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Forest L. Niemeyer
5 Years
Manufacturing Marijuana
Forest with his daughter SequoiaMy name is Forest Leeland Niemeyer, presently known to my incarcerators here at Idaho Corrections Corporation as inmate #88063. I am serving a 5 year prison sentence for manufacturing marijuana in Idaho's beautiful and backwards Kootenai County.
I am 32, a father of 3 beautiful children: Dakota, 6; Ayla, 4; and Sequoia, 7 months. Sequoia was born while I was in prison. They are the light of my life.
I am a dedicated humanitarian, an eco-conservationist, a talented farmer, an artist, poet, inventor, philosopher, a new wave hippie, raised gypsy style in a marvelous school bus adorned with flowers and tied down bicycles.
I fell in love with a girl named Hollie from Idaho, who found me at the barterfaire one magical evening beneath the moon in the firelight. We ended up growing marijuana together in Idaho, and a partner of ours had a falling out with his brother-in-law from Vegas, who was also here growing. Apparently, when the brother-in-law got busted, he decided to go with the "Tell on Three, Go Free" plan they offer to criminals here in Idaho. Before we knew it, we were under investigation by the Idaho State Police.
They wielded their new informant flawlessly. When asked to sell him some clones, I declined, saying "I'll just give them to you." As it was my birthday, the informant said "Then let me just give you $50 for your birthday." That was the marked bill. He also offer4ed to graciously tune up my truck at his auto shop in Couer d'Alene, at which point he looted my automobile for evidence, like garden store receipts and information on the location of my properties.
Forest with his familyOne beautiful morning in 2004 a fleet of vehicles stormed down my driveway, running over my puppy in the process, and arrested me at gunpoint while I cried for my wounded animal. I went peacefully, without a fight, when they agreed to take my doggy to a veterinarian. I was taken to an underground room and interrogated. They told me if I chose to cooperate, I could be set free that very day, but if I didn't, they would put me in prison for 10 years, put Hollie in jail also, and take away our new baby when she was born. I asked if I could make a written statement that Hollie was not involved, and they agreed and brought me a pen and paper.
At that point I executed the most insanely crazy, brilliant scheme I could pull out of my hat; under extreme pressure, I told them I would cooperate with their evil plan if they would release me to the health food store where Hollie worked. They robotically agreed, and within hours, we had rescued our injured puppy from the vet and fled the state, leaving our land, our school bus, our trailer and nearly all of our belongings behind. All this over 47 clones, a five pond bag of leaf, and some jars of ganja.
We lived on the run with the wind in our hair. I was free when our daughter Ayla was born in July. Hollie later turned herself in, in exchange for mercy, when her family hired an expensive lawyer. I sated on the run for three years, evading capture when they caught up to me by hiding in compost piles, attic insulation, or deep in giant redwood trees. I worked on beautiful communes, I was a rancher wheat farmer in Washington, a vineyard worker in California, and an innkeeper in Oregon. I grew marijuana on the run to cope with the stress.
I traveled to Idaho in 2007 when my little girl Ayla asked me to come home for her third birthday party. I was arrested at the party, cupcake in hand, when I was identified by somebody unknown, an anonymous caller. I was charged with two felony trafficking and conspiracy charges, each carrying a five year mandatory minimum sentence. Even though I had a court appointed lawyer, I vowed to take my case to trial in light of the corrupt manner in which the ISP conducted the investigation.
The prosecutor and the police were out for revenge after the way I had tricked them, so, three days before the trial, they finally decided to try me for manufacturing marijuana, and drop the felony conspiracy charges. I pled guilty to manufacturing, based on fear, and the fact that I had an unmotivated lawyer and a hippie hating judge. I guess, being that this is Idaho, I'm lucky I didn't get death by lethal injection. My family is free and living securely, but it's sad that these beautiful children have no daddy.
Thank you for all you do for the liberation of non-violent prisoners. Set the captives free.
Below is some of Forest's artwork done while imprisoned.
