Castle Rock Man's Medical Marijuana Trial Ends With Hung Jury

[Ganjarden]

A jury failed Thursday to decide whether a Castle Rock man is guilty of falsifying his medical marijuana certificate.

Deputy Prosecutor David Phelan said the trial in Cowlitz County Superior Court of Matthew Chapman, who faces charges of manufacturing marijuana and tampering with medical marijuana documentation, resulted in a hung jury.

Phelan said a new trial will be scheduled next week.

Sheriff's deputies said they found 146 marijuana plants growing in Chapman's shop after they served a search warrant on his property in December 2007. Authorities say Chapman altered his medical marijuana certificate's expiration date from 2007 to 2008 and presented the document to sheriff's deputies when he was confronted.

Judge Jim Warme ruled Tuesday that Chapman, 44, cannot claim he used the pot for medical purposes because his state medical marijuana certificate had expired when he was caught with the drugs. Without the option of a medical marijuana defense, Chapman stipulated to the manufacturing charge, which means the fact that he was growing marijuana wasn't in dispute during this week's trial and probably won't be disputed during his second trial.

Chapman testified Tuesday that he was authorized to use marijuana to control pain from a car accident that left him with a broken neck. He said he never altered the medical marijuana certification.


NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: The Daily News Online
Author: Tony Lystra
Contact: The Daily News Online
Copyright: 2010 The Daily News Online
Website: Castle Rock man's medical marijuana trial ends with hung jury

 

[MedicalNeed]

As long as one has paid there "Extortion-Protection" money Then you can use the Medical Defense.
I'm I the only one who has a problem with this?
So the Sick people who need Cannabis as their medicine the MOST must sometimes choose between eating, paying their bills etc. to have a legal Medical Defense.

Only In America!

 

[Bonehead]

As long as one has paid there "Extortion-Protection" money Then you can use the Medical Defense.
I'm I the only one who has a problem with this?
So the Sick people who need Cannabis as their medicine the MOST must sometimes choose between eating, paying their bills etc. to have a legal Medical Defense.

Only In America!

I know it is not cheap to extend your medicinal use every year but the collectives in the bay area (Nor Cal) give discounts to terminally ill patients. Some even advertise about "no cost" medicine to those who cannot afford it.

I agree, in this case he paid his fee and it should be dropped. Hopefully, jurors know that they cannot be prosecuted for their verdicts.