Sacred Mushroom Church Pastor Jailed in Switzerland, Faces USA Extradition

"Pastor David sought for Extradition by the USA for Mushroom Distribution

Dear Marc Emery: I write this to you from prison in Switzerland. I’m in solitary detention here in a jail in Bern, unable to see my wife and children. I have been here since June 9th, 2006. My laptop, books and money have been confiscated. There is some kind of investigation of me in regards my Church of the Sacred Mushroom and our distribution of the wonderful mushrooms.

For years I tried to tell local Swiss officers of what I was doing: that I, Pastor David, was doing missionary work with the sacred mushrooms. I was ignored, now to be treated very harshly. They read my mail and perhaps are seizing correspondence sent to me. I am now in big trouble. My lawyer, jailers and the police have all said I may be extradited to stand trial in the United States for my mushroom work. I have been told that I have been indicted twice already by a US grand jury.

If you can, please publish news of my fate. I can be reached at:
Pastor David Schlesinger
Regionalgefängnis Bern
Zelle 309, Genfergasse 22
3011 Bern, Switzerland.
The mail will be read by authorities, so please be careful.

Swiss authorities have treated me like I’m the Taliban. I believe the Swiss are violating my citizenship by finding ways to have me extradited to the USA. If I make bail, I will inform you, but so far after four weeks I have no prospects for release. I’m being held without bail because officials see a “danger” of “collusion” as long as I can talk and write. I doubt my tongue and fingers will be cut off like worshippers of Teonanacatl experienced 500 years ago.

I asked for jurisdictional clearance from the police, they let me go on for years, and then when their ‘non-action’ was “understood” by me over these years, the police, without warning, raid me and put me in jail. I was naive, no doubt. But now I sit here waiting to find out if I will be sent to the US to spend my eternity in jail there.

My children of course do not understand, and my wife is heart broken. The religious community of Teonanicatl is now without support.

Teonanicatl bless you all,

Pastor David
In Jail in Bern,
Switzerland"

http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/4788.html

damn, i had his webpage in my archive of bookmarks, bummed to hear about him again like this, man the fed govt are some ruthless motherfuckers.

somethin i just came across on yahoo searchin for somethin else about mushrooms http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060711...VQDW7oF;_ylu=X3oDMTBhZDhxNDFzBHNlYwNtZW5ld3M-

God damnit

It was inevitable. Not to smart to be mailing illegal drugs into the US under a clever disguise. He was bound to be screwed over.

So, he broke the law and now he's going to get extradited. What does he expect? Not saying I agree with the law, but c'mon.

How did he break the law? He lives in Switzerland, he's not subject to foreign laws while on his own sovereign soil. I can't believe Switzerland is going to extradite him to the US.

Pastor David was a good man, spreading the good word to those in need. I hope if he does get extradited, he ends up winning his case for the same religious freedom reasons the UDV did, and importing psilocybes for religious purposes becomes legal.

Coolio said:

How did he break the law? He lives in Switzerland, he's not subject to foreign laws while on his own sovereign soil. I can't believe Switzerland is going to extradite him to the US.

Pastor David was a good man, spreading the good word to those in need. I hope if he does get extradited, he ends up winning his case for the same religious freedom reasons the UDV did, and importing psilocybes for religious purposes becomes legal.

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Well, I was never aware that the distribution of psilocybin, without any type of license was legal in Switzerland. But, if it is illegal (which I'd assume it is) and he was sending it over to his homeland country, then why shouldn't he be punished by the Americans?

*He is an American citizen.
*He was distributing illicit drugs in America.
Why can't he be punished by the US?

Just think, if criminal extradition happened all over the world, drug smugglers from Western Nations wouldn't be executed in foreign countries.

Coolio said:

How did he break the law? He lives in Switzerland, he's not subject to foreign laws while on his own sovereign soil. I can't believe Switzerland is going to extradite him to the US.

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In order to recieve your mushroom sacrament in the United States, you had to send a donation.

If you haven't figured it out yet, it was a cover for a drug dealing operation in the eyes of the law (and in fact, I wouldn't doubt if he intentionally used his church as a cover - if they ever release a record of his assets, we can know for sure). People were paying him to send drugs.

Now, as much I as agree with a lot of his beliefs and what he was doing, the reality is that he was a drug dealer that was trafficking illegal drugs into the United States.

Switzerland is also bound by international anti-drug treaties.

If you can't believe it, you seriously need a reality check.

Pastor David was a good man, spreading the good word to those in need. I hope if he does get extradited, he ends up winning his case for the same religious freedom reasons the UDV did, and importing psilocybes for religious purposes becomes legal.

