five million a month….Just in INTEREST! Yes our wonderful politicians are selling us out to the chinese. At this rate our grandchilderns grandchildern will be paying for our debt. Yes these corrupt fucks have slaved us out to the CHINESE JLI!
JLI and everyone who cares.
The truth is there for those who wish to find it…though you maynot like what you find. I havent been the same since I started really paying attention and looking for the truth.
In a nut shell…This country is full of corrupt fucks that have sold us out and live high on the hog off our blood sweat and tears.
If you care bout this country…look for the truth.
CORRUPTION: A disease that spares no on.
Just L It, ROE is correct, we have been off the gold system for a while. One of the least talked about issues is how The Fed garnered it’s power from Woodrow Wilson: “I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the civilized world no longer a Government by free opinion, no longer a Government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a Government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men.” -Woodrow Wilson, after signing the Federal Reserve into existence
There is a great documentary (google video) that talks about how the Fed came to be and why it’s ruining our country.
What happened to this poor woman is a f’ing crime and it disgusts me.
thats why im with ron paul END THE FED
JLI and DAYDOG:
It sickens me everyday of my life to see what is happening to this country. What is happening to this woman is just the tip of the iceberg. We are all in such grave danger. We are all slaves to those few men in power.
This country is falling, falling hard and fast. Those in power are doing nothing to stop it,I feel they are doing their best to speed it up.
Once this country falls and is no longer a force in the world, dark days will fall upon every man woman and child on this planet.
There are very bad,even evil, people in this world that will walk in and take over everything.
Ive learned a long time ago to trust what I feel in my soul. Dark days are ahead if something isnt done.
Am I making a 2012 reference? NO! I think the 2012 idea is just something to put fear in the hearts of men and make it easier for those in power to control the masses.
Wake up your friends and neighbors to what our government and those around the world are doing. Its the only way to stop them.
CORRUPTION: A disease that spares no one.
Funny Spoof:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKLWfhhLZAs&feature=related
This is so sad………
All for a harmless plant………….
These politicians must be changed in order for these laws to change…..
Why is this country so bent on oppressing its own people???…….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek_3X2ONCx0
This boring but scary look at the fed reserve should clear up a few issues raised in earlier posts about the gold standard…by the way it was Richard Nixon who moved us from the gold standard in the 60’s.
Of course I knew this had to be in the South!
this is absolutely reee-fucking-diculous!!!! what they’re doing is more criminal than any amount of God’s plants growing anywhere! I hope the Karma Police intervene
at least LEAVE CANCER PEOPLE ALONE!!!!
This is another example of why the drug war must stop now!
Obviously, with 408 plants, he wasnt just helping himself he was selling, which is probably why they are taking her house. But like the majority of americans would agree: DECRIMINALIZE this shit already.
This is the very definition of social obscenity. Their aim is to drag this out ’til she dies and just take everything by a claim of default.
They need the rest of us to see what will happen if one starts to feel free enough to defy them, so we’ll all just stay the hell out of it and let her fight her own battles.
It looks too me like we can stop fighting the war on terror abroad, because in a few years, we will have so many here at home, there will be no resources to fight them anywhere else.
There are no Politicians in Heaven.
There will never be any Politicians in Heaven.
Their souls burn forever in Hell for the sins they commit on Earth.
They spit in Gods face and mock Gods wrath in their rebellion to the people.
The lies that fall from their mouths defile their being and they will not be saved for they do not ever redeem themselves.
Forgiveness is wasted on politicians, they rely on the words from their lips that leads only to their own ends.
There is nothing more evil in this world than the Politician.
Do not prayer for our leaders, Curse them!
I want to comment on a few things. 1, suicide is never an answer! If we are going to stick around and fight, we need everyone who can help us! Suicide shows weakness.
2, this is getting pathetic. But we can’t just say, F- America. America is where we are and it is a great country… however, a corruptible one. We can’t just attack anyone.
This is going to be a long and difficult. I’m working my beliefs into my friends and family and many strangers here in South Dakota. We need to take all these stories and post links on facebook, myspace, twitter, whatever! Use the social networking revolution to your benefits!
Just remember.. we can’t attack someone… or a country for that matter… We need their defenses to be down, so we can take their ear and enlighten them.
3, as said by the attorney general’s office quote “… The bottom line is, we don’t want people to benefit from criminal activity.” Well, only if it’s the US Government benefits…
As I tell all who I engage with about my beliefs…
“Remember, I’m not trying to tell you what to think… I’m just trying to get you to think for yourself…”
These people should seriously pray for forgiveness. Taking a widows house after the husband committed suicide? OMG
Does this give anyone a clue as to the depravity of our current laws?
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
james 1:27
FREE AMERICA???? ITS A QUESTION NOT A STATEMENT we have become a pathetic society when we accept treatment like this from OUR govt they are parasites living off taxpaying americans they need to be squashed like bloodsucking ticks we need to take OUR country back
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