Ed "NJ Weedman" Forchion spoke on NJ 101.5 Tuesday to give his account of his arrest and some theories about why it happened
TRENTON - It's been less than a week since Ed "NJ Weedman" Forchion was arrested at his combination eatery-temple in Trenton, but the outspoken marijuana advocate has taken already taken to the airwaves to tell his story.
Forchion spoke with New Jersey 101.5 radio hosts Deminski and Doyle Tuesday afternoon and called out state Senator Ray Lesniak and the Trenton Police Department for "retaliation."
That "retaliation" came in the form of a raid, Forchion said on the radio station. He was arrested along with 10 other people at his "joint" on East State Street last Wednesday and charged with possession of paraphernalia and drug possession for 5 ounces of marijuana that he'd received as a donation, he said.
Forchion said that he believes the police and prosecutor's office is acting out against him for setting up security cameras to film police activity outside his establishment and for filing a lawsuit against the city earlier this year.
Weedman's trip as a marijuana advocate
"I was told that this came down from high above," Forchion said Tuesday of the order to raid his joint. He went on to say that he thinks Lesniak may be behind the raid and that the senator is representing the police department.
"He's opposed to legalization," Forchion said.
At least part of the reason for his retaliation theory, Forchion said, is that he never had problems before February - and everyone knows he smokes marijuana.
"I have a bong sitting next to me right now," he said in the radio interview.
It wasn't until the February complaint, he said, that police and prosecutors started paying his establishment more attention.
Now, fresh out of jail, Forchion is inviting Mercer County Acting Prosecutor Angelo Onofri to personally handle the prosecution side of his case, while Forchion represents himself.
"I want you to do this... I want you to take this beating," he said in challenging Onofri.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.