| Graphic: Last Blog on Earth |
The defense team for a San Diego medical marijuana collective manager is requesting the return of several pounds of cannabis and all other property seized in a 2008 raid after Jovan Jackson was acquitted of all pot charges.
During their “investigation” of Answerdam Collective, law enforcement agents “confiscated” computers, business records, and several pounds of medical marijuana, reports Eugene Davidovich of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) San Diego.
Dispensary owner Jackson is a medical marijuana patient, Navy veteran, and the victim of two “Operation Green Rx” raids, part of San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis’s quixotic and misguided war against medical marijuana patients and providers.
| Photo: 10News.com |
| Answerdam Collective manager Jovan Jackson was acquitted of marijuana charges. Now he wants the pot back. |
Jackson was acquitted last month of marijuana charges related to the first, August 2008 raid, after a jury trial. The collective manager was vindicated on all five marijuana-related charges. Chris Lindbergh, the prosecutor in Jackson’s case, was scolded by the jury for bringing such a weak case to trial.
However, charges related to a second raid, on September 9, 2009, have not yet been litigated.
Lance Rogers, Jackson’s attorney, will argue the return of property motion on Friday, February 19. Rogers will argue that because Jackson was acquitted by a jury and the time period has expired for the district attorney to appeal, there is no legal basis for law enforcement to hold Jackson’s property.
Jackson will be back in court on February 26, when Rogers will argue a motion to dismiss the case based on prosecutorial discrimination, also known as a Murgia motion.
Attorney Rogers plans to show how Jackson was singled out for prosecution on the basis of his race.
“The Cross Jurisdictional Narcotics Task Force has been investigating Mr. Jackson for two years, during which at least 10 non-black suspects actively involved in the possession, sales, distribution, and transportation of marijuana were also investigated, yet no charges were brought forward nor any other suspects prosecuted,” Rogers said.