TEMPLE 420 IN SUIT AGAINST LAPD MINISTER CLAIMS RIGHTS VIOLATED WHEN MARIJUANA USED IN SERVICES SEIZED.Byline: BRAD A. GREENBERG Staff Writer The minister of a Hollywood temple that claims to use marijuana to communicate with God filed a $30 million lawsuit Wednesday against the LAPD 1. LAPD - Link Access Procedure on the D channel. 2. LAPD - Los Angeles Police Department. , alleging his civil and religious rights were violated during a November raid. The Rev. Craig X Rubin, 41, of Panorama City claims an undercover officer joined Temple 420, ostensibly os·ten·si·ble adj. Represented or appearing as such; ostensive: His ostensible purpose was charity, but his real goal was popularity. as a true believer true believer n. One who is deeply, sometimes fanatically devoted to a cause, organization, or person: "a band of true believers bonded together against all those who did not agree with them" , and gave him money for 3 1/2 grams of cannabis "to be used for religious purposes." Five days later, the officer secured a search warrant, allegedly omitting information about Temple 420 being a state-registered religious organization, and Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. police raided the strip-mall sanctuary and head shop, seizing cash and marijuana. When Rubin tried to invoke his constitutional right of free religious exercise, the lawsuit claims, another officer told him Temple 420 didn't constitute a "real religion." "Our congregation mandates members study the Bible, have faith in God and regularly burn the herb cannabis (The Tree of Life mentioned in the Bible) as sacrament," the lawsuit states. "The police, in violation of the law, seized Temple 420's 'sacrament."' Kevin Maiberger, an LAPD spokesman, said the department does not comment on litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. . Rubin, his son and another man have each been charged with two felony drug counts -- selling or transporting marijuana and possessing marijuana for sale. A preliminary hearing is set for April 9 in Los Angeles Superior Court. A UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX alum dubbed "Hollywood's Wizard of Weed" by High Times magazine, Rubin created the religious organization last summer. The Jewish convert to Christianity was ordained or·dain tr.v. or·dained, or·dain·ing, or·dains 1. a. To invest with ministerial or priestly authority; confer holy orders on. b. To authorize as a rabbi. 2. in 1990 by the Universal Life Church, an interfaith organization that offers "Free Instant Online Ordination." He preaches from the Bible -- the Old Testament on Saturday and the New Testament on Sunday, always at 4:20 p.m. The temple holds a candlelight Sabbath service at sundown Friday, at which Rubin burns a bud of marijuana and blesses his followers. Temple members -- there are about 400 -- pay a $100 initiation fee and $100 annual dues, which allows them to purchase marijuana for requested "donations." brad.greenberg(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3634 |
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