High-profile state jury acquittal of New Jersey’s “Weedman” on distribution charges
, headlined “‘NJWeedman’ acquitted; Still faces prison time for possession,” reports on a notable verdict in a high-profile state marijuana distribution case. Here are the details:
Although a jury acquitted Ed “NJWeedman” Forchion of drug distribution on Thursday, the medical marijuana activist could still spend time behind bars for his love of pot. Forchion, a Pemberton Township native who has long been a champion for the legalization of marijuana, was found guilty for possessing marijuana in a trial in May but a verdict could not be reached on the more serious distribution charge.
Forchion, who had been living in California, was arrested in Mount Holly in 2010 with a pound of pot in his trunk. After the retrial this week, the jury in Superior Court in Burlington County deliberated for only a short time on Thursday before returning a verdict of not guilty. “I’m vindicated,” an upbeat Forchion said in an interview after the verdict announcement on Thursday. “The people just don’t believe in the marijuana laws anymore.”
Forchion, 47, grew up in Browns Mills but later opened a medical marijuana dispensary in California. He was arrested in April 2010 when he returned to New Jersey to visit his children and was stopped in Mount Holly with a pound of pot in his trunk. Since then, Forchion has heavily promoted his case in an effort to further argue against New Jersey’s marijuana laws.
Forchion was allowed to talk to jurors in both cases about his status as a licensed medical marijuana patient in California. But he was barred from using his oft promoted “jury nullification” argument that would have asked jurors to disregard the state’s laws on marijuana use in determining a verdict that was instead based upon their own view of the substance. “I think the jurors agree with me,” Forchion said Thursday.
But while avoiding the much more hefty weight of the drug distribution charge, Forchion still faces up to 18 months in prison when sentenced Jan. 17 for drug possession. Forchion said he hopes the judge will consider the fact he is enrolled in a cancer study in California for painful tumors in his legs.
Forchion, who says he relies on marijuana to control pain from his tumors, has maintained that he never had any intent to peddle his “medicine” to others…. Forchion, a laid back, dread-locked Rastafarian who holds nothing back when it comes to his penchant for the wacky weed, has gained a large following of supporters. He even admitted to jurors on Thursday he had eaten pot-laced cookies and brownies throughout the proceedings in court.
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