Marijuana bust may prove bad trip for cops

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A couple in the U.S. city of Denver are demanding compensation from the police after their 39 marijuana plants died while being stored as evidence. James and Lisa Masters were arrested and charged with storing drugs. The case later went up in smoke.


The Masters claimed they grew the plants for medical purposes, even though they were not on the Colorado state registry allowing them to cultivate the drug. Police confiscated the plants and stored them for more than a year in a room without a grow-lamp or water. Naturally, all the plants died.

The couple, who turned out to have being growing cannabis for themselves and at least five other people – all with permission to use it for medical purpose. They failed to register properly because they couldn’t afford the $US 110 fee, said Brian Vicente, one of their attorneys.

Now they want the Police Department to reimburse them $200,000 for the destroyed plants. Citing state law, they says the police must not "harm, neglect or destroy" evidence in such cases.

The police say they treated the plants as any other piece of evidence.


"At the time the grass plants were confiscated, the Masters didn't have documents to prove it was medical marijuana. They have to have some proof," police spokeswoman Rita Davis said.
The Masters' attorneys argue that police should have cared for the plants as they would an animal or child removed from a home.

"If the police take your pit bull, do they put it in an evidence locker for two months," Vicente said.

The case is made even more obscure by a lack of precedence. It’s rare for people given permission to use marijuana for medical reasons not to have the necessary licenses to hand. SOURCE

By Whistleblower

http://blog-reporter.blogspot.com