Kitsap prosecutor drops medical pot charges
In Washington State, some prosecutors are having a tough time with medical marijuana cases.
The Kitsap County Prosecutor’s Office announced Wednesday afternoon it has dropped criminal charges against a local medical marijuana patient (Glenn Musgrove).
“After looking over the case, we’ve decided we will not proceed,” said Felony and Juvenile Division Chief Tim Drury. “We do not think we can convince a jury of his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”
This would have been the second high-visibility medical marijuana case in Kitsap this spring, following that of Olalla resident Bruce Olson, who was acquitted on March 24 of similar charges.
One of the reasons that Tim Drury is having a tough time getting convictions is people like you.
The previous trial drew medical marijuana advocates from throughout the Northwest, who provided support for Olson during his trial. Most had promised the same support for Musgrove.
It’s harder to get 12 citizens to agree to put a patient in jail when the courtroom is filled with compassionate activists that stand up for them.
Cannabis Defense Coalition spokesperson Pam Haney, one of the activists observing the trial, said she expected the charges to be dismissed since they were “ludicrous.”
Haney said changing attitudes in general could mobilize voters to defeat candidates who support restrictive marijuana laws and waste money on their prosecution.
Throughout the Olson trial, the Prosecutor’s Office was consistently criticized for continuing the case, alleging that it represented the injudicious use of taxpayer’s money.
Obviously, this outcome is not the norm here in America. But it does prove that a well organized advocacy group can have a real and tangible impact on the war on drugs. If Pam Haney and her like minded friends had not shown up and voiced their support of these patients, our prisons would have housed two more Americans that are not criminals.
Despite the recent movement on marijuana issues and the increased acceptance of marijuana for medical use, there is a long road ahead of us to end the war on cannabis consumers. We can turn the tide, we can end these counter productive government practices. It just takes a handful of dedicated Americans that understand the victim less crime that is marijuana use.
I know how Felony and Juvenile Division Chief Tim Drury is. He has a very cold heart. I have a past experience with him as instead of procecuting a “real” criminal (non drug issue) he showed compassion to the criminal and crushed the victim. The victim was a child. Whose side is he on? I was compelled to say this – take it for what its worth.
I seem to remember incessant blabbering about freedom and America all throughout gradeschool…
The way I think about this movement is to imagine a really, truly, free America.
I don’t want to rebel, or to play cat-and-mouse with officers of the law, or to constantly be in the streets or before a judge.
I want decent, rational, fair laws that let adults smoke cannabis in peace.
Welcome to the world of blogs. People read your articles and then blockquote and comment on the parts they find relevant. The piece, like all here, is attributed through the hyperlink. The point is to present an argument that supports our position; that’s why it’s “opinion” and not “news”. The “slice and dice” treatment is the norm on blogs; if we presented the entire article, we may as well be the Port Orchard Independent. Blogging on news excerpts is called “fair use for educational purposes” and “satire”… just so you know we know what the rules are and we’re sticking to them.
Sorry to get all Ned Flanders on you here, but I need to object to this presentation. All of the highlighted news segments on this page are exact excerpts from my article in the Port Orchard Independent. The fact that the piece was not attributed is annoying, but a worse offense is how you took out the parts that support your position and presented your argument out of context from the original article. Sure, you can get the entire article by linking to the title, but many people will not bother.
I allow (and welcome) direct linking to a story, and full reprint on your website with attribution if linking is not possible. But the slice and dice treatment here is not acceptable.
If you decline to follow my requests I will…..do nothing. I’m not going to call the law in on this one, it would be annoying waste of time and resources. Just know what the rules are, and stick to them if you can.
I have to add that I had an expired Washington State Medical Marijuana Authorization form on me, signed, expired by about a month, I don’t know what would have happened if it was not expired, but I had already gotten a new one with the wrong date on it so I was waiting for a replacement in the mail and I brought that to the courtroom. It was shown to the judge and very quickly he said case dismissed, I was wasting the court’s time it seemed. I dressed well, got there early, brought all my medical documentation. I couldn’t help smiling on the way out.
I remember very clearly, one of the officers that grabbed me at the Olympia Hempfest so I wouldn’t run away or pull some gun out or fight told me, “it’s not a free day.”
I seem to remember incessant blabbering about freedom and America all throughout gradeschool…
I like how you said “the victim less crime that is marijuana use,” becuase it really turns you into a victim, without the crime.
Washington state is good. I got my court case dismissed without prejudice and my defense even stood up and told the judge that the defense has no objection to the dismissal. The courtroom was packed with people driving with suspended licenses and expired tabs… Someone laughed as I was walking out after they heard my case got dismissed, I had medicated at the state capital, by the capitol building, in Olympia, Thurston County, Washington during the 2008 Olympia Hempfest on August 28. I belive 30+ arrests were made that day, mostly cannabis related.