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| Photo: Kathy Johnson/MyCentralJersey |
| John Wilson, an MS patient, at his sentencing Friday for growing medical marijuana |
Wilson, 37, was growing 17 marijuana plants.
Tragically, the sentence handed down to John Wilson is the minimum prison term he could have received under New Jersey law, reports Michael Deak at MyCentralJersey.com.
Wilson's attorney, James Wronko, said he plans to file a motion to stay the sentence pending an appeal.
According to Superior Court Judge Robert Reed, who handed down the sentence, Wilson could be eligible in six months for the New Jersey Intensive Supervision Program in which some state prison inmates have an opportunity to work their way back into the community.
Because this is Wilson's first conviction, Reed did not sentence Wilson to a period of parole ineligibility. Wilson could be eligible parole in just over a year.
"It's the least period of imprisonment I could impose," said Reed.
The state attorney general's office, which prosecuted the case, was heartlessly asking Judge Reed to impose a seven-year sentence.
Wronko said Wilson began using marijuana to treat the symptoms of MS, with which he was diagnosed in 2002, because he did not have insurance and could not afford prescriptions.
Before Reed handed down the sentence, Wilson admitted he had broken the law.
"I am not a bad person," he told the judge. "I just made a horrible mistake. I'm truly sorry what what I've done."
18 comments
Comments
Norman Lepoff, M.D. said:
This is an utter shame and disgrace to all Americans that this can happen in our country.
We need new politicians across the board.
This hypocrisy and injustice must stop and prosecutors like this one must be fired!
scott replied to Norman Lepoff, M.D. :
prosecutors like that should be shot, ripped open and put on display in front of men, woman, and children,. i cant believe how many sick people are getting thrown in jail, or beaten to death by home-invaders, while the cops dont give a damn, all they care about is making arrests, we cant stand by and let this happen anymore, we must stand up, we must fight!!!
Anonymous said:
No one should be imprisoned for growing a plant.
Robert Lee said:
This just makes me SICK,going to prison for growing a wonderful plant, can you see where thats wrong?? Marijuana (cannabis) is my life and always will be so whatcha gonna do come and get this M.S. sufferer too?? Im waiting right here for you to come,this madness has to change somewhere,thought that Mr. Obama would legalize or decriminalize medical marijuana for all the sick people if their doctor says it may help! I have had bouts from my M.S. over the years and done my own trials to see which way I wanted to live !! :) Marijuana wins hands down! :) I put my disease in to remission,learned how to walk , talk and think againwithout the use of pharm drugs and I proud to tell everyone that "IM A MARIJUANA USER" I also did my own trials on using pharm drugs V"s marijuana and you know what ?? I threw away 40 pills that "They' said I needed! :) I did not need them for me ,they needed me for my insurance so they could rob me blind,now is that what AMERICA has become?? I was in a wheelchair could not walk,talk,eat..ect until I found marijuana then that all changed , I started walking ,eating ,relaxing and helps with the pain and now live with a quality of life !! :)PLease let this man out and shove your pharm drugs up your ass!! :)
jeff oldman said:
this is ludicrous!
stop the insanity now and end the war on marijuana and its entire supply and demand chain!
TINY MARTINEZ said:
It's a f**kin' joke, right? And how much more money are they going to have tax payers put out to house a patient and give him proper care...
Nicole Ferrier replied to TINY MARTINEZ:
The average annual operating cost, per State inmate in 2001 was $22650, in 2001 723,628 people were arrested for marijuana related "crimes" By my calculations our government spent 16,390,174,200 nation wide JUST in detaining these "criminals".
Lets also look at the fact that the prisons are overcrowded...So many people get released early due to overpopulation....so that crack head who broke in to the neighbors house and stole her TV is ok to get out early so he can fiend for another eightball and go steal someone elses shit? Oh, but heaven forbid a cancer patient ot some one with MS or AIDS using marijuana to help ease thier pain...OH NONONONONO Fucking lock those menices to society up and throw away the key!
Wow! I am a huge advocate for Medical marijuana and I ask everyone to educate and help us work to the greater good! Lets free ourselves from the propaganda that is STILL being shoved down our throats! Join a group, join a hundred groups. Myspace, facebook norml mpp help us help you!
My group is 1,000,000 strong for the legalization of medical marijuana. I'm on facebook. join any group just please help us change the unjust marijuana laws!
Justin Kander said:
What the hell... this is so horrible. The man says he made a "horrible mistake" and is "truly sorry" for trying to medicate himself with the most effective option he has on this planet? It is DISGUSTING that people are sent to jail and have to apologize for trying to bring themselves out of pain. The entire country should march on Washington, at least a hundred million people, to demand right now that no one ever be punished for cannabis again.
TINY MARTINEZ said:
It's a f**kin' joke, right? And how much more money are they going to have tax payers put out to house a patient and give him proper care...
Ray T said:
wow.... in our country..we have a double standard... I do it in CA legaly... I dont hurt anyone. I handle all my responsiblities. I work out and i dont drink. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME SMOKING. Make a prison in california where we can all grow and be a community... We would never bother anyone.. cause if you take him away...Im next..and my friends...and thier friends....and their fam...and...and ? For what..
Hate non-smokers hate who I am... And I did nothing to them...
would it be better to ship my money acrooss the border? If I grow, I can insert my funds budgeted for medicine..back into our economy.
600 dollars a month..buys alot of guns :(
cs said:
shows just how SICK our justine system has become.
Joyce Samuels said:
Child molesters get less time than this man got.
Nicole said:
I do agree with Norm that "This is an utter shame and disgrace to all Americans that this can happen in our country."
However, I also feel that you need to be aware of the law where you live and live somewhere that medical marijuana is ok. Until it is completely legal we all need to do our part in maintaining a good reputation for medical marijuana. I just hope it becomes legal in my lifetime!!
Paul von Hartmann said:
This conviction is disgusting. How the hell can any court have rightful jurisdiction over this man's well-being - or anyone else's?
I have been publicly challenging the rightful jurisdiction of any court over unique and essential natural resources for almost 20 years. That this kind of cruel and unusual, criminal activity by the courts is still being tolerated is just outrageous.
Shame on whomever is responsible for bringing charges against John Wilson in the first place.
Paul von Hartmann said:
Solutions have been outlawed because problems are profitable.
greg replied to Paul von Hartmann:
right you are Paul. Problems are worth a lot of money. Even solutions are profitable if kept in the hands of a few and sold for a lot of money. But then why solve a health problem when the golden goose will keep coming back to give you a golden egg (lots of money for medications for cancer, MS, liver problems,etc) and support your hospital, center, lifestyle, lawyers, ancillary services? If 1% of the recreational alcohol consumers grow their own, smoke their own and dont buy their weekend 12 pack, the alcohol companies will be asking for a government subsidy
Bob C said:
I thought slavery ended?
The right for everybody to own their body
IS FUNDAMENTAL. Laws that deny that right are WRONG.
Peaceful people are the victims, those who arrest, sentence and incarcerate them are the criminals. It's time to end this.
greg said:
like you said Paul, problems are profitable. Medications are being advertised in newspapers, magazines, radio ads. Look sometime at the side effects of these "legal" drugs and its a wonder they are even on the market. When anal leakage, coma and death are potential side effects, doesnt that make a case for it being dangerous? But then the red eyes, relaxation, the giggles and munchies are so much more dangerous than paralysis, liver damage and death
