Daisy Bram a Witness in Federal Case Against Three San Francisco Cops

On March 1, Daisy Bram was released from a Butte County, Calif., jail after being convicted of cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to sell (Bram was sentenced to 120 days but released early due to crowding). Her three children were taken by Child Protective Services more than a year ago and remain in foster care. Reason TV told Bram's story last year in a program called "Parents, Pot, and Prohibition: Daisy Bram's Story."

It turns out there's a lot more to Bram's story. Earlier this week, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Bram is a key witness in a federal case against three San Francisco police officers. In 2010, Bram and her partner, Jayme Walsh, were acting as informants for San Francisco police. Bram says that officers asked Bram and Walsh to sell several pounds of seized marijuana for a 25 percent cut of the profits. Bram reported the incident, but the officers were cleared of any wrongdoing at the time.

Is Bram's role in the federal probe of San Francisco police officers connected in any way to her legal troubles in Butte County? "I just think it's really suspect that all this is going down the way it has," Bram told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Butte County Deputy District Attorney Jeff Greeson denies any connection. "That stuff in San Francisco has absolutely no bearing on the charges in Butte County," he said.

The full San Francisco Chronicle article is here.

Here's Reason TV's program on Bram.

Comments

[SIV]

In 2010, Bram and her partner, Jayme Walsh, were acting as informants for San Francisco police.

Her kids are better off in foster care than living with Mom the snitch.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Butte County Deputy District Attorney Jeff Greeson denies any connection. "That stuff in San Francisco has absolutely no bearing on the charges in Butte County," he said.

"In fact, um, what stuff in San Francisco? I haven't even heard of anything about her and any cops in San Francisco. San Francisco, is it? Is that some kind of town somewhere? I have to go."

[Paul.]

Hey Butte County officials, your lips are moving, you know what that means?

[Jeff C. Greeson]

Mr. Feine, a few corrections- Ms. Bram is not and has never been an informant for SFPD. She was apparently victimized by some SFPD officers. She is an informant for the federal government, who handled the investigation.

You also forgot to mention that Ms. Bram was convicted in December of 2 misdemeanor counts of child endangerment, along with the 2 felony marijuana counts.

The jury in that case heard evidence of heroin encrusted spoons and needles available to the older child, and the generally unsafe and unsanitary conditions in the home. The commercial marijuana plantation and the industrial processing equipment was certainly a factor, but I think your readers deserve to know the truth.

If the charges against the SFPD officers are true (and, on a personal note, I absolutely believe they are,)I hope they get the maximum sentences. That kind of abuse of their position is reprehensible. Ms. Bram appears to have been terribly abused by those officers, and they should pay a heavy price.

[Jeff C. Greeson]

This does not excuse her actions in Butte County, however. Law enforcement in Butte County has no quarrel with people that take advantage of the provisions of California's (admittedly highly flawed) marijuana laws for personal medical use of marijuana, and accept that individuals may come together to collectively cultivate marijuana. Drug dealing, however, will not be tolerated in Butte County, and exposing children to dangerous conditions will receive the intense law enforcement attention it certainly deserves.

Again I would remind you that the laws, courts, and government agencies that deal with detaining children or removing them from their parent's custody are entirely different from the agencies that deal with crime. Whether or not Ms. Bram's children should have been removed from her care, and whether or not she is currently fit to have custody of the children, is currently in the hands of CPS and the family law courts.

This is a very sad case, and Ms. Bram's journey through the criminal justice system has been at times abusive and at times entirely just. But let's not forget that there are 3 children that are caught up in this that deserve a stable, healthy family. Personally, I could not be happier than to find out Ms. Bram and Mr. Walsh have regained custody of their children and the whole family is thriving and living a safe and lawful life. Ultimately, that will be up to Daisy Bram and Jayme Walsh.

JCG