The Sabatino Report

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The Morning Mayor Show is on VoiceofModesto.org from 9 to 11 daily.

The rebroadcast is from 7 to 9:00 AM on106.1 FM

 January 31, 2010

Board of Supervisor’s ignore public health

By Carmen Sabatino

The Board of Supervisors has come down on the wrong side of the Syringe Exchange issue.  Rather than listen and follow public health officials recommendations, the Supervisors are following the advice of law enforcement officials, District Attorney Birgit Fladager, and Sheriff Adam Christianson.  

Kristy Tribuzio and Brian Robinson, will appear before Judge Ricardo Cordova at  1:30 Monday to answer charges of exchanging needles. The two were working to avert the health crisis by exchanging needles with addicts when they were arrested.

The public interest is to pay attention to this case and carefully analyze the judges statement of decision.  We will have an interview on this morning’s show from 9 to 11, and a follow up on Tuesday morning.

-----Original Message-----
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Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 4:43 PM
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Subject: MEDIA ADVISORY: Judge will Rule on Whether Syringe Exchange Defendants May Use Necessity Defense

MEDIA ADVISORY

Judge will Rule on Whether Syringe Exchange Defendants May Use Necessity

Defense

AIDS & Hepatitis Activists Rally in Support

For Immediate Release: 2/28/10

Media Contact: Hilary McQuie, 510-333-8554, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Modesto, CA -- Judge Ricardo Cordova will rule Monday on whether two

volunteers arrested for conducting a syringe exchange program can argue that

exchanging sterile injection equipment for dirty needles was a justified act

aimed at saving lives and preventing blood borne diseases such as HIV and

hepatitis C.  Supporters of the two defendants, Kristy Tribuzio and Brian

Robinson, will be rallying beforehand to bring attention to the spiraling

public health crisis that the two were working to avert.

Hepatitis C, primarily transmitted via injection drug use, is the second

most frequently transmitted disease within Stanislaus County. Despite a 2006

recommendation to implement a syringe exchange program from the Stanislaus

Hepatitis Task Force and another in 2008 from the Stanislaus Civil Grand

Jury, county supervisors have not voted to authorize a syringe exchange

program. According to a report just released by the Institute of Medicine,

more than 5 million individuals - about 1 in 50 Americans - are afflicted

with chronic viral hepatitis, most of whom are not even aware they are

infected.

WHAT: Support rally, press conference, and key hearing

WHEN: Monday, February 1, 2010

 - 12:30-1:00 Rally

 - 1:00-1:15 Press conference

 - 1:30 Hearing

WHERE: Stanislaus County Courthouse, Corner of 11th St. & I St, Modesto, CA

WHO: Needle exchange clients, family members, public health advocates,

defendants, and their attorneys

# # # #

The Harm Reduction Coalition (HRC) has been working since 1995 to reduce

drug-related harm among individuals and communities by initiating and

promoting local, regional, and national harm reduction education,

interventions, and community organizing.  HRC maintains offices in New York

City, NY and Oakland, CA and conducts trainings nationwide.  For more

information about HRC, visit http://www.harmreduction.org/

Hilary McQuie

California Director

Harm Reduction Coalition

1440 Broadway, Suite 510

Oakland, CA 94612

Tel: 510-444-6969

Fax: 510-444-6977

www.harmreduction.org

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