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It shouldn't even have to be legal to import Psilocybes. Anyone who wants to use them can safely grow them for consumption on their own. As far as I'm concerned, anyone above the age of 21 should have the liberty to do so if they choose. I have a job. I pay taxes. Nobody should be telling me what I can and can't do on my own property if I'm not hurting anyone else.

this is bullshit I got shrooms from him good guy

Pastor David was a good man, spreading the good word to those in need. I hope if he does get extradited, he ends up winning his case for the same religious freedom reasons the UDV did, and importing psilocybes for religious purposes becomes legal.

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This guy sounds like a total fucking nutcase to me. Just because someone distributes drugs does not make them a "good man".

This guy is a religious nutcase. It in unbelieveable how so many people here always talk about "Fundamentalist Christians" and "Right-Wing Christian wackos" are complete morons and talk bad about them, but then praise this guy who is just as religious because he sells drugs and you guys happen to be sympathetic to drug users.

This isn't directed to everyone, but I'm sure some of you know what I mean.

I don't agree with the Drug War, but I don't have any sympathy for this wackjob. Sure he was jailed under crazy laws that make no sense, but that's Europe for you. As for America possibly taking him, well we have crazy laws too. This guy was a total moron for how he did what he did and is a religious nutcase.

Diacetylus said:

Well, I was never aware that the distribution of psilocybin, without any type of license was legal in Switzerland. But, if it is illegal (which I'd assume it is) and he was sending it over to his homeland country, then why shouldn't he be punished by the Americans?

*He is an American citizen.
*He was distributing illicit drugs in America.
Why can't he be punished by the US?

Just think, if criminal extradition happened all over the world, drug smugglers from Western Nations wouldn't be executed in foreign countries.

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if this is the case, and he is a US citizen, with US rights, it'll be interesting to see how his religious defense holds up...

I mean, freedom of religion right? thats WHY these United States were founded, to escape religious persecution. This guy is pretty fanatical about "sacred mushrooms", and I think he'll argue it to the death in court.

That is, IF he gets extradited and charged in the US. either way I hope this recieves media attention as something like this should be brought to the public's attention.

calling someone a religious nutcase for using a hallucinogenic plant/fungus that has been used for religious and medicinal purposes for longer than (I'm sure) any other 'organized' religion has even existed is simply ignorant.

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He is a religious nutcase for other reasons. Look him up.

lucid.tripper said:

I mean, freedom of religion right? thats WHY these United States were founded, to escape religious persecution. This guy is pretty fanatical about "sacred mushrooms", and I think he'll argue it to the death in court.

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You have the freedom to practice your religion within social norms.

What if your religion said to kill people who were "unfaithful"? They don't allow that excuse.

Oh wait. There already is a religion like that, and half the world excuses it...

There have been plenty of cases involving drugs and religion, the most prominent one I can think of involving peyote. Nearly all of them were rejected.

there are ayahuasca churches and peyote churces active currently in the US, WTF are you spewing on about?

http://www.cognitiveliberty.org/dll/udv_pj_granted.htm

the NAC (native american church) openly uses peyote as a sacrament. get your facts straight before acting like you know everything.

The dude might be in the right (as far as i'm concerned) but he sounds like a cry baby. He sounds like a dumb ass and pays no heed to international law and i'm sorry, it's not something you want to make a habit of.

Solitary confinement and an internet connection? you poor sap.

TheodoreRoosevelt said:

This guy sounds like a total fucking nutcase to me. Just because someone distributes drugs does not make them a "good man".

This guy is a religious nutcase. It in unbelieveable how so many people here always talk about "Fundamentalist Christians" and "Right-Wing Christian wackos" are complete morons and talk bad about them, but then praise this guy who is just as religious because he sells drugs and you guys happen to be sympathetic to drug users.

This isn't directed to everyone, but I'm sure some of you know what I mean.

I don't agree with the Drug War, but I don't have any sympathy for this wackjob. Sure he was jailed under crazy laws that make no sense, but that's Europe for you. As for America possibly taking him, well we have crazy laws too. This guy was a total moron for how he did what he did and is a religious nutcase.

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The difference is.. these "dipshit wacko's" aren't hurting anybody like your "dipshit wackos".

i just find it sad that people have to be imprisioned for things like mushroms when there are molestors and thiefs getting off easier than him.
it is a fucked up world we live in for sure

This is war on drugs, and it seems that our side is loosing the battle. So, let's drop all this hippie love-and-peace-talk. This is war, and it's not won by letting them take us all down, and just crying that "we're helping the world". It's time to dose the whole world on acid and stop all the watches now. Let's push that button called "reset" and put away this stupid little game we're playing.

it amazes me how much the powers that be in this world are absolutely terrified at the unknown and unexplainable aspects of the human brain and human mind.

cave men, all of them

"ME not understand flashy lights! Me destroy all resemblances of evil things that cause what me not understand! Then me feel secure."