New Book Exposes The First Federal Trial of a Medical Marijuana Doctor

The main character of COOL MADNESS is Dr. Marion “Mollie” Fry, a cancer survivor who learned about the benefits of medical marijuana while enduring chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. After recovering, Dr. Fry set up a practice in the small northern California town of Cool and began recommending medical marijuana to her patients in accordance with state law. However, California’s medical marijuana laws are not recognized by the federal government, and this legal conflict put Dr. Fry’s activities under the scrutiny of various authorities. As a physician, her rights were ultimately upheld – her recommendations were protected by a ruling that cites free speech provisions from the 1st Amendment. But as a patient, Dr. Fry was much more vulnerable. Law enforcement surveillance on her home led to a raid that netted a meager 34-plant garden in September 2001. The yield was supposed to supply a year’s worth of medical marijuana for Dr. Fry and her husband Dale Schafer, who suffers from hemophilia and back injuries. Instead, the couple got jailed and hit with federal charges for the cultivation of over a hundred plants.

The strategy used to increase the plant count is the critical lesson in COOL MADNESS . As the book demonstrates, this development set a key precedent that puts many medical marijuana patients unwittingly in jeopardy and illustrates the dangers inherent in a federalist system. “The government had a novel way of prosecuting Dr. Fry and Dale Schafer, one that relied on the defendants’ sense of security under state law,” argues author Vanessa Nelson. “COOL MADNESS is crucial reading for anyone navigating the conflict between state and federal laws.”

COOL MADNESS also features a captivating performance by criminal defense genius Tony Serra, who represented Dale Schafer. With a résumé that includes clients such as Huey Newton, “Brownie” Mary Rathburn and the Symbionese Liberation Army, Serra brings an unparalleled level of drama and legal expertise to the courtroom. The exciting twists and turns are captured in perfect form throughout COOL MADNESS , with engaging storytelling that leaves the reader breathlessly entertained as well as informed.

COOL MADNESS is dedicated to Dr. Fry and Dale Schafer’s children, who attended the trial daily in an inspiring show of support for their parents.

A third of all profits go to support Dr. Mollie Fry and Dale Schafer’s Legal Defense Fund
Order online at http://www.mmapub.com

About the Author
Vanessa Nelson is a freelance writer who specializes in covering medical marijuana court cases in California. Since 2005, her work has appeared in a variety of online and print publications, including O’Shaughnessy’s, West Coast Leaf, Oaksterdam News and West Coast Cannabis. In October 2007, her series of books about medical marijuana trials debuted with U.S. vs. Ed Rosenthal 2.0, The Re-Trial of the Ganja Guru. COOL MADNESS is the second title in this series. Vanessa is currently completing another book, detailing the first federal trial of medical marijuana dispensary operators.

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