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Police Return Dead Pot Plants

By Jeralyn, Section Crime Policy
Posted on Mon Dec 03, 2007 at 08:16:56 PM EST
Tags: medical marijuana (all tags)
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After a Fort Collins, Colorado judge last week ordered the police to return 39 plants to two medical marijuana caregivers, the police department has complied: by returning dead plants.

James and Lisa Masters, the former defendants and owners of the plants, will sue. Their lawyer puts the value of the plants at $100,000.

The Judge ordered the plants and the grow system returned after ruling the search was illegal. The D.A. says there was no obligation to preserve the plants because the Masters weren't on the registry at the time of the search. (They couldn't afford it and with help from others, were placed on the registry several days later.)

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    Police Return Dead Pot Plants | 15 comments (15 topical)

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    which means that, (none / 0) (#1)
    by cpinva on Mon Dec 03, 2007 at 09:29:02 PM EST
    for all intents and purposes, they achieved their goal. and good luck with that suit, that cracking sound you hear is not hell freezing over.

    Pessimists... (none / 0) (#9)
    by manys on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 12:19:06 AM EST
    You might be amazed to see some of the things law can do.

    Parent
    I am often amazed.... (none / 0) (#13)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 08:25:12 AM EST
    usually not in a good way though.

    Though the fact that a judge ruled for the plants to be returned in the first place was quite amazing in the best way.

    Parent

    $100,000. Weren't (none / 0) (#2)
    by oculus on Mon Dec 03, 2007 at 10:01:24 PM EST
    the maintaining the plants for personal use?

    yes, but (and) (none / 0) (#6)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Dec 03, 2007 at 11:38:49 PM EST
    they were also caregivers.

    Parent
    Just to be fair (none / 0) (#8)
    by manys on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 12:17:32 AM EST
    You should at least familiarize yourself with the story before commenting on it. Just a little bit?

    Parent
    Article states no one had designated (none / 0) (#10)
    by oculus on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 01:00:23 AM EST
    these growers as their caregivers.

    Also:

    In June 2006, Hiatt tossed out the charges against the Masters after ruling that the search warrant was illegal.

    Wondering what the statute of limitations is in CO for a motion for return of property.  Links provided do not include that information.


    Parent

    Pay Up (none / 0) (#3)
    by squeaky on Mon Dec 03, 2007 at 10:05:09 PM EST
    That is a big crop loss. Treble damage.

    Hmmm (none / 0) (#4)
    by Patrick on Mon Dec 03, 2007 at 10:52:38 PM EST
    That's about $2,500 per plant...Wonder if they were indoor...This case could be good for future potential street value testimony.  Anyone know what an LB of bud goes for in Ft Collins?  

    Well, I'm not entirely sure how (none / 0) (#14)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 01:33:00 PM EST
    to translate this, but...
    yea no sh[*]t colorado has some good dank suprisingly. kind of pricy if your just looking from chornic but i get some beautiful kush and indica for the same prices, being 60 to 70 an eigth


    Parent
    Using the (none / 0) (#15)
    by Patrick on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 05:57:07 PM EST
    lower price of $60, that's about $7,900 per pound.   But again, that's buying it 1/8 of an ounce at a time, and just like the big box stores you get a discount for quantity.  I'd say those prices are in the same range as Ca, so figure $2,500-3,200 per pound.  The point being, they (The plaintiffs) must be figuring it at a pound per plant.  Funny, if they were defendants, it's just be a few ounces per plant, and that doesn't even take into account plant infestations and mortality.  

    Parent
    What was the cost to get on the registry? (none / 0) (#5)
    by oculus on Mon Dec 03, 2007 at 11:10:45 PM EST


    $2500 per plant! I feel so dumb for not harvestin (none / 0) (#7)
    by jerry on Mon Dec 03, 2007 at 11:57:08 PM EST
    what was growing around the dorm.

    I can't say I am too devastated by the financial amount of their loss.  We're talking what, 39 seeds, some dirt, water, and two months?  The stuff grows like a weed, right?

    (I can understand that if it is needed for medical use, the timeliness of being forced to wait two months is a big deal.)

    Could their customers (none / 0) (#11)
    by Jen M on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 07:25:33 AM EST
    so the suing? If they have script for the stuff?

    oops (none / 0) (#12)
    by Jen M on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 07:26:28 AM EST
    I meant do the suing

    Parent
    Police Return Dead Pot Plants | 15 comments (15 topical)

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