Medical marijuana activists are reacting to Tuesday’s verdict in federal court in Spokane, in which three people were convicted of growing marijuana in a state where medical and recreational marijuana are legal. The three defendants were found guilty of growing marijuana, but not on the scale the federal prosecution maintained. They were also acquitted of charges related to selling marijuana, and possession of firearms.
Kari Boiter of the group American for Safe Access, says the fact the jury acquitted the defendants on four out of five charges meant they knew the truth.
Boiter: AAnd they told the Department of Justice loud and clear that there will not be a jury in the state of Washington that will convict for medical marijuana. If you’re going to bring a case you better have better evidence than you had this time around.”
Boiter says she believes the judge may use the lighter end of sentencing range, judging from the way he handled a request form the prosecution yesterday to have the defendant taken into custody. She says the judge said "you can file that request in writing but I'm not going to take them into custody" and she adds that "if he was going to throw the book at them he would have done that immediately on the manufacture charge.”
Although the defense was prohibited from telling jurors that the defendants grew marijuana for medical purposes, it will be allowed to be brought up when the sentencing is held in June.
