Politics

Rawesome Raw Milk Raid Update: Arraignment of Victoria Bloch and James Stewart

On Thursday, August 3rd, 2011, Rawesome, a private organic food buying club in Venice, California, was raided by the FDA, CDC and the LA Sheriff’s department.

Thousands of dollars of food was confiscated and/or destroyed. The owner, James Stewart, was taken away in handcuffs and thrown in jail on a felony offense.

Around the same time (7 am), two others were arrested: Sharon Palmer, owner of Healthy Family Farms, and Victoria Bloch, employee at Healthy Family Farms and a volunteer chapter leader of the Weston A. Price Foundation. Sharon and Victoria were also charged with a felony: conspiracy to commit a crime.

The arraignment was held at the Los Angeles County Courthouse on Friday, August 4th. I was there all day and took notes, photos and videos.

Victoria Bloch was released without bail and James Stewart was released the following day; his bail was reduced from $125,000 to $30,000.

The bail conditions for James and Victoria are (paraphrased from my notes on the judge’s decision in the courtroom):

They must not possess, own, sell, furnish, give away, distribute, supply, store or administer milk, dairy products or eggs unless properly licensed. They must not possess, own, sell, furnish, give away, distribute, supply, store or administer any food without labels as required by law. They must not aid, promote or encourage anyone to possess, own, sell, furnish, give away, distribute, supply, store these foods. They must not allow any property they own sell/administer/distribute/etc. these foods unless properly licensed. The property at 665 Rose (Rawesome) owned by James Stewart will be open to law enforcement day or night with or without a search warrant.

Sharon Palmer has not yet been arraigned. From what I heard yesterday from sources in the courtroom, they believe her arraignment will probably happen on Monday.