cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana Users Seek $200K For Lost Stash





Medical Marijuana Users Seek $200K For Lost Stash
Posted by CN Staff on January 17, 2008 at 10:02:27 PT
By Emil Steiner, Off Beat News
Source: Washington Post
Colorado -- Today in Fort Collins, Colo., a lawyer will walk into a court house and ask the city to pay his clients for destroying their marijuana. The motion for compensation asks Fort Collins to fork over $202,800, the most money ever sought for the destruction of a drug.In August 2006, police confiscated the plants from the home of James and Lisa Masters, both of whom (on their doctor's advice) use marijuana to cope with a variety of debilitating illnesses. Their house also serves as the county chapter of the Colorado Compassion Club, a statewide network that provides pot for medical marijuana patients.
Since 2000 Colorado, like 12 other states, has allowed registered users to grow pot. But police officers have scant training and less guidance for handling a legal marijuana growing operation. They are not instructed to ask for permits, for example, and many officers believe medical marijuana protection inhibits their ability to bust illicit users.In June 2007, Larimer County Chief Judge James Hiatt dismissed charges against the couple and ruled that the 2006 raid was illegal. With that decision he set into motion a test of Article XVIII, Section 14 of the Colorado Constitution, which calls for the immediate return of any marijuana "seized by state or local law enforcement officials from a patient or primary care-giver."In November Judge Hiatt ordered a return of the Masters' property, including the medical marijuana plants. In December the Masters went to pick them up, but after more than 16 months, their medicine was unusable."We are not equipped with hydroponic growing equipment," police spokesperson Rita Davis explained. Few evidence rooms are, but Colorado law states that "any property ... used in connection with the medical use of marijuana... shall not be harmed, neglected, injured, or destroyed while in the possession of state or local law enforcement officials."According to their lawyer, the Masters want more than just monetary compensation. "We want police to stop destroying people's medicine and start following the law," Brian Vicente says. "The goal is to get police to change their procedures."Note: Suit May Encourage Colorado Police to Reexamine Drug Raids.Source: Washington Post (DC)Author:   Emil Steiner, Off Beat NewsPublished: January 17, 2008Copyright: 2008 Washington Post URL: http://tinyurl.com/2kwjllContact: letterstoed washpost.comWebsite: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ Related Articles: Medical Marijuana Payback Burns Colorado Policehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23587.shtml Dropped Charges in Pot Case Called Huge Victoryhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23556.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by fight_4_freedom on January 17, 2008 at 19:44:13 PT:
Here's a short little video made about
this case. Shows the Masters going in to get their property and then displaying what the police had ruined.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuiwz60Ue4c
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Comment #5 posted by observer on January 17, 2008 at 13:11:46 PT
'street' value of the pot? 
The motion for compensation asks Fort Collins to fork over $202,800, the most money ever sought for the destruction of a drug. Isn't this the same as the so-called "street value" of that pot that the same police originally wanted use to send that poor man up the river for years in prison? Is it that police want it both ways? 
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Comment #4 posted by Yanxor on January 17, 2008 at 11:44:53 PT
yay
=] Such an uplifting story.And for all of you who aren't fans of big pharma:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/business/worldbusiness/17compete.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin
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Comment #3 posted by Dankhank on January 17, 2008 at 11:19:30 PT
also ...
they could have frakin' left the plants where they were ...let's see ... growing plants, med Cannabis ...hey guys ... how 'bout we leave these law-abiding folks alone ...stupid, evil, nasty, lawless, uncaring ... add your favorite adjectives here for the cops ...
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Comment #2 posted by afterburner on January 17, 2008 at 10:45:20 PT
The Police Could Have Saved Lots of Money
"We are not equipped with hydroponic growing equipment," police spokesperson Rita Davis explained.Hydroponic growing equipment would have cost the police less than the $202,800 they now owe!
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on January 17, 2008 at 10:12:18 PT
Related Article from The Coloradoan.com
Fort Collins Couple To Ask City for Reimbursement for Dead Marijuana PlantsBy Coloradoan Staff The attorney for James and Lisa Masters, whose 39 medical marijuana plants were seized by Fort Collins police and later destroyed, plans to file a motion this afternoon asking the city pay the couple for the destroyed plants.
 Complete Article: http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080117/UPDATES01/80117008/1002/NEWS01
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