On or about September 26, 2014 Richard Jackson, a licensed medicinal marijuana caregiver under the laws of the State of Maine, called his local police department of South Paris, State of Maine, to express concerns of suspicious activity in and around his home and marijuana cultivation. Under Maine State law an individual may serve and be employed as a medicinal marijuana caregiver to assist patients with the cultivation and processing of their medicines. Richard took all necessary legal steps to become licensed as a caregiver and was providing this worthwhile and necessary service to patients in his community.
He asked that the South Paris Police Department step up patrols in his area and, if necessary, to please visit the property so that he could better identify the areas where this activity had occured and the basis for his concerns. What transpired after his call is nothing short of tragic.
Rather than take any measures - or make recommendations - to address Richards concerns, the South Paris Police Department immediately, and without justification, confiscated Richard's entire crop and seized all of the medicine and plants which he was lawfully in possession of. For more than a year Richard, through counsel, attempted to resolve the dispute and explain to law enforcement why he had committed no crime. Despite those arguments and explanations, Richard has now been charged by indictment with felony marijuana possession and cultivation charges even though no crime has been committed.
Were it not for law enforcements misunderstanding of the laws it has sworn to uphold, Richard would not find himself where he does today.
Richard's case is likely to be precedent setting as it will address issues regarding the characteristics of the plants and curing marijuana and will require the assistance of experts to assist the jury in understanding the process of growing and processing marijuana for medicinal use.
Richard has asked that, as his counsel, we set up this crowd sourcing justice fund as numerous members of his community - some involved in the medicinal marijuana industry, many more without said connection - have approached him to offer financial support.
We thank you for your support and look forward to defeating these charges in court.
For more information please click here or visit www.FundedJustice.com
This man, you carelessly defend, is a scourge of this Earth. I lived with him for 10 years. He dated my mother. There are things he had done to me and my family as a kid and I can tell you that he deserves to rot in jail for the rest of his life.
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