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Police damage marijuana plants, Colorado couple sue

Here's one you don't here about too often:

James and Lisa Masters said they want to send a message to police departments all across Colorado.

The couple and one of their attorneys filed a motion late Thursday seeking compensation for 39 damaged medical marijuana plants.

"We're hoping that they'll at least be more careful when they go into people's homes," Lisa Masters said. "And if they (homeowners) claim medical use, then they (police) should keep those plants alive instead of having to pay for it later."

Police confiscated the Masters' plants in August of 2006 on the same day that human service officials removed the couple's two children, because of the marijuana.

"They took our life away for a year and a half," James Masters said.

Police returned the marijuana last month after a judge ruled the plants were seized illegally.

But the plants were dead. Now the couple wants to be compensated.

"The cannibus means a lot to me because it keeps me and my wife well," said James Masters.

James said he suffers from chronic nausea and pain, and that his wife suffers symptoms of fibromyalgia.

When asked how much compensation they're seeking, the couple's attorney, Robert Corry, replied, "We're asking for the Drug Enforcement Agency's estimate of what the marijuana plants are worth.

That could be well over $1,000 a plant.

"I think it's fundamental that we're able to use the same figures that they use against us," James said. "If they're inflated, then maybe they (the DEA) shouldn't be using them in a court of law to condemn somebody for five or six years."

"Medical marijuana is worth more than gold by weight," Corry said. "I'm not an expert in current gold prices, but I think by ounce, medical marijuana is worth more."

The request for compensation, filed with the Larimer County District Court, is believed to be the first such request in Colorado history. 

source:  officers.com

Court in Greeley, Colorado ordered random people on city streets for jury duty.

It'is hard to believe that officials in Greely, Colorado had to resort to this sort of method to get jurors to serve:

With only 39 out of 200 people summonsed for jury duty showing up Wednesday, court officials with emergency jury duty subpoenas headed to the street to randomly pick 50 people to serve on juries.

Witnesses told television stations that administrators approached people walking on the sidewalk, at a grocery store and even a nearby gym, where people in their workout clothes headed to court under a threat of a contempt of court citation.

"This is not right," Karen McMillan told administrators. She was approached while in a grocery story and ordered to serve.

"We need a little warning," McMillan said. "I have like 5 tons of stuff to do at work."

Karen Salaz, state court administrator, said she believes the district has had to resort to such measures only three times.

Failing to show up for jury duty after getting a summons in the mail could result in a contempt of court citation.