[Mr. Ellis was busted and convicted in 2004 of providing medical marijuana to patients in Tennessee. He also organized petition efforts in Eastern Arkansas that year for the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Initiative.]

Early this afternoon, I will meet with my attorney for the last time to sign papers which end the federal civil asset forfeiture actions against my farm. The feds accepted my final offer (which was to give them 25 acres -- something we’ve offered for the past year -- but no more.) That final offer from me to them was accompanied by some of your letters (I let my attorney decide which ones), with the promise that all 105 support letters would be submitted to the court if we kept moving forward. In my heart, I believe that it was not only your letters, but your prayers, that got the feds to accept that final offer. I do not diminish or devalue what I am giving up. In fact, the 25 acres they are getting represents almost the entirety of my investments from a three decade long successful public health career. It is land I started buying from my neighbor about ten years ago when his life was sinking fast from alcohol, cocaine and random handfuls of pharmaceuticals. I had bought the land to keep him from losing it through bankruptcy and to keep it between us. Now the feds will have it (for at least a while). But, by giving them that land, they agree to accept whatever it brings to satisfy their claim. Given the state of the economy, who knows what it might bring. ($50,000, maybe? Any of you want to be my neighbors?) It most certainly won’t bring $250,000, which is what the government continued to seek ... until last week. When they saw your letters. With this agreement, the feds release their seven year+ claim to my “home place” -- around 150+/- acres that have been mine for four decades now. And, with that, I am a freer man -- starting this bright, cool fall day in middle Tennessee. On my farm. Thanks to you. (Again, more to come. Including one serious bonfire party, soon.)