We are SHOCKED and saddened to report that on March 2nd, Amish farmer (and father and grandfather) Samuel Girod- who we have reported on before– was found guilty by a federal jury for making and distributing herbal products on his family farm. The FDA requires manufacturers of defined drugs to register their facility with them and the Girod farm is not registered. He will be sentenced by a judge on June 16 at 10 a.m.
Watch this video I made below:
In the end, the government charged Girod with conspiracy to impede an officer, obstruction of a proceeding before an agency, failing to register with the FDA, eights counts of causing misbranded drugs to be introduced into interstate commerce, tampering with a witness and failure to appear. The jury found Girod guilty on all 13 counts, but not only did they find him guilty, “they found Sam guilty of each separate part of each count, even when only one part would be needed to make Sam guilty of that count against him,” reports Health Impact News. It’s almost like it was personal.
From Health Impact:
Sam described the FDA coming to his home in Indiana and objecting to the skin cancer claim so he removed that from the label. Sam asked if they had any other concerns and was told they would like to think about it for a week. They never responded. After a few weeks, Sam contacted them and they didn’t reply.
Sam refuted the claim that the Amish were physically intimidating. He explained that they would never intimidate or threaten anyone. Anybody with even a passing familiarity with the Amish would know that to be the truth. He also stressed that nobody cursed at the FDA agents, as that is something they do not do.
Sam stated that he never harmed anybody and never acted to deceive anybody.
Sam explained that he never threatened or intimidated Mary Miller to prevent her from providing evidence to a grand jury. They had discussed the matter because she had no prior dealings with the FDA and in fact that was the last thing this Amish woman wanted, and Sam felt bad that his actions had inadvertently drawn the FDA’s attention to Mary. Sam followed up with a letter to several customers and business associates in a letter addressed to “Friends”. He stated in the letter that everyone was free to do whatever they wanted to do. From the federal government’s perspective it was inappropriate for Sam to contact them, but he was reaching out to confused and very worried friends with whom he had a close personal business relationship. He was trying to explain what was happening to the best of his understanding. A subpoena from the federal government is a terrifying thing to an Amish person. It was obvious from the testimony of all of the FDA’s subpoenaed witnesses that they did feel threatened and intimidated… by the FDA. They were clearly on Sam’s side, even though they were being compelled to testify against him.
When the problems first surfaced with the FDA, some time around 2003, Sam hired a lawyer and his lawyer hired an FDA approved lab to test Sam’s products. The FDA also tested Sam’s products in their own lab using liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Both labs reached the same conclusions. The ingredients matched the label’s ingredients list, the samples did not contain any drugs as commonly defined or any alkaloids or poisons, and the samples from different containers of the same product were consistent. In 2003 and 2004, the FDA requested more label changes and Sam made the changes, removing all health claims and only listing the ingredients on the label.
We cannot believe the FDA has gone to these lengths to silence someone becasue they are making a natural health product. Do not believe for one moment they are trying to save or protect anyone from harm- they are silencing and potentially putting an Amish man in PRISON for healing people without the help of pharmaceuticals. That is the extent of it. Quite frankly is shameful.
Please consider writing the judge to let him know a) what you think of this travesty and b) that Sam Girod deserves grace and time served:
The Honorable Danny C. Reeves
United States District Judge
US District Court
101 Barr Street
Lexington, KY 40507
You can also sign the Change.org petition for Sam Girod. [Here’s a link to copy and share: bit.ly/freeamishsam]
Source: Health Impact News and WKYT
