Hamburg hearing set for Thursday

By ROB BURGESS and BEN BROWN The Daily Journal
Article Last Updated: 02/26/2008 08:18:49 AM PST

The preliminary hearing for Ukiah resident Laura Hamburg has been set for 9:30 a.m. Thursday in Courtroom B of the Mendocino County Courthouse.

Hamburg, a local medical marijuana activist, has been charged with possession of marijuana for sale, cultivation of marijuana for sale and renting a building for the purposes of marijuana cultivation in connection with the service of search warrant on her Boonville Road home by the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office on Oct. 25.

According to court documents, sheriff's deputies were on the property to serve an arrest warrant on Hamburg's brother Matt Hamburg. While on the property, deputies saw marijuana plants in Hamburg's garden and swore out an affidavit to get a search warrant for the house.

The Sheriff's Office reported seizing 50 marijuana plants from the home, as well as 50 pounds of processed marijuana.

Hamburg's attorney Keith Faulder, who was at the home when the search warrant was served, said he counted 39 marijuana plants in Hamburg's garden.

Faulder has said that Hamburg was operating a legitimate medical marijuana garden, growing marijuana for three people, all of whom have valid medical marijuana recommendations which Faulder said he showed to sheriff's deputies.

Rob Burgess can be reached at udjrb@pacific.net.
Ben Brown can be reached at udjbb@pacific.net.