This is a short history of the Stupid Court Case Against Me. No explanations will be given here. For explanations it would be better to go to the FAQ.

This is the date of the raid on the mushroom farm. In this raid there were three large buses of para-military soldiers of the Mobile Unit (ME) armed with heavy machine guns and other extreme weapons. They surronded the Mushroom Farm. Inside the Mushroom Farm was the family, the owner, his wife, his daughter (21), son (16) and a little dog. After the Mushroom Farm was surronded in came the Special Unit to "dismantle" the whole farm. This happened at 9 am. They completed their work around 5 p.m. the same evening.

The owner and his daughter were arrested right away. The Public Prosecutor, the Investigating Judge and some "expert" witnesses also were there.

Quote:
X: Hey, why are you here? Mushrooms are not illegal.
The Public Prosecutor: I want them illegal.

9 January 1997. Return from Holiday, my arrest.

I just return from Spain. My flat is in a mess, people had been here and many things were taken. Only a vague paper was left. After many phone calls, I was asked very politely to come to the Police Station. I was arrested.

10 January 1997. The Charges.

I was then charged with Violation of the Opium Act on three counts: 1) fresh mushrooms, 2) dried mushrooms and 3) mushroom honey.

Quote:
Me: what is the point of this?
The Investigating Judge: We want to go after the growing of mushrooms

16 January 1997. Released from Prison.

AFter one week in prison, after countless interigations, I was released from prison. However, when I came out, I found out that all of my bank accounts had been frozen. I was left with only some money in my pocket. My passport was not given back, thus, I could not work. And I was entiled to no public assistance.

19 March 1997. The Court says no.

Request for the return of items seized and the unfreezing of my bank accounts was denied by the Lower District Court in Den Bosch. The ruling: The request is groundless since the investigation is still being conducted. Thus, I was given nothing back. Not even the 2c-b which they had taken. However, two weeks later they gave the shop Mindscapes (also included in this stupid court case) their 2c-b back.

April 1997. Appeal filed.

The owner of the mushroom farm files an appeal against the ruling of the Lower District Court in Den Bosch against the seizure of goods and the freezing of bank accounts. The well-known lawyer G. Spong from The Hague decides to handle the appeal.

9 July 1997. Report from the Public Prosocutor of the Dutch Supreme Court.

The Public Prosecutor of the Dutch Supreme Court files his own report. In his report he writes that mushrooms are not a violation of the Opium Act, in contradiction to the Public Prosecutor in Den Bosch. However, he states that the Mushroom Honey is a violation of the Opium Act.

18 November 1997. The Dutch Supreme Court makes a pronoucement of the case.

After a wait of 8 months, the Dutch Supreme Court makes a promoucement of the unfreezing of the bank accounts and against of the seizure of goods. The Dutch Supreme Court states clearly that fresh mushrooms are not a violation of the Opium Act, however, the Dutch Supreme Court gives a vague and unclear pronoucement regarding dried mushrooms and the mushroom honey. Thus, the case is referred back to the district court in Den Bosch and the bank accounts are not unfrozen and the seized goods are not given back.