Marijuana activist acquitted in battery trial

By Will Bigham, Staff Writer
Article Created: 09/25/2008 03:09:25 AM PDT

RANCHO CUCAMONGA A medical-marijuana activist accused of shoving an anti-drug activist at a meeting last year was found not guilty of battery Wednesday by a jury in West Valley Superior Court.

Paul Chabot, co-founder of the Inland Valley Drug Free Community Coalition, accused Palm Springs resident Lanny Swerdlow, 62, of shoving him after Chabot denied Swerdlow entry to an October coalition meeting.

Swerdlow has maintained that he did not shove Chabot. Swerdlow testified during his trial this week that he side-stepped Chabot before entering the meeting at the James L. Brulte Senior Center in Rancho Cucamonga, which was billed as a public event.

Swerdlow said he received an e-mail invitation to the event from Chabot's organization.

The jury deliberated for about three hours Wednesday morning.

``Justice was not served today,'' Chabot said Wednesday afternoon.

Swerdlow called the verdict ``just.''

``It's what didn't happen. I didn't push Paul Chabot,'' Swerdlow said. ``I never touched him. He made that up.''

Swerdlow said Wednesday he intends to file a civil lawsuit in connection with the battery allegation against Chabot, the Inland Valley Drug Free Community Coalition, San Bernardino County and the city of Rancho Cucamonga.

Swerdlow is a registered nurse who works at a doctor's office in Riverside that writes recommendations for medical marijuana. He also hosts a TV show and a radio show on the subject, and is president of the Inland Empire chapter of the Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project.