Allegations of Misconduct After Federal Drug Raid at Morro Bay Marijuana Dispensary
March 30, 2007 06:37 PM PDT
Friday, March 30, 2007
Reported by: Amy Andrews
Allegations of mistreatment surface after a federal drug raid at the Morro Bay medical marijuana dispensary.
We start with the facts first.
Yesterday, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Detectives and DEA agents arrived at the dispensary around 11a.m. with federal warrants in hand.
They spent several hours removing marijuana, computers and files from the business.
The home of facility operator Charles Lynch was also searched.
Dispensary Operator Charles Lynch's lawyer said before leaving, authorities left behind a completely inappropriate note.
During an interview Friday afternoon, Attorney Luis Koory showed Action News a small note that read "All hippies must die".
His client claims it was manufactured with his own label maker and left on his computer.
Koory also alleges the employees at the dispensary were mistreated and that patients trying to enter the store were harassed.
"The employees were on the ground. They were at gunpoint. They were hustled out of there. The dispensary's been emptied out. The only one's that had access to this label maker was the agents who were taking the computer apart," said Morro Bay Dispensary Attorney Louis Koory.
"They used the least amount of force necessary to properly serve the search warrant and tried to make the subjects as comfortable as possible," said San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Brian Hascall.
Spokesperson Brian Hascall also said no one from the sheriff's department or the DEA had anything to do with the note found on the computer.
The operator of the dispensary, as well as the patients, are working together to re-open as soon as possible.
The dispensary's business license remains valid with the city of Morro Bay.