#20 - The LSD Silo Bust (Everything You Wanted to Know and a Few Things You Didn’t)

Explicit content warning

08/27/20 • 87 min

In response to the unexpected early release of William Leonard Pickard from prison, we discuss some of the characters and stories surrounding the case.

Having served twenty years of a double life sentence for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and dispense LSD— charges which he disputes— Pickard has never spoken publicly about the specifics of his case, and some of the drug-media coverage of this story has evidenced glaring omissions.

Using court documents, lesser-known first-person accounts, and excerpts from Pickard's book, The Rose of Paracelsus: On Secrets & Sacraments, we call attention to some of the murkier aspects of this story in an attempt to paint a fuller picture of what is, perhaps, the most notorious psychedelic story of the 21st century.

Co-hosts: Brian Normand, Neşe Devenot, David Nickles, Brian Pace. Editor: Matt Payne.

Support us on Patreon or make a tax-deductible donation.

*Patrons*

Reliable Spores, Houston Puck, Dave Hodges, James Hubbard, Lindsay Munson, Evan Freimuth, Abigail Bianchi, Meghan Kennedy, Dave Ayers, Darrell Duane, Tehseen Noorani, Tariqul Islam, Clifford Hudson, Daniel McQueen, Maryann Kehoe, Yono ohno, Nathan Espinosa, Srikanth Cherla, Bill Harvest, Annick McIntosh, Starbuck, Anne Sagewood, Aaron Williams, Jenine Innes, Julia A, Jesse Liberty, Christian Dawley, Leon Boroditsky, Samy Tammam, Amanda Alexander

*Episode links*

LSD Chemist William Leonard Pickard Has Been Released From Prison

Acid Chemist Pickard RELEASED from double life sentence (Video)

Order For Release (Highlighted)

Timeline of Gordon Todd Skinner

State of Oklahoma Department of Correction - Pre-Sentence Investigation Report: Krystle Cole

Subterranean Psychonaut

Sea of Radiance: An Interview with William Leonard Pickard

Halpergate

Halperngate (Video)

Underground LSD Palace (Video)

In response to the unexpected early release of William Leonard Pickard from prison, we discuss some of the characters and stories surrounding the case.

Co-hosts: Brian Normand, Neşe Devenot, David Nickles, Brian Pace. Editor: Matt Payne.

Support us on Patreon or make a tax-deductible donation.

*Patrons*

*Episode links*

LSD Chemist William Leonard Pickard Has Been Released From Prison

Acid Chemist Pickard RELEASED from double life sentence (Video)

Order For Release (Highlighted)

Timeline of Gordon Todd Skinner

State of Oklahoma Department of Correction - Pre-Sentence Investigation Report: Krystle Cole

Subterranean Psychonaut

Sea of Radiance: An Interview with William Leonard Pickard

Halpergate

Halperngate (Video)

Underground LSD Palace (Video)

Previous Episode

#19 - MDMA, PTSD, ACAB

In this episode, we explore the implications of MAPS’ main political strategy: demonstrating affinity for and utility to the police, the military, the far right, and individuals who have repeatedly upheld violent white supremacism.

Unpacking a recent article by David Nickles, we examine the “ends justifies the means” logic that has become pervasive in psychedelic research.

As uprisings against the police rage on from Portland to Chicago, we—as as part of a drug-using, criminalized subculture—must acknowledge and challenge the white supremacist and classist institutions of policing, in all forms.

Co-hosts: Brian Normand, Neşe Devenot, David Nickles, Brian Pace. Editor: Matt Payne.

Support us on Patreon or make a tax-deductible donation.

*Patrons*

*Episode links*

We Need to Talk About MAPS Supporting The Police, The Military, and Violent White Supremacism by David Nickles

Considerations for MAPS, a thread

Statement of Solidarity: MAPS Stands Against Systemic Racism and for Justice and Healing

Harvard's headache cure: LSD? (via Dose Nation - read the Halperngate comments)

Halperngate by Jon Hanna

The Bad Shaman Meets the Wayward Doc by Erik Davis

The Future of Psychedelic Discourse by Erik Davis

Halperngate Video: Mark McCloud confronts John Halpern and Rick Doblin at the LSD Symposium in Basel, Switzerland. January 2006

Halperngate Extended

AXIOS on HBO: Palantir CEO Alex Karp on work for ICE

Drug Positive #20: Lucy in the Sky with Nazis with Brian Pace

Next Episode

#21 - American Trip - Ido Hartogsohn

Dr. Ido Hartoghson joins the show to talk about the ideas in his new book, American Trip: Set, Setting, and the Psychedelic Experience in the Twentieth Century. Acknowledging psychedelics as non-specific amplifiers of consciousness, we discuss different historical (and present) paradigms of use in order to interrogate the role of psychedelics within our culture. As we find ourselves staring down a number of existential questions, we must ask ourselves, "What do we hope to achieve through our personal and cultural exposure to psychedelics?”

Co-hosts: David Nickles, Brian Normand, Brian Pace. Editor: Matt Payne.

Support us on Patreon or make a tax-deductible donation.

*Patrons*

*Episode links*

American Trip: Set, Setting, and the Psychedelic Experience in the Twentieth Century

Flipping Out - Israel’s Drug Generation

How Set and Setting Shape Psychedelic Cultures

The Psychedelic Video Museum

Psychedelic Video Museum Celebrates Virtual Launch