Unprecedented: Musician Goes To Prison Because His Fans Sell Drugs To One Another

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12. The crack house law has also been used against rave promoters

http://www.cognitiveliberty.org/news/emdef1.htm

March 7, 2001

NEW ORLEANS, LA--A local music promoter and a concert hall manager who face up to 20 years in prison and $500,000 in fines simply for staging the electronic dance music events known as "raves" said today that the charges against them amount to censorship and have asked a federal court here to dismiss the case.

"The prosecution by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is part of a novel -- and entirely unconstitutional -- strategy to curtail use of the drug Ecstasy, which has been associated with raves, by using federal 'crack house' laws," said Arthur Lemann, a local attorney who is representing one of the defendants.

Youth culture expert Douglas Rushkoff as well as music industry professionals are speaking out against the prosecution of rave organizers as an unfounded attack on a vibrant music culture. The American Civil Liberties Union has also said that it opposes such prosecutions on constitutional grounds.


http://bbs.clubplanet.com/new-york-new-jersey/68455-jury-clears-club-la-vela-any-crackhouse-law-violations.html

Tallahassee, FL, Nov. 27 -- After less than two hours of deliberation, jurors in the Club La Vela trial returned with a verdict of "not guilty" on all charges for defendants Patrick and Thorsten Pfeffer. This precedent setting case deals a major blow to federal prosecutors who for the second time this year have tried to use a 1986 law designed to rid neighborhoods of crack houses against persons who manage nightclubs that play electronic dance music.

Although the Pfeffer brothers were accused of violating federal narcotics laws, no drugs were ever found on them or inside their club (similar to the New Orleans case.) Instead of drugs, trial prosecutors showed the jury BlowPops, gum, and glow sticks - items seized in a April 27th raid on the club. The assorted candies were presented as "evidence" that Club La Vela patrons were using drugs. Prosecutors also showed the jury a picture downloaded from Club La Vela's website of a man giving a massage to another man - this too was introduced as "evidence" of drug use.