80-year-old medical marijuana patient with expired card jailed for less than an eighth of cannabis | Fox17
CLARE COUNTY, Mich. -- An 80-year-old grandmother in Clare County was jailed for the first time in her life, because she had a small amount of cannabis at home but her Michigan medical marijuana card expired.
Delores Saltzman and her son Mark tell FOX 17 cannabis saved her life: it worked up her appetite when she was sick; helped her heal after surgeries; and eases her pain from ongoing health conditions.
They are disturbed a deputy jailed her overnight for using her medicine.
...June 13 around 9 p.m., Clare County Sheriff's Deputy Ashley Gruno knocked on Delores’ door. According to court records, Gruno was trying to locate Saltzman's great granddaughter, and return her lost phone and ID.
...June 13 around 9 p.m., Clare County Sheriff's Deputy Ashley Gruno knocked on Delores’ door. According to court records, Gruno was trying to locate Saltzman's great granddaughter, and return her lost phone and ID.
That’s when the deputy smelled marijuana from Saltzman's porch.
"[The deputy] asked whose it was, correct?" Mark Saltzman asked his mother.
"Right, and I told her it was mine," Saltzman said, explaining she was honest with the deputy.
...Court records show the deputy seized: several pipes, four joints and one purple jar with an undisclosed amount of cannabis.
...Then, court records show Saltzman was handcuffed in the patrol car.
"[The deputy] asked whose it was, correct?" Mark Saltzman asked his mother.
"Right, and I told her it was mine," Saltzman said, explaining she was honest with the deputy.
...Court records show the deputy seized: several pipes, four joints and one purple jar with an undisclosed amount of cannabis.
...Then, court records show Saltzman was handcuffed in the patrol car.
She says the deputy did not read her rights to her, and she was escorted to jail for the night..."
FOX 17 reached out to the Clare County Prosecutor and Sheriff about how this case was handled.
FOX 17 reached out to the Clare County Prosecutor and Sheriff about how this case was handled.
Clare County Prosecutor Michelle Ambrozaitis wrote FOX 17 this statement:
"Law enforcement went to Ms. Saltzman’s home looking for an individual who had been known to stay at that residence. When the deputy arrived, she could smell the odor of marijuana. When she interacted with Ms. Saltzman at the door, Ms. Saltzman admitted to have been smoking marijuana and possessing marijuana and that she had allowed her medical marijuana card to lapse. At that time, Ms. Saltzman turned over to the deputy 7 marijuana pipes, 4 joints, a grinder, and a purple glass jar that also held a quantity of marijuana inside. The deputy arrested Ms. Saltzman for the illegal possession of marijuana and lodged her in the Clare County Jail. Based upon that arrest, a police report and request for charges was generated by the deputy and presented to our office. My assistant prosecutor authorized a possession of marijuana charge based upon the admission by Ms. Saltzman that she wasn’t a medical marijuana card holder and the evidence that she did possess marijuana illegally. However, our goal is to ensure that individuals who utilize medical marijuana are doing so legally. As such, Ms. Saltzman was encouraged to obtain her medical marijuana card and if she did so, the case would be dismissed. She did obtain her medical marijuana card and the case was dismissed."..."
Read on.
Read on.
No comments:
Post a Comment