[sixties-l] Rainbow Farm to Be Auctioned (fwd)

From: sixties@lists.village.virginia.edu
Date: Sat Sep 07 2002 - 17:29:04 EDT

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    ---------- Forwarded message ----------
    Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 11:55:02 -0700
    From: radtimes <resist@best.com>
    Subject: Rainbow Farm to Be Auctioned

    Newsbrief: Rainbow Farm to Be Auctioned

    http://www.drcnet.org/wol/253.html#rainbowfarm

    Cass County, Michigan, prosecutor Scott Teter sure knows how to
    rub salt in an open wound. Teter, the man who presided over the
    events that led like a Greek tragedy to the deaths of Rainbow Farm
    owners and long-time marijuana activists Tom Crosslin and Rollie
    Rohm a year ago (http://www.drcnet.org/wol/202.html#rainbowfarm),
    took the occasion of this year's looming Labor Day weekend
    anniversary of their killings to announce that the property would
    be auctioned off under conditions designed to ensure it could
    never again be used as a place of fun, music, pot smoking and
    anti-drug war agitation.

    Crosslin and Rohm were shot to death by law enforcement officers
    during a stand-off at Rainbow Farm last Labor Day weekend, an
    event that was obliterated from the public consciousness eight
    days later by the events of last September 11. Crosslin and Rohm
    had retreated to the farm as a last resort after Teter moved to
    revoke their bail in a pending criminal prosecution because they
    organized a pro-marijuana rally at the farm. Both men faced years
    in prison beginning that day; instead, they returned to their
    long-time home and began burning buildings they feared were
    destined to be seized by Teter.

    After the men's deaths, Teter indeed initiated a civil forfeiture
    action. But he told the South Bend (Indiana) Tribune last week
    that he had cut a deal with the estate of Rollie Rohm's son
    Robert, now 14, who was taken from Rainbow Farm by state agents
    last summer and has been placed in foster care despite the
    requests of his grandparents to raise him. The 43-acre property
    would be divided into parcels and auctioned to the highest bidder,
    with the proceeds going to Robert Rohm, Teter said, pronouncing
    himself "very pleased with this agreement."

    And no wonder. It ensures that Rainbow Farm will not rise from
    the ashes -- now or ever. According to Teter, the deed to each
    parcel will include a restrictive covenant that the land may never
    be used as a campground or entertainment venue again. Also, any
    potential buyers must be vetted by county officials, who may block
    the sale if someone they consider an unseemly person (such as a
    Rainbow Farm friend or sympathizer) attempts to buy the land.

    "We can conduct background checks on the buyer if necessary,"
    Teter said. "Basically, we did not want the campground to be
    reopened under any circumstances. We didn't want a repeat of what
    happened there before."

    Teter may be pleased, but relatives and supporters of the two dead
    men are not. Rollie Rohm's stepfather, John Livermore, told the
    Tribune the county had always been after the land and that an
    auction will bring "only pennies on the dollar," thus victimizing
    Rohm's son once again. And former Rainbow Farm manager Doug
    Leinbach told the Tribune he had received e-mail from Robert
    saying he doesn't want the farm to be sold. "He says it's the
    only thing he has to remember his father," Leinbach said.



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