R E N E E   B O J E   A R C H I V E

Renee Boje was charged with others in the Todd McCormick marijuana cultivation case in Bel Air, California. While initially arrested and processed, the charges were then dropped against her and on the advice of counsel, she came to Canada. There she was found in a medical marijuana grow operation for the BC Compassion Club Society. While initially charged with that, along with others, the charges were dropped. The US then reinitiated the charges against her and extradition was sought. She asserted that she was a victim of the US War on Drugs.

With the assistance of Conroy & Company, she fought extradition proceedings and sought refugee status in Canada. Ultimately, she was ordered surrendered to the US in the judicial phase and in the political phase by the Minister of Justice. Appeals were pending in the British Columbia Court of Appeal in relation to both decisions when counsel for Ms. Boje was approached by the US Department of Justice seeking to resolve the matter. In the result, Ms. Boje travelled to California and pled guilty to possession of marijuana under 30 grams and was sentenced to one year's probation. She is only required to report if she is in the US and then within 90 days of her attendance there. She was allowed to return to Canada and was not required to report while she is in Canada. She is now able to be in Canada and the US, and once she completes her period of probation, that will end the matter. She was on bail here in Canada for approximately seven years.

A web site was established for Ms. Boje at http://www.reneeboje.com. The two rulings from Justice J. Catliff follow, as well as the Notice of Appeal: If the decision had not been to surrender her, there would have been a big celebration. However, the decision was to order her surrender and the matter was then appealed to the British Columbia Court of Appeal, and that appeal was to be heard at the same time as the appeal from Judge Catliff as set out above.

The documents below represent our submissions to the Minister of Justice with respect tot he Refugee Claim and the extradition issues. After we responded to the first Summary provided, we received some further clarification (see Carole Sheppard's letter dated December 31, 2002, above). We then received a Supplemental Summary and responded further to that. The Minister then made his decision. Appeals were pending in the B.C. Court of Appeal in relation to the decisions of the Minister and Justice Catliff when an agreement was worked out between Ms. Boje's counsel and the US Department of Justice. Ms. Boje pled guilty to possession of marijuana under 30 grams in California and was sentenced to one year's probation. Ms. Boje returned to Canada and is not required to report to probation while she is in Canada.


